On Saturday, January 24, the Diocese of Saint Petersburg hosted a Liturgy Leader Training, bringing together parish leaders from across the diocese for a day of formation, prayer, and renewal. The training featured bilingual presentations that reviewed the guidelines for various liturgical ministries within the Mass, while also emphasizing the deeper purpose behind these roles and their impact on the life of the Church.

“Serving in these ministries may be someone’s first experience of the Church,” one presenter noted. 

Whether as Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion, sacristans, lectors, or ushers, those who serve in liturgical ministries play a vital role in welcoming the faithful and helping cultivate an encounter with Christ. Their service helps nourish the liturgy and ensures that the celebration of the Mass reflects reverence, hospitality, and prayer.

The structure of the training itself reflected this focus on encounter and relationship with God. The day began with the celebration of Holy Mass and concluded with Eucharistic Exposition, intentionally orienting participants’ hearts and minds toward the Lord. This rhythm underscored a central theme of the day: drawing people into deeper relationship with God is at the core of the Church’s missionary activity.

Participants included parish liturgy leaders—those who, in turn, train and accompany others who serve in liturgical ministries. The diocese recognizes their essential role in forming parish volunteers and maintaining the integrity and beauty of the Church’s worship.

This training is one example of the Diocese of Saint Petersburg’s broader commitment to leadership formation. Through workshops, ongoing education, and spiritual formation opportunities, the Diocese continues to support parish leaders in areas such as liturgy, catechesis, evangelization, and pastoral ministry. By equipping leaders with both practical tools and spiritual grounding, the Diocese seeks to strengthen parish life and ensure that all ministries remain rooted in prayer, unity, and mission.

As attendees returned to their parishes, they did so renewed in purpose and better equipped to support those who serve at the altar and throughout the liturgy—helping ensure that every celebration of the Mass invites the faithful into a deeper encounter with Christ.