LITURGY CORNER Liturgical Furnishings: Announcement Stand

Adam Beeken • October 26, 2026

Among the furnishings in our music area is a relatively simple stand that serves several important purposes during and before Mass. Commonly called our announcement stand, it might also be described as a cantor stand or lectern. While it may not attract much attention, its location and purpose reflect some important distinctions in Catholic worship.


Historically, churches have used various types of lecterns and stands for reading, chanting, and leading music. In medieval churches, large music stands sometimes held the books used by groups of singers. Over time, separate stands became common for cantors, musicians, and those addressing the congregation. These allow different ministries to function without using the ambo, the Church's designated place for proclaiming the Word of God.

At Mary Queen, our announcement stand was introduced when we moved into our current church building. As its name suggests, one of its primary purposes is for announcements made before Mass. It also provides a place for cantors to lead congregational singing, particularly the Gospel Acclamation. While we do not ordinarily use a cantor to lead every hymn or song, certain musical parts of the Mass benefit from this more direct leadership.


The stand also serves our volunteers who lead the Rosary before our Saturday 4:00pm and Sunday 8:00am English Masses, as well as the Sunday 1:00pm Spanish Mass. A chaplet is also prayed before our 9:20am Spanish Mass.


Why not simply use the ambo for all these purposes? The General Instruction of the Roman Missal (GIRM 309) reserves the ambo for the proclamation of Scripture, including the Responsorial Psalm and Easter Proclamation, while also permitting the homily and Universal Prayer. Its special dignity comes from its relationship to God's Word. Announcements, devotional prayers, and ordinary song leadership are therefore appropriately conducted elsewhere. Our priests ordinarily make their announcements from the presider's chair.



Our announcement stand is positioned on a lower level than the ambo, near the music area. It is prominent enough for the congregation to see those leading prayer or song, but its angle also helps direct attention toward the altar rather than toward the individual speaking or singing.

Like many of our liturgical furnishings, the announcement stand is designed to serve rather than draw attention to itself. Its purpose is to help the assembly participate more fully in prayer and song while preserving the special roles of the altar and ambo in our worship.

WWMIN Update November 5, 2026

By Janet Piechowski • November 4, 2026
Gently-Used Toys and Clothes Bless you! We have begun to receive items for the children of our moms in need. We’ve contacted some of our 80 volunteers to “adopt” one of the 71 children to provide Christmas gifts. But your gifts will be vital for including the new moms (and children) who have turned to us these past two weeks. The most recent mom and two little girls – ages four and seven – were abandoned by the girls’ father. Without his income they cannot afford the rent for the apartment where they’ve lived in the last three years. The mom works at a nursing home and has been working with a counselor to become eligible for KTAP benefits so that the children have food. When asked if she had contact information for the dad’s family so they’d know that their grandchildren might soon be evicted, we learned that the dad’s mom had died ten years ago. The granddad remarried and he and the step-grandmother already have custody of a different grandchild and are on a fixed income. They have no interest in their two granddaughters here in Kentucky. Donations for ages 1 to 12 – both boys and girls - can be left on the table in the church coat room.

Walking with Moms Update 10/29/2026

By Janet Piechowski • October 26, 2026
Thank You! We are soooo grateful for your generosity. The baby bottles/bags returned so far have averaged $40 per bag/bottle! Wow! These donations will help purchase gas cards (so moms can get to work), Kroger cards (for perishables like fruits, dairy, veggies, and meat), clothing gift cards at nearby consignment stores (Once Upon a Child and Plato’s Closet). And more. Bless you! November 1 – Time to drop off gently-used toys and clothes for the children of our moms in need. We will need items for 71 children of the moms in need. Donations for ages 1 to 12 – both boys and girls - can be left on the table in the coat room as of November 1. For further information about WWMIN, check the information counter in the gathering area. Judy Cornett, 1(859)797-73450 Kathy Marra (859) 229-6383