The following guidelines were prepared by the Committee on the Liturgy and presented to the National Conference of Catholic Bishops for discussion at the June 1994 Special Assembly on Thursday, June 16, 1994. The suggested guidelines—which predate the Apostolic Letter motu proprio Spiritus Domini (2021), opening the instituted ministry of acolyte to women—have been slightly revised according to the third edition of the General Instruction of the Roman Missal. They may be used as a basis for developing diocesan guidelines.