Altar Girls distributing holy communion!? What the!?

[Darth_Catholic]

Today I visited my local basilica and happened to caught the end of the mass. To my suprise the altar girls were distributing communion! I didn’t want to jump to conclusions just yet, because there is always a big crowd of faithful at that church. So am i wrong to be concerned? Is there a certain rule that allows them to distribute communion when the priest are overwhelmed?

Clarification would be helpful. Thank you.

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

Darth_Catholic:

Today I visited my local basilica and happened to caught the end of the mass. To my suprise the altar girls were distributing communion! I didn’t want to jump to conclusions just yet, because there is always a big crowd of faithful at that church. So am i wrong to be concerned? Is there a certain rule that allows them to distribute communion when the priest are overwhelmed?

Clarification would be helpful. Thank you.

With the assumption that they are mature enough and that the Bishop has not established a minimum age. A priest could “commission” for that Mass only, the number of EMHC he needs at that time for the Mass. The Bishop here specified that only Confirmed Catholics over 18, in good standing with the Church could be “commissioned”. This applies even for the “One time” use. You willl have to ask the priest celebrant for more specifics.

 

[chevalier]

Altar girls may still be better than random guys. But even commissioned acolytes are bad when the priest is not distributing himself. Oh well, it’s better to receive that way than not at all, but what I mean is that priests need to distribute. EMHEs aren’t meant to take the burden off priests.

 

[EddieArent]

Shruggs shoulders Sounds like a new spring time to me.

 

[MariaG]

In our church, some of the confirmed youth are still altar servers. One, a girl, is also a EMHE.

 

[chevalier]

Adult people can serve to mass. Even ordained people. There’s nothing like a divine order that it only be kids.