Any others feel this way

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booksandmusic

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Hi all,

I want to see if my reaction to a situation was just me, or if other people would react like I did.

My husband and I attended a Lifeteen mass last Sunday evening. I will be the first to admit, I like the more traditional mass much better, but given the choice of missing Sunday mass altogether, or going to the Lifeteen mass, we choose to go. I was ok with everything up until communion. When I saw that the majority of the lay ministers that were giving out communion were teenagers, I whispered to my husband that I would not take communion from a teenager. I was going to wait and get at the end of the line for our Priest. Thank goodness, an older man came to the front of our line to hand out communion. I have a very strong feeling about it even after I have had a few days to ponder my reaction. I still will not take communion from a teenager. I am just getting to the point where I am comfortable taking it from lay people to begin with.

I am not here to say what is right or wrong, nor to bash teens. I taught middle and high school for 10 years. I am also a parent and grandmother. I understand kids…but I don’t understand my strong reaction I had at mass.

Would love to hear from others that have had similar reactions, or to tell me if I am all alone with this feeling.

God Bless
 
I thought the rule was EMHCs had to be at least 18 years of age and undergo proper training.

Were these teens under the age of 18? Were they regular EMHCs or were they just allowed to distribute communion at this Mass because it was a LifeTeen Mass?
 
I am not sure how old they were or what their training has been. I am assuming it was all within regulations. At our regular masses, there is always older people handing out communion.
 
booksandmusic said:
I am not sure how old they were or what their training has been. I am assuming it was all within regulations.
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If they are of legal age, the first thing that comes to mind is Paul’s advice to Timothy: “Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.”

I’ll grant that Timothy was probably older than 18, but apparently he was considered by some “too young” for his office.
 
bluerose said:
I thought the rule was EMHCs had to be at least 18 years of age and undergo proper training.
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There is no “rule” on the age of an EMHC. An EMHC must have completed the sacraments of intiation (be confirmed) so some of the age designation will depend upon at what age the bishop in that diocese confirms.

There isn’t a universal law. Canon Law says it is up to the conference of bishops to set an age and qualifications.

Can. 910 §2. The extraordinary minister of holy communion is an acolyte or another member of the Christian faithful designated according to the norm of can. 230, §3.

Can. 230 §1. Lay men who possess the age and qualifications established by decree of the conference of bishops can be admitted on a stable basis through the prescribed liturgical rite to the ministries of lector and acolyte.

§3. When the need of the Church warrants it and ministers are lacking, lay persons, even if they are not lectors or acolytes, can also supply certain of their duties, namely, to exercise the ministry of the word, to preside offer liturgical prayers, to confer baptism, and to distribute Holy Communion, according to the prescripts of the law.
 
booksandmusic said:
Hi all, When I saw that the majority of the lay ministers that were giving out communion were teenagers, I whispered to my husband that I would not take communion from a teenager.s
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it depends entirely on the bishop of your diocese. If these teens have been confirmed, are old enough and have had the training required for all other EMHCs there should be no problem, unless as a matter of conscience you consistently make it a practice to receive only from a priest or deacon, which is your choice.
 
I am sure there is nothing going on that isn’t allowed by the church. I didn’t ask this question to debate the right or wrong of young people handing out communion. I understand the need for a Teenlife mass and am glad our parish has one.

My question was am I the only one who feels strongly about not taking communion from someone so young. Maybe the fact that I did teach high school is a factor in my not being comfortable with it. 😉

Maybe my being uncomfortable with it goes back to my Catholic education…when only priest was involved. Sr. Mary Benita would be quite shocked these days I am sure. I am still struggling with my posture when I am kneeling, for goodness sakes. No wonder I am not at ease with all of these other changes, even though I do see a need for them for some people. :eek:

Thanks for all your replies.
 
I have no issue with taking communion from a EMHC whether they are a teenager male or female.

How many people took communion from a priest who was a pediphile?

I for one – we had one in our parish for several years before it was discovered.
 
At our parish I have seen both old, middle-aged, and very young EHMC’s. Age doesn’t really make a difference. Some of the most devout of parishioners are the young people who attend Thursday weekday Mass as a prayer group.
 
I attend our local Catholic college chapel. On a weekday (noonish) mass, most and sometimes all of the lay positions are filled with university aged people (lectors, alter server, EMHC for the chalice). Same thing for Sunday masses. I’ve no problem with it, but I am university aged myself.
 
booksandmusic said:
My question was am I the only one who feels strongly about not taking communion from someone so young.
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It seems that you are. And, I would ask myself “why” it bothers me.

After all, at Confirmation these young people received the gifts of the Holy Spirit. They were strengthened in their baptismal grace and given the gifts to take their place in the “army of Christ” in service to the Church.

And, it looks like these young people answered that call to serve and you find fault with it. Personally, I don’t get that.
 
Was there any other factors that made you feel uneasy? Such as the way they handled themselves, or the way they were dressed? Or is it just the age that is the problem?
 
I love to quote this from the Rule of St. Benedict:

Chapter 3

“Whenever any important business has to be done
in the monastery,
let the Abbot call together the whole community
and state the matter to be acted upon.
Then, having heard the brethren’s advice,
let him turn the matter over in his own mind
and do what he shall judge to be most expedient.
The reason we have said that all should be called for counsel
is that the Lord often reveals to the younger what is best.”

I think that we should rejoice that some teens are choosing God.
 
PatriceA said:
Was there any other factors that made you feel uneasy? Such as the way they handled themselves, or the way they were dressed? Or is it just the age that is the problem?
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I think some of my feelings probably had to do with the very casual way they were dressed. I don’t mind dressing casual for mass, but beyond casual (cutoffs, t-shirts, flip-flops) maybe was a little too easy going for knowing you were going to be a lay minister. Just my opinion…
 
I am beginning to regret having posted my question here. I tried to make it clear I am not saying young people having a teenlife mass is a bad thing OR that teens giving communion is bad. I love that young people are involved with the church. From what I have seen in schools, many more need to be. I am not questioning their faith, knowledge or commitment to God or the Catholic church.

My question was my own personal feelings. To be honest, I was surprised at my own reaction at first and I just wanted to find out if anyone else felt that way. Perhaps I am the only one who has ever struggled with the way things are now. If it makes me a less than steller Catholic then so be it.

Thank you for your replies. I will think twice before posting anything again.
 
booksandmusic said:
I think some of my feelings probably had to do with the very casual way they were dressed. I don’t mind dressing casual for mass, but beyond casual (cutoffs, t-shirts, flip-flops) maybe was a little too easy going for knowing you were going to be a lay minister. Just my opinion…
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No, this isn’t just opinion.

Anyone serving at the altar should be properly attired-- dress, dress pants, suit, etc. Not shorts, cut offs, jeans, etc. This has nothing to do with age. The priest should have instructed them in this before they were commissioned as EMHCs.
 
booksandmusic said:
I am beginning to regret having posted my question here. I tried to make it clear I am not saying young people having a teenlife mass is a bad thing OR that teens giving communion is bad. I love that young people are involved with the church. From what I have seen in schools, many more need to be. I am not questioning their faith, knowledge or commitment to God or the Catholic church.

My question was my own personal feelings. To be honest, I was surprised at my own reaction at first and I just wanted to find out if anyone else felt that way. Perhaps I am the only one who has ever struggled with the way things are now. If it makes me a less than steller Catholic then so be it.

Thank you for your replies. I will think twice before posting anything again.
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I’m sorry if I (or others) gave you the impreession that we were attacking.

I am sorry I can’t relate to your reluctance to receive from an EMHC at all, or from a young EMHC in particular. But, this clearly is something that you are struggling with-- and it’s OK to struggle with something. We all do, it just doesn’t happen to be that particular thing for me!

Maybe your pastor can give you some spiritual advice on this. I don’t know what to tell you b/c it doesn’t seem to be an issue for me. The bishops are the authority in the Church and they say EMHCs are allowed, therefore they are fine with me. The day the bishops say EMHCs are not allowed (which they *could *do) then they won’t be fine with me. I guess I see it as within their legitimate authority as bishops to make such arrangements and decisions so why should it trouble me?
 
booksandmusic said:
I am beginning to regret having posted my question here. I tried to make it clear I am not saying young people having a teenlife mass is a bad thing OR that teens giving communion is bad. I love that young people are involved with the church. From what I have seen in schools, many more need to be. I am not questioning their faith, knowledge or commitment to God or the Catholic church.

My question was my own personal feelings. To be honest, I was surprised at my own reaction at first and I just wanted to find out if anyone else felt that way. Perhaps I am the only one who has ever struggled with the way things are now. If it makes me a less than steller Catholic then so be it.

Thank you for your replies. I will think twice before posting anything again.
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Oh, please come back! Sometimes things just don’t come across right online, and if the tone of voice were added you would see that the poster didn’t mean it like it came out (I myself have had to apologise often for this :o)

Anyway, I can relate!!! I have not had that particular problem, but I am not all that comfortable with one of our EMHC’s because she wears very high heels and a very short skirt, and I just think that’s really odd. Other than that, her family seems very solid, but it still bothers me to see that, at Mass and *esp *when serving as an EMHC!

But I was taught that no one but the priest should touch the Host, and altho I “accept” the changes in this area, I prefer the old way of receiving. That just seemed to emphasise what was going on.

So I can relate to your discomfort. You are not alone!
 
Anyone past a certain age can relate to this. In my youth, no one except a priest was allowed to touch a consecrated host. And great care was taken to use the paten to avoid any host falling to the ground. Since we all received on the tongue, not even communicants touched the host with their hands.

Certainly I’ve accepted the changes in liturgical regulations, and accepted the use of EMHC’s, as well as communion in the hand. When I think back to those previous days sometimes, it does seem that the sense of reverence has been reduced, though that was never the intent of the changes.
 
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