Becoming a Eucharistic Minister?

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I belong to a very small country parish. I have never seen a Mass, where the priest, if the deacon was not present, at a Sunday Mass, did not need a Eucharistic Minister.

If there are 100 people receiving communion, which really isn’t very many, just having the one priest distribute communion would take too long. Our pastor serves two parishes. As soon as he finishes one Mass, he has to drive across town to say Mass at the other parish, then back for the final Mass at our parish.

Either way, its up to the priest to decide if he needs Eucharistic Ministers or not.

Jim
 
Mangy_Donkey said:
Would I be wrong in saying that the only Eucharist ministers are Priests or deacons and that during extraordinary circumstances assistance from the laity is required and that they are to be referred to as extraordinary Eucharist Ministers ? I asked a Priest this one time and he told me I was wrong, I am looking for clarity and not a debate.
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Only a Priest is a Eucharistic Minister. To be a Minister of the Eucharist is to be able to confect it. and only a priest can do that. Not even a deacon.

But the minister who takes the Sacrament already confected and gives it to the community ( Communicates it), is called a Minister of Holy Communion.

They are two seperate and distinct ministries.

A Priest or a Deacon is a Minister of Holy Communion by right, and lay person may serve in an Extraordinary capacity (Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion)

The Holy See has mandated that the term “Eucharistic Minister” be used only in conjunction with priests and bishops.

Redemptionis Sacramentum
[154.] As has already been recalled, “the only minister who can confect the Sacrament of the Eucharist in persona Christi is a validly ordained Priest”.[254] Hence the name “minister of the Eucharist” belongs properly to the Priest alone.
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The bishop’s conference of the US has concurred and has henceforth used only the term “Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion” is all it’s correspondance.

As Jim stated, in might be common in some areas to use the term incorrectly, it behoves us to comply with the wishes of Rome and our bishops and use the correct term.
 
JimR-OCDS said:
If there are 100 people receiving communion, which really isn’t very many, just having the one priest distribute communion would take too long.

Jim
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WHAT??? for 100 people there should only be one for each the host and the cup…it takes my priest about 10 minutes to distritbute to 150 people. do the math you are talking about 3-5 minutes longer for communion!!! If you priest is distributing communion to only 50 people I am guessing that communion lasts about 5 minutes max… are you saying that an extra 3-5 minutes is too long?. Also we have observed at our parish that having one distributor of the host doesn’t double the time when there is only one the individual naturally and fluidly moves side to side and his distrubution rate is slightly quicker.
 
On subject, does anyone know of a book introducing the role of the EM, what it involves and the practicalities?

It looks like it may be on the cards for me, but I’d really like to do a little reading in advance…
 
Eddy said:
On subject, does anyone know of a book introducing the role of the EM, what it involves and the practicalities?

It looks like it may be on the cards for me, but I’d really like to do a little reading in advance…
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Yes there is a booklet that has been released by the Vatican on this issue. It is called Redemptionis Sacramentum…

You will read in this book what the vatican thinks on the use of EMHCs. You may find out that we are not doing things on how the vatican wants things done…But remember on issues such as this we should look to rome for guidance first.
 
I looked this up in the Summa and here is what I found.

St. Thomas says that Our Lord’s Body should be dispensed only by a priest, and His Blood by a priest or deacon. He gives three reasons: firstly that the priest consecrates in persona Christi, and at the Institution of the Sacrament, it was Christ Himself who distributed.

Secondly that just as the priest is the appointed intermediary between God and the people, just as he offers the people’s gifts to God [in the Offertory], so he should offer consecrated gifts to the people.

Thirdly that from reverence to the Sacrament, nothing touches it but what is consecrated: the corporal, the chalice, and the hands of the priest.

Deacons may give the Precious Blood even though their hands are not consecrated as the priest’s are because they are near to priesthood by virtue of their office, and because their hands do not actually touch the Sacrament.

Summa Theologica III Q. 82 Art. 3
newadvent.org/summa/4082.htm
 
NoPlaceLikeRome said:
I looked this up in the Summa and here is what I found.

St. Thomas says that Our Lord’s Body should be dispensed only by a priest, and His Blood by a priest or deacon. He gives three reasons: firstly that the priest consecrates in persona Christi, and at the Institution of the Sacrament, it was Christ Himself who distributed.

Secondly that just as the priest is the appointed intermediary between God and the people, just as he offers the people’s gifts to God [in the Offertory], so he should offer consecrated gifts to the people.

Thirdly that from reverence to the Sacrament, nothing touches it but what is consecrated: the corporal, the chalice, and the hands of the priest.

Deacons may give the Precious Blood even though their hands are not consecrated as the priest’s are because they are near to priesthood by virtue of their office, and because their hands do not actually touch the Sacrament.

Summa Theologica III Q. 82 Art. 3
newadvent.org/summa/4082.htm
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The Summa Theologica doesn’t trump Church authority to change traditions and practices.

The Church today, allows for Eucharistic Ministers. Until they change it, no one should feel guilty or unworthy to become a Eucharistic Minster, nor should anyone be telling them they are not to serve in this capacity.

Peace
Jim
 
JimR-OCDS said:
The Summa Theologica doesn’t trump Church authority to change traditions and practices.

The Church today, allows for Eucharistic Ministers. Until they change it, no one should feel guilty or unworthy to become a Eucharistic Minster, nor should anyone be telling them they are not to serve in this capacity.

Peace
Jim
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Yep, they’re called ‘Priests’ and I don’t think the Church will change that. 😛 It would but too much work on the Bishop to celebrate that many Masses.
 
Brendan said:
Yep, they’re called ‘Priests’ and I don’t think the Church will change that. 😛 It would but too much work on the Bishop to celebrate that many Masses.
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Don’t ya just hate these new-fangled innovations. How can we let priests celebrate the mass! That’s the bishop’s job. We don’t want to blur the boundaries, create lots of mini-bishops or allow every1 to play at his role. I sure hope Benedict XVI does something about these liturgical reforms. What next- deacons touching the Sacred Species.!! 😃
 
Uh. . . so should I or shouldn’t I become a Eucharistic Minister?
 
twosweetgirls said:
Uh. . . so should I or shouldn’t I become a Eucharistic Minister?
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Note: You can’t be a “Eucharistic Minister”. By definition, only a clergy member is a Eucharistic Minister. You are thinking of the ministry technically known as Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion. As stated in the Vatican document, Redemptionis Sacramentum, in paragraphs 154-156, the term “Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion” is the proper title and should be the only one used.

I used to be one until I learned more and then I left the ministry. Now I go to Mass and serve as a lector. Why not be an Extraordinary Minister? Because only the members of the clergy have been consecrated to touch the Eucharist. Plus, they are extremely overused - they are only supposed to be extra-ordinary.

“Out of reverence towards this Sacrament (Blessed Sacrament), nothing touches it but when it is consecrated” - Summa, Pt III Q, Q2 Art. 3-

acatholiclife.blogspot.com/2006/08/stop-holy-communion-in-hand.html

Simply: Please don’t become an Extraordinary Minister.
 
twosweetgirls said:
However, I’ve read on various posts and threads here about how people seem to have a love/hate feeling in regards to the EMs they’ve encountered. Would you suggest I become an EM? Why or why not?
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Many people dislike EMHC’s because the use of them is abused in their particular parish. Unfortunately, it’s really the priest’s call on how many are used or not used, so even if you are in a parish where EMHC’s crawl out of the woodwork for every mass like ants swarming over a picnic lunch, there isn’t much you can do except pray that your parish conforms more with Rome’s instructions.

As for whether you should become one … if you are a faithful Catholic in good standing with the Church then you should offer your services if you want to. For the sake of your fellow parishioners, and Our Lord whom you would be handling, please make sure you dress nicely and modestly.

And your correct title would be EMHC - Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion. 🙂
 
I saw a notice in my bulletin for the need for Eucharistic Ministers in our area hosptials and cancer wards. When I called, they said training in my area would begin again in the Fall and the closest church right now doing it was almost an hour away.
Can anyone tell me what the one day (or evening in this case) training consists of?
I would love to do this just for the hospitals/nursing homes and occasionally when a visiting priest at my parish who has parkinson disease gives the mass. He can’t give communion at all but is a beautiful priest and gives great sermons.
Thanks for any information.
 
debraran said:
I saw a notice in my bulletin for the need for Eucharistic Ministers in our area hosptials and cancer wards. When I called, they said training in my area would begin again in the Fall and the closest church right now doing it was almost an hour away.
Can anyone tell me what the one day (or evening in this case) training consists of?
I would love to do this just for the hospitals/nursing homes and occasionally when a visiting priest at my parish who has parkinson disease gives the mass. He can’t give communion at all but is a beautiful priest and gives great sermons.
Thanks for any information.
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Please don’t do this. Love and worship our Lord in the Eucharist. Pray before Him. But, it is wrong for lay people, even seminarians, to touch the Eucharist or the chalice or even the paten.

acatholiclife.blogspot.com/2006/08/stop-holy-communion-in-hand.html
 
JimR-OCDS said:
This is false. Please don’t post your opinion which is different than official Roman Catholic teaching.

Jim
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Did he say it was official teaching? It’s not a matter of dogma- and people may say it is wrong. I happen to agree with him.
 
Titus said:
Did he say it was official teaching? It’s not a matter of dogma- and people may say it is wrong. I happen to agree with him.
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He said;

But, it is wrong for lay people, even seminarians, to touch the Eucharist or the chalice or even the paten.

This is not what the Church teaches and to discourage some one who could be bringing Communion to the sick, when the Church allow ask and allows it, is wrong.

Jim
 
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