Blessing for EMHC

[brendan1986]

I know Eucharistic minister isn’t the correct term, so I didn’t use it here.

My question is regarding the blessing. When one is chosen to be a EMHC, is it only valid for that parish. So when one moves to another parish does he have to tell the priest there that he has been blessed and is it a duty for that person for the rest of his life to fulfill this role? Or how exactly does that work?

thanks.

 

[Phemie]

I know Eucharistic minister isn’t the correct term, so I didn’t use it here.

My question is regarding the blessing. When one is chosen to be a EMHC, is it only valid for that parish. So when one moves to another parish does he have to tell the priest there that he has been blessed and is it a duty for that person for the rest of his life to fulfill this role? Or how exactly does that work?

thanks.

The bishop names them for a specific parish and usually for a specific term. The first time I was granted that privilege it was for one year. In my present parish the pastor usually asked the bishop for a 2 or 3 year appointment of the EMCHs.

 

[brendan1986]

The bishop names them for a specific parish and usually for a specific term. The first time I was granted that privilege it was for one year. In my present parish the pastor usually asked the bishop for a 2 or 3 year appointment of the EMCHs.

Thanks for that information there. So If one was to move to another parish, then he wouldn’t have a duty to mention it to the priest there, the blessing would have to be given again, would it?

 

[Phemie]

Thanks for that information there. So If one was to move to another parish, then he wouldn’t have a duty to mention it to the priest there, the blessing would have to be given again, would it?

No duty to mention it, no.

If they ask for volunteers you can always give them your name and indicate that you have already served in that capacity in another parish. That may, or may not have any effect on whether they accept you or not.

This is the letter I received the first time I was invited to serve in that ministry:

 

[markomalley]

No duty to mention it, no.

If they ask for volunteers you can always give them your name and indicate that you have already served in that capacity in another parish. That may, or may not have any effect on whether they accept you or not.

This is the letter I received the first time I was invited to serve in that ministry:

I have never seen it to be done that formally.

Good for your Ordinary.

 

[Elizium23]

The bishop names them for a specific parish and usually for a specific term. The first time I was granted that privilege it was for one year. In my present parish the pastor usually asked the bishop for a 2 or 3 year appointment of the EMCHs.

This practice varies by diocese. In my parish to my knowledge, none of the EMHCs are commissioned. They are simply trained by head of ministry and set loose. It is also possible for a presiding priest to deputize an EMHC for one liturgy only. A prayer is prescribed in the Roman Missal for this purpose.

In my visiting parish in another diocese, the EMHCs and lectors are commissioned by the bishop, and are told that the commissioning liturgy is compulsory, but my mother, who is a lector, never participates in it, and has never been told that she cannot continue her ministry.

If you go to another parish, you can expect to be re-trained. Each parish has its own policies and procedures for liturgical ministers. Of course it will be helpful for you to inform them of your past training and any commission you may have already received.

 

[John_Lilburne]

It seems to me that the blessing is not required, rather the bishop’s permission, as I highlight in bold below.

From the 2004 Instruction Redemptionis Sacramentum:

[155.] In addition to the ordinary ministers there is the formally instituted acolyte, who by virtue of his institution is an extraordinary minister of Holy Communion even outside the celebration of Mass. If, moreover, reasons of real necessity prompt it, another lay member of Christ’s faithful may also be delegated by the diocesan Bishop, in accordance with the norm of law,[256 footnote: Cf. Code of Canon Law, can. 230 § 3.] for one occasion or for a specified time, and an appropriate formula of blessing may be used for the occasion. This act of appointment, however, does not necessarily take a liturgical form, nor, if it does take a liturgical form, should it resemble sacred Ordination in any way. Finally, in special cases of an unforeseen nature, permission can be given for a single occasion by the Priest who presides at the celebration of the Eucharist.[257 footnote: Cf. S. Congregation for the Discipline of the Sacraments, Instruction, Immensae caritatis, prooemium: AAS 65 (1973) p. 264; Pope Paul VI, Apostolic Letter (Motu Proprio), Ministeria quaedam, 15 August 1972: AAS 64 (1972) p. 532; Missale Romanum, Appendix III: Ritus ad deputandum ministrum sacrae Communionis ad actum distribuendae, p. 1253; Congregation for the Clergy et al., Instruction, Ecclesiae de mysterio, Practical Provisions, art. 8 § 1: AAS 89 (1997) p. 871.]

The last footnote is at vatican.va/roman_curia/pontifical_councils/laity/documents/rc_con_interdic_doc_15081997_en.html :
"§ 1. The canonical discipline concerning extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion must be correctly applied so as to avoid generating confusion. The same discipline establishes that the ordinary minister of Holy Communion is the Bishop, the Priest and the the Deacon.(96) Extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion are those instituted as acolytes and the faithful so deputed in accordance with Canon 230, § 3.(97)
A non-ordained member of the faithful, in cases of true necessity, may be deputed by the diocesan bishop, using the appropriate form of blessing for these situation, to act as an extraordinary minister to distribute Holy Communion outside of liturgical celebrations ad actum vel ad tempus or for a more stable period. In exceptional cases or in un foreseen circumstances, the priest presiding at the liturgy may authorize such ad actum.(98)

It difficult to understand “to distribute Holy Communion outside of liturgical celebrations”. If Holy Communion is being distributed, then it is a liturgical celebration. It is a ceremony that is in the liturgical books: Roman Missal or Holy Communion and the Worship of the Eucharist Outside of Mass.

 

[Mrs_Sally]

In this diocese we are chosen by the pastor (no volunteering) and need to go through diocese an training. The commission is for a set period of time and can only be renewed once. So no one is an EMHC for life.

We are given instruction on the ritual for distributing communion outside of Mass. However when you take communion to someone who is very ill they often cannot concentrate long enough. Since we are not allowed to give a homily or meditation, often I will simply say what Sunday it is (Divine Mercy, ordinary time etc) and ask their family or caregiver to read the readings to them as they are able to concentrate.

 

[Elizium23]

It difficult to understand “to distribute Holy Communion outside of liturgical celebrations”. If Holy Communion is being distributed, then it is a liturgical celebration. It is a ceremony that is in the liturgical books: Roman Missal or Holy Communion and the Worship of the Eucharist Outside of Mass.

Have you ever heard of bringing the Eucharist to the sick and homebound? There is a prescribed ritual, with a reading of the Word and recitation of the Lord’s Prayer, but I would hesitate to call it a “liturgical celebration”. It is a para-liturgy if anything.

 

[John_Lilburne]

My understanding is that Communion to the sick is a liturgical celebration.

If 2000 people are praying the rosary in a church, that is a popular devotion (Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, n. 353.)

If one person is praying Morning Prayer from the Liturgy of the Hours at home, that is a liturgical celebration.

 

[Martin15]

My understanding is that Communion to the sick is a liturgical celebration.

If 2000 people are praying the rosary in a church, that is a popular devotion (Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, n. 353.)

If one person is praying Morning Prayer from the Liturgy of the Hours at home, that is a liturgical celebration.

I am curious to some clarification here. I share John’s opinions, but does anyone know where there is a definition of what makes something a ‘liturgy’ or not (e.g. the rosary as a devotion, above).

All the best

Martin

 

[Martin15]

The arrangements in our Archdiocese are that the bishop allows a priest to appoint EMHCs for his own parish, but they have to be registered with the diocese (at least partly because they have to have a criminal records check for working with ‘vulnerable adults’, i.e. the elderly and infirm). We are commisioned in mass and usually re-commissioned at one-year intervals, usually at the Mass of Our Lord’s Supper on Maundy Thursday. As mentioned, the rite (and it is called a ‘rite’ on the documents) bears no similarity with ordination, but allows the parish to see who the EMHCs are.

As a slight aside, I think I’m correct in saying that any priest celebrant can appoint someone to be an EMHC for that particular mass if necessary. Although how that ever comes up in modern parishes where at any sizeable mass there are bound to be some EMHCs present I have no idea.

All the best

Martin