Bringing Communion to the sick

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BonnieBj

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I have served in the past as an extraordinary minister for Communion, and so have my own pyx and know the procedures, etc. If I am sick is my husband allowed to take my pyx to church and bring back a Host for me?
 
Normally, the persons who bring holy communion to the sick must be approved by the bishop. My pastor submits their names periodically when new ones are installed, and the others have to be re-certified every so often … 3 years?

However, I do see that some persons well known to Father bring the sacrament home to a family member who is unable to come to mass. I’m not sure if they had this formal approval, even though they not are serving as EMHC’s at mass or in hospital ministry. You can check with your pastor on this.
 
BonnieBj said:
I have served in the past as an extraordinary minister for Communion, and so have my own pyx and know the procedures, etc. If I am sick is my husband allowed to take my pyx to church and bring back a Host for me?
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Joysong said:
Normally, the persons who bring holy communion to the sick must be approved by the bishop. My pastor submits their names periodically when new ones are installed, and the others have to be re-certified every so often … 3 years?

However,** I do see that some persons well known to Father bring the sacrament home to a family member who is unable to come to mass. I’m not sure if they had this formal approval**, even though they not are serving as EMHC’s at mass or in hospital ministry. You can check with your pastor on this.
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While it is wonderful and important that the Sacrament be brought to you at home, I think it needs to be by a recognised EMHC. IF you are seriously sick, or indeed if possible in any situation (while recognising our priests are very busy) perhaps a priest would be more appropriate, however I get the feeling we are dealing with a hypothetical situation.
My family comes from a traditional Catholic neighbourhood in Scotland, and always talked about the visit of the priest with communion to their sick grandparents. The elder sons carried candles before him and the whole family knelt in prayer around the bedside. Without suggesting you would be in such grave sickness by any means, I wish that such practices were more common today.

The practice of family members bringing relatives communion described by the OP sounds unlikely to be licit, although I should be charitable and say these people may have been appointed to bring Communion to the housebound.

May God Bless you with Health, Faith and Happiness. Titus.
 
Alternatively, I could get the appropriate training and become an actual EMHC.

Just a thought.

DaveBj (Bonnie’s SU)
 
BonnieBj said:
I have served in the past as an extraordinary minister for Communion, and so have my own pyx and know the procedures, etc. If I am sick is my husband allowed to take my pyx to church and bring back a Host for me?
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No. Your husband must become an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion to be allowed to do this. I suggest he talk with the parish priest so he can become one.
 
Note that the celebrant can do an on-the-spot commissioning of EMHCs for a particular mass if regular EMHCs are not available. We presume the same applies for EMHCs to the sick. The pastor frequently permits a family member, with at least minimal training, to bring communion home.
 
DaveBj said:
Alternatively, I could get the appropriate training and become an actual EMHC.

Just a thought.

DaveBj (Bonnie’s SU)
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SU? I can guess what the S stands for, but the U?? Got me stumped there.

And it’s a fine idea to just get the training - you can even help take communion to other people who may need it as well 👍
 
LilyM said:
SU? I can guess what the S stands for, but the U?? Got me stumped there.

And it’s a fine idea to just get the training - you can even help take communion to other people who may need it as well 👍
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SU = Spousal Unit.

😃

DaveBj
 
Joysong said:
Normally, the persons who bring holy communion to the sick must be approved by the bishop. My pastor submits their names periodically when new ones are installed, and the others have to be re-certified every so often … 3 years?

However, I do see that some persons well known to Father bring the sacrament home to a family member who is unable to come to mass. I’m not sure if they had this formal approval, even though they not are serving as EMHC’s at mass or in hospital ministry. You can check with your pastor on this.
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My My the church has come a long way. http://forums.catholic-questions.org/images/icons/icon11.gif
 
In Austin, TX, when I applied to be a Nursing Home Minister, I had to fill out an application with providing Social Security Number and all kind of references. It was no fun! the application was more than the one I applied for my job. 🙂

I don’t think priest could just allow anyone to bring to the sick the Eucharist even how close he knows the person.
 
Damascus,

Maybe it would help to read Joe Kelley’s post again:
Note that the celebrant can do an on-the-spot commissioning of EMHCs for a particular mass if regular EMHCs are not available. We presume the same applies for EMHCs to the sick. The pastor frequently permits a family member, with at least minimal training, to bring communion home.
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and this one by Titus:
…although I should be charitable and say these people may have been appointed to bring Communion to the housebound.
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Reading the whole thread might give you a different perspective. Also, before you condemn a practice, kindly obtain the Church’s ruling on this, as I advised the OP to do. I have known Joe Kelley for a number of years, and there are none more knowledgable than him on these matters. If he says it, you can believe it!

Your assumption seems to be that my priest in giving this permission was just another renegade, having no knowledge of what the rubrics permit. You would be grossly in error, besides being full of rash judgment.
 
water said:
In Austin, TX, when I applied to be a Nursing Home Minister, I had to fill out an application with providing Social Security Number and all kind of references. It was no fun! the application was more than the one I applied for my job. 🙂

I don’t think priest could just allow anyone to bring to the sick the Eucharist even how close he knows the person.
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I think that Bishop Aymond is the most “forgiving” person when it comes to being charitable; however I have the impression that he “strongly encourages” his pastors and the faithful to be orthodox and to follow his instructions.

However, neither the bishop nor the priests can see everything at all times and the lay people sometime decide to do what they feel like, independently of their training.

I have seen people getting in serious trouble with our pastor because they though that being a in a ministry does not require the knowledge of the basic (for 5th graders) tenets of our faith. Of course after those episodes people always blame father for being to rigid and pushing people away from the Church. Go figure.
 
Joysong, I dont reply to you anymore. You know that is not what my post meant and you are again trying to antagonize me. Please lay off me.
 
water said:
In Austin, TX, when I applied to be a Nursing Home Minister, I had to fill out an application with providing Social Security Number and all kind of references. It was no fun! the application was more than the one I applied for my job. 🙂

I don’t think priest could just allow anyone to bring to the sick the Eucharist even how close he knows the person.
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Agreed and Amen!👍
 
Cristiano said:
I think that Bishop Aymond is the most “forgiving” person when it comes to being charitable; however I have the impression that he “strongly encourages” his pastors and the faithful to be orthodox and to follow his instructions.

However, neither the bishop nor the priests can see everything at all times and the lay people sometime decide to do what they feel like, independently of their training.

I have seen people getting in serious trouble with our pastor because they though that being a in a ministry does not require the knowledge of the basic (for 5th graders) tenets of our faith. Of course after those episodes people always blame father for being to rigid and pushing people away from the Church. Go figure.
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I haven’t been in Austin long enough; however, I really like it down here. The diocese of Austin is great.

By the way, have you ever visited the new St. William Church in Round Rock. It is beautiful.
 
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Damascus:
I have to admit, I got a tad nauseated when I read that.
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You were referring to my post, I believe, since I am the only one who said, “I do see that some persons well known to Father bring the sacrament home to a family member who is unable to come to mass.”

How else would one interpret this, if I am supposed to “know what you meant?”

Water said:
I don’t think priest could just allow anyone to bring to the sick the Eucharist even how close he knows the person.
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As I said earlier, why not ask the priest or someone in authority before publicly denouncing the practice, and learn whether or not this is permitted? Then come back and share the results of your conversation. A quick phone call would probably take about five minutes.
 
Joysong said:
As I said earlier, why not ask the priest or someone in authority before publicly denouncing the practice, and learn whether or not this is permitted? Then come back and share the results of your conversation. A quick phone call would probably take about five minutes.
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I am sorry but for the sake of discussion, one can give his own thought - using the word “denounce” is a bit harsh.

Take it easy. 🙂
 
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