Can an alter server hand out communion?

[Joelle_M]

I thought not, but I’ve seen it happen twice at my parish- once at Easter and another time this morning.
I’m not talking about an adult server- teen boys- about 15-16?

 

[e_c]

Yes, provided they have been trained adequately and deputized… Which does not require much in this day and age.

 

[pianistclare]

I thought not, but I’ve seen it happen twice at my parish- once at Easter and another time this morning.
I’m not talking about an adult server- teen boys- about 15-16?

If they have been Confirmed, yes. The students at the Catholic High school Masses regularly serve as Extraordinary Ministers.

 

[SnowAngels]

I thought not, but I’ve seen it happen twice at my parish- once at Easter and another time this morning.
I’m not talking about an adult server- teen boys- about 15-16?

At my parish only the blessed sacristans (ages 15+) are allowed to distribute Communion (in terms of altar boys).

 

[Reuben_J]

I thought not, but I’ve seen it happen twice at my parish- once at Easter and another time this morning.
I’m not talking about an adult server- teen boys- about 15-16?

No. If it is then it’s highly irregular.

Communion can only be administered by ordinary ministers (priests, deacons) and extraordinary ministers (laity appointed by the Bishop/priests).

 

[1ke]

No. If it is then it’s highly irregular.

…and extraordinary ministers (laity appointed by the Bishop/priests).

An altar server can be appointed as an extraordinary minister of holy communion just like any other lay person. The two are not mutually exclusive, and nothing is “highly irregular” about it.

 

[Reuben_J]

An altar server can be appointed as an extraordinary minister of holy communion just like any other lay person. The two are not mutually exclusive, and nothing is “highly irregular” about it.

If the altar server is an EHMC too, then of course, for he is an extraordinary minister. I thought I meant that in my post.

Not wanting to argue, but it is pretty common for EHMCs to serve mass, at least in my archdiocese. They can be sacristans too.

But not non-EHMCs. In my archdiocese, EHMCs and I am one of them, are ‘commissioned’ yearly, which has become a practice of late, which means their term can be terminated as well. So I guess they are pretty serious about who should administer the Communion.

 

[pianistclare]

I don’t think the OP realized that a young person might be able to be commissioned.
That’s all.
I didn’t assume they were just doing it on a whim.
If you are confirmed, at least 16, and take the class and get commissioned, you can serve in this manner in my Archdiocese. I imagine it’s the same way elsewhere.

 

[asia53]

I don’t think the OP realized that a young person might be able to be commissioned.

Not commissioned - mandated. That’s what my certificate says.

To the OP: Yes, young people, who are properly trained, of a certain age (age requirement varies in different parts of the country), and mandated by the Archbishop, or Bishop can serve as EMHC’s .

 

[1ke]

are ‘commissioned’ yearly,

That is not a requirement of the law.

A person can be designated by the priest to be an extraordinary minister for a single occasion.

So, the altar server in question *might *have been ‘commissioned’ in a ceremony or *might *have been designed by the pastor that very morning.

We don’t know.

All we can say is that an altar server can act as an extraordinary minister of holy communion. We cannot classify it as “highly irregular” (which you did in your prior post).

 

[Reuben_J]

That is not a requirement of the law.

I did not say it was but you know that already.

A person can be designated by the priest to be an extraordinary minister for a single occasion.

In the light of how seriously my Archbishop takes this issue, this is highly irregular, at least in my archdiocese.

I am sorry to disagree with you. While that may be done since as you said, the law does not require it, it is not commonly done here. Specifically we, our archdiocese, would not practice it. We have enough EHMCs. We have them who are full time sacristans and in the liturgy.

Irregular means not regular.

So, the altar server in question *might *have been ‘commissioned’ in a ceremony or *might *have been designed by the pastor that very morning.

We don’t know.

This is highly irregular in my place. It is a no no, especially after so much emphasis by our Archbishop and the priest who gave us the retreat over this.

All we can say is that an altar server can act as an extraordinary minister of holy communion. We cannot classify it as “highly irregular” (which you did in your prior post).

Sorry to disagree. It is just not done here, and if it ever is, it is not regular at all. Perhaps in your place, where you may be short of people to be EHMCs, people do that kind of thing, I would not rule it out.

 

[Joelle_M]

Thanks for the answers guys, I had no idea. It really threw me for a loop. I didn’t want to be critical in any way, I have just never seen it and there wasn’t much for answers on the internet

 

[Reuben_J]

Thanks for the answers guys, I had no idea. It really threw me for a loop. I didn’t want to be critical in any way, I have just never seen it and there wasn’t much for answers on the internet

Hi. As you can see my posts, today in my archdiocese, altar servers who are not EHMCs do not administer Communion. Other may disagree with that, perhaps because there is no law to prohibit it. In my archdiocese, EHMCs are specifically appointed by the Archbishop, and their appointment would go through quite a process. So that would rule out any unauthorised person to administer the Communion.

In your case, I would give it a benefit of the doubt, and maybe the altar servers mentioned were EHMCs too, and if they are not, I would say it is quite irregular, especially in today’s context. More and more, emphasis is given on the reverence for Communion which can only be given by ordinary ministers, and at the minimum, extraordinary ministers.

 

[Joelle_M]

Hi. As you can see my posts, today in my archdiocese, altar servers who are not EHMCs do not administer Communion. Other may disagree with that, perhaps because there is no law to prohibit it. In my archdiocese, EHMCs are specifically appointed by the Archbishop, and their appointment would go through quite a process. So that would rule out any unauthorised person to administer the Communion.

In your case, I would give it a benefit of the doubt, and maybe the altar servers mentioned were EHMCs too, and if they are not, I would say it is quite irregular, especially in today’s context. More and more, emphasis is given on the reverence for Communion which can only be given by ordinary ministers, and at the minimum, extraordinary ministers.

I will give the priest the benefit of the doubt, of course. Although I have to admit… I am not really in agreement… if I had my way the mass would take longer because the Eucharist would be distributed by the priests themselves. Not knocking anyone’s personal beliefs of course… but it all just feels too rushed to me. We had 8 or 9 Eucharist ministers go up today, I would have thought that was plenty. The boy looked caught off guard to be asked. He wasn’t disrespectful in any way, don’t get me wrong… just surprised.

Anyway, it is what it is

 

[tee_eff_em]

As a side note: Though the OP writes of *boys - about 15-16 *IF the altar were being served by Instutued Acolytes, they are EMsHC by virtue of their office, with no other need of mandate/commission.

FYI
tee

 

[Reuben_J]

I will give the priest the benefit of the doubt, of course. Although I have to admit… I am not really in agreement… if I had my way the mass would take longer because the Eucharist would be distributed by the priests themselves. Not knocking anyone’s personal beliefs of course… but it all just feels too rushed to me. We had 8 or 9 Eucharist ministers go up today, I would have thought that was plenty. The boy looked caught off guard to be asked. He wasn’t disrespectful in any way, don’t get me wrong… just surprised.

Anyway, it is what it is

Okay. I understand. I would too.

God bless.

 

[Joelle_M]

As a side note: Though the OP writes of *boys - about 15-16 *IF the altar were being served by Instutued Acolytes, they are EMsHC by virtue of their office, with no other need of mandate/commission.

FYI
tee

Ok- help a girl out here! Haha

Acolyte? Emch?

 

[Phemie]

Ok- help a girl out here! Haha

Acolyte? Emch?

While the term “acolyte” has been used generically for “altar boys” for as long as I can remember, for centuries it was specifically a “minor order”, a step toward the priesthood. Men were “ordained” to the order of acolyte, specifically to serve at the altar.

In 1972 Pope Paul VI issued his Apostolic Letter MINISTERIA QUAEDAM changing “acolyte” and “lector” from “minor orders” to “instituted ministries”. Men in training for the priesthood would no longer be “ordained” but “instituted” as acolytes and lectors. He also opened the ministry up to properly instructed men who were not training for the priesthood. So while children are still trained and used to serve at the altar, and lay men and women do the first and second readings during the Liturgy, some dioceses will train men and “institute” them to the permanent ministries of Acolyte to serve at the altar and Lector to read at Mass. It’s left up to each country’s Conference of Bishops to decide what they will do and what the requirements are for such permanent ministries.

When they are instituted as Acolytes they automatically become EMHCs - Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion. “Extraordinary” here does not mean “fabulous and extra special”, it means “not the norm”, the norm being that Communion is given out by the “Ordinary” Ministers of Holy Communion: deacons, priests, and bishops.

In 2000 the National Conference of Catholic Bishops of the US issued a “Complementary norm” to the 1983 Code of Canon Law canon on instituted acolytes and lectors. It reads:

Complementary Norm: The National Conference of Catholic Bishops, in accord with the prescriptions of canon 230, §1, hereby decrees that a layman who is to be installed in the ministries of lector or acolyte on a stable basis must have completed his twenty-first (21) year of age. The candidate must also possess the skills necessary for an effective proclamation of the Word or service at the altar, be a fully initiated member of the Catholic Church, be free of any canonical penalty, and live a life which befits the ministry to be undertaken.

As President of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops, I hereby decree that the effective date of this decree for all the Latin Rite dioceses in the United States will be September 1, 2000.

Given at the offices of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops in Washington, DC, on July 10, 2000.

In Canada these ministries are still only conferred on men who are training for the priesthood or the permanent diaconate.

 

[e_c]

I did not say it was but you know that already.

In the light of how seriously my Archbishop takes this issue, this is highly irregular, at least in my archdiocese.

I am sorry to disagree with you. While that may be done since as you said, the law does not require it, it is not commonly done here. Specifically we, our archdiocese, would not practice it. We have enough EHMCs. We have them who are full time sacristans and in the liturgy.

Irregular means not regular.

This is highly irregular in my place. It is a no no, especially after so much emphasis by our Archbishop and the priest who gave us the retreat over this.

Sorry to disagree. It is just not done here, and if it ever is, it is not regular at all. Perhaps in your place, where you may be short of people to be EHMCs, people do that kind of thing, I would not rule it out.

THIS is what is highly irregular (as in, “not normal”)… Though it should be the standard practice.

 

[Phemie]

No. If it is then it’s highly irregular.

Communion can only be administered by ordinary ministers (priests, deacons) and extraordinary ministers (laity appointed by the Bishop/priests).

From the USCCB Website

In every celebration of the Eucharist, there should be a sufficient number of ministers of Holy Communion so that it may be distributed in a reverent and orderly manner. Bishops, priests and deacons distribute Holy Communion in virtue of their office as ordinary ministers of the Body and Blood of the Lord. (1) When the size of the congregation or the incapacity of the bishop, priest, or deacon requires it, the celebrant may be assisted by other bishops, priests, or deacons. If such ordinary ministers of Holy Communion are not present, “the priest may call upon extraordinary ministers to assist him, i.e., duly instituted acolytes or even other faithful who have been deputed for this purpose. **In case of necessity, the priest may also depute suitable faithful for this single occasion **(GIRM 162).”