Can any Catholic in Graces of the Church distribute the Eurcharist at mass?

[Godfollower]

Sorry, but 156 and 157 pretty clearly refer to the function and duties, not to a title for people.

And an email going out to recruit more people to serve as emHC would simply read, “We need two more people to serve as emHC (or to distribute Holy Communion.”

I will forever maintain that the Church gives title to the function, not the people, and that by bestowing such a grand title on laypeople, they make them really important. If we’d drop the subterfuge and not bestow a title where none exists, these problems would go away.

[156.]This function is to be understood strictly according to the name by which it is known, that is to say, that of extraordinary minister of Holy Communion, and not “special minister of Holy Communion” nor “extraordinary minister of the Eucharist” nor “special minister of the Eucharist”, by which names the meaning of this function is unnecessarily and improperly broadened
That is how I read it- “This function…is that of extraordinary minister of Holy Communion.”

And I maintain that Ecclesia de Mysterio refers to the function, the duties and responsibilities of said function, and does not designate the title emHC upon the non-ordained faithful who are allowed to serve as an emHC.

Non-ordained faithful is the title used in Ecclesia de Mysterio, while extraordinary minister of Holy Communion is the function of the ministry that they can be selected to participate in.

I further maintain, and I feel like I’m beating a dead horse here (quick, I need lasix!), that if we stopped bestowing the title of emHC upon laypeople, we would see far less abuse in the hordes of them climbing the altar rails to distribute.

It is a privilege to serve as an emHC. It is not something you become.

Redemptionis Sacramentum refers to “appointing” extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion. You can’t “appoint” a function; you can only “appoint” a person. Ergo, it’s the title of a person, not the term of a function.

Indeed, your interpretation renders ¶ 159 superfluous, because there the Church says “It is never allowed for the extraordinary minister of Holy Communion to delegate anyone else to administer the Eucharist, as for example a parent or spouse or child of the sick person who is the communicant.” If you were right, that would be like saying “It is never allowed for reading the Gospels to delegate anyone else to read the Gospels” or “It is never allowed for showing someone to an empty seat to delegate anyone else to usher congregants to their seats” or “It is never allowed for distributing our Lord to delegate to anyone else to administer the Eucharist.” Grammatically, it wouldn’t make sense. The Church uses the term “extraordinary minister of Holy Communion” to refer to a person who fulfills the function of distributing Holy Communion in assistance to the clergy.

Honestly, if you’re concerned about EMHCs abusing their function, try to arrange for better training. Around my area, they’re very well-trained, know what they’re allowed to do and prohibited from doing, and perform a valuable function for the betterment of the celebration of the Mass. Running around saying “A noun is a verb!” (which is what RS would have to be doing if you’re right) contributes nothing to the root problem you’re complaining about.

 

[benedictgal]

It never ceases to amaze me that we sit here and quibble over numbers of lay people distributing Communion at Mass, quibble over titles, quibble over qualifications, quibble over the priest’s behavior, and so many other pieces of minutiae.

What about visiting the sick? The infirm? The dying? What about ministering to the poor and the needy?

When we come on here and do this, we’re not Catholics or Christians or followers of Christ. We’re a joke. A big, embarrassing, shameful joke, quoting documents all day long and letting the things Christ called us to do to build up the Kingdom languish.

I hope that Mother Mary is wiping dry the Baby Jesus’s tears from when he sees threads and discussions like this.

You might think of these as minor, but, in the eyes of the CDWDS, these are important matters to the point that some of these practices are called reprobate.

Christ took very seriously the prescriptions for the cultic sacrificial worship of Ancient Israel; after all, His own Father dictated these norms. Loving God means that we worship in the manner that the Church prescribes for us. If we get that wrong, than everything else really has no meaning.

 

[MusicMan]

I don’t have a problem with numbers of lay people serving as emHC. I have a problem with people coming on CAF and having tantrums about it, flashing around documents with the attitude of “we’re better judges than the pastor,” and behaving like God has called them to spend their days whining on an internet forum.

To listen to some of these folks, you’d think there were hordes of lay people at the altar rail trying to get their grubby little lay person hands on Jesus like barbarians trying to storm the castle gates.

 

[benedictgal]

I don’t have a problem with numbers of lay people serving as emHC. I have a problem with people coming on CAF and having tantrums about it, flashing around documents with the attitude of “we’re better judges than the pastor,” and behaving like God has called them to spend their days whining on an internet forum.

To listen to some of these folks, you’d think there were hordes of lay people at the altar rail trying to get their grubby little lay person hands on Jesus like barbarians trying to storm the castle gates.

[edited] Please bear in mind that Redemptionis Sacramentum states that:

1. Complaints Regarding Abuses in Liturgical Matters
   [183.] In an altogether particular manner, let everyone do all that is in their power to ensure that the Most Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist will be protected from any and every irreverence or distortion and that all abuses be thoroughly corrected. This is a most serious duty incumbent upon each and every one, and all are bound to carry it out without any favoritism.

[184.] **Any Catholic, whether Priest or Deacon or lay member of Christ’s faithful, has the right to lodge a complaint regarding a liturgical abuse **to the diocesan Bishop or the competent Ordinary equivalent to him in law, or to the Apostolic See on account of the primacy of the Roman Pontiff.290 It is fitting, however, insofar as possible, that the report or complaint be submitted first to the diocesan Bishop. This is naturally to be done in truth and charity.

Thus, the Church does consider these matters to be very important.

 

[MusicMan]

If the truth be uncharitable, so be it.

 

[Godfollower]

If the truth be uncharitable, so be it.

And now there remain faith, hope, and charity, these three: but the greatest of these is charity.

1 Corinthians 13:13.

In essentials, unity; in non-essentials, liberty; in all things, charity.

 

[zab]

1 Peter 5-8
“Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.”

 

[MusicMan]

Exactly, the greatest of these is charity. Which, is one of the primary things Christ calls his followers to engage in… one of his primary ways to witness.

What kind of strange paradox do you create when you accuse one of the faithful of being uncharitable when he points out your own lack of charitable behavior?

 

[benedictgal]

Exactly, the greatest of these is charity. Which, is one of the primary things Christ calls his followers to engage in… one of his primary ways to witness.

What kind of strange paradox do you create when you accuse one of the faithful of being uncharitable when he points out your own lack of charitable behavior?

Your posts, as I read them, have taken on an uncharitable tone. While all of us are certainly entitled to our opinions, there is an appropriate manner in how we express them. Accusing people of “behaving like God” when they are standing up for the principles that the Church prescribes is not, I believe, expressing a charitable statement.

 

[zab]

1 Peter 5-8
“Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.”

“Be alert and sober of mind…”

 

[5Loaves]

This was for** a traditional mass** of about 100plus people with the priest and about 3 other ministers, besides me, who were distributing. (I am guessing that more were asked others too), since it did seems as if they didn’t have the usual 6 or so ministers,

Did you clarify what you meant by a “traditional mass” and I missed it looking through the rest of the posts? I assumed you were referring to the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite since that is what many people call it. I thought only the priest, or perhaps also deacons, could distribute the Precious Body in the EF.

What happened to the people who received communion from me? Was it not a valid communion? Do I need to go to confession? How should I bring this up to my priest?

Only the actions of the priest during the consecration can affect the validity. Whether or not what you did was licit depends as has been indicated by others here on whether or not the priest himself gave permission for you who are not already appointed as a EMHC to function as an EMHC for this single time.

You may need to go to confession but not for this. I would encourage you to speak with your deacon or those in charge of the ministry of EMHC so they might know how confusing this was for you. Hopefully your feedback would encourage them to consider a better way to address such a need in the future. An EMHC is charged with safeguarding the Holy Eucharist in their care during distribution. If one is anxious and unclear in the role then that could affect in a negative way their ability to carefully and thoughtfully function. In a Mass with only 100 or so in attendance (or any number) when it appears there is a shortage of EMsHC the priest may choose to not offer the Precious Blood, or simply take longer to commune all those present by using only the clergy and the properly appointed EMsHC (both of these has happened occasionally in the Latin Church parish where I assist which has several hundred faithful in any Sat. eve/Sunday Mass) rather than having basically unprepared persons recruited to assist. These issues are best considered in the calm light of day rather than in a last minute “situation”.

 

[Phemie]

Did you clarify what you meant by a “traditional mass” and I missed it looking through the rest of the posts? I assumed you were referring to the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite since that is what many people call it. I thought only the priest, or perhaps also deacons, could distribute the Precious Body in the EF.

I took the OP to mean that it was an ordinary Mass. To most people who don’t normally frequent these boards and who don’t have access to the EF (such as most of the people in my diocese) the “traditional” Mass is the one they’ve attended all their lives.

 

[MusicMan]

Your posts, as I read them, have taken on an uncharitable tone. While all of us are certainly entitled to our opinions, there is an appropriate manner in how we express them. Accusing people of “behaving like God” when they are standing up for the principles that the Church prescribes is not, I believe, expressing a charitable statement.

That is not, at all, what I said.