Communion for the handicap

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ProVobis said:
Which prayers before distributing communion outside Mass are the norm? :confused:
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I’d say that the norm is that when bringing Communion to the hospitalized or other shut ins, that the minister takes time to say some prayers with the hospitalized/shut in and doesn’t just give Communion & run.
 
In the old days, there was usually a priest visiting every sick or handicapped person in the parish boundaries at least once a week, making a little service out of getting them the Eucharist and hearing their Confessions (and sometimes the Confessions of practically everybody else in the house). If it was a geographically small parish, it was often every day. Priests would also try to visit everybody in their parish at some point during the year.

This is why priests tended to die young and exhausted in the old days. 🙂
 
To the best of my knowledge, there is no universal directive on how to distribute communion to persons with disabilities or in that case by priests who have disabilities. In the absence of such ruling, common sense must prevail. You use whatever method allows you to take communion to the person with disabilities without causing a disturbance or distraction to others or at least to keep it at a minimum.

I know a case with the opposite situation. The priest is disabled. He cannot walk, because of CP. He uses crutches to get from the altar to the center of the santuary. Someone brings him the ciborium and he stands in that spot. Everyone goes to him. Since he cannot take communion to those who cannot walk, an EMHC does that. They use a system that actually makes sense. The front rows are reserved for the elderly. Those who have walkers, wheelchairs or other ambulatory divices sit in an open area that gives them more room to maneuver in case there is an emergency evaculation of the building.

The building is only about 25 years old, so it was built with all of the ADA rules in mind. Every door is wide enough for a wheelchair, including the confessional doors. The sanctuary has only one step up so that elderly and disabled clerics can step up and down without too much difficulty.

Again, the rule is use common sense in your system, as well as your building design, if you’re putting up a new building.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF 🙂
 
I say the following in all charity. It is a ministry so for heaven sakes minister to the people. If you really feel you are bringing popcorn and peanuts to the congregation, then you really need to do some rethinking and maybe receive some retraining.

Did you ever happen to think that these handicapped people are the people in most need of the Sacrament? Did you ever happent to think that they are the most grateful?

Jesus went out of His way for us, he walked carrying a crossbeam that weighed at least one hundred pounds. When he got to his destination he was nailed to the Cross and for hours he hung there until He died for our sins.

Bring the communion to the disabled, show them that they are loved and considered important in the parish. this is the way of Love, the way of Christ. As Mother Theresa said, “Do small things with great love.”
 
I don’t understand why this person insists on asking for information regarding people with disabilities in church. Jesus did not set this rule saying that the priests cannot step out the sanctuary to give communion to people with disabilities. It should not matter. It should not be an issue.

One more thing, please stop calling us handicapped. We resent that term. The society is the one who handicaps us. The Church allows the Mass to be conducted in sign language, removing the barrier for us Deaf people and we are not handicapped. For this, I am grateful.Blind people get books in Braille so therefore they are not handicapped. Wheelchair users who prefer priests walking over to them to give them Communion are not handicapped because the barrier is not there. Its the society who question the ways to serve people with disabilities properly in church are the ones who put in barriers for us are handicapping us.

I am sorry for my vent but I am so weary of people who give us a hard time. Thank you.
 
Im going to second Berryrose here.

As I am a paraplegic who is both chair mobile AND an EOEM, we need to do away with the word “handicapped”

We are human beings with different medical conditions that we deal with. Some of us are blind, deaf, have mobilitiy limitations etc etc. There are even those who deal with mental illness.

The label of “handicapped” is not an accurate description of who we are.

In my parish those who have mobility limitations sit up towards the front and either our pastor or deacon will bring them the Eucharist. We also have a married couple who both happen to be blind. Their seeing eye dogs sit quietly in with them in the pews and they are also brought the Eucharist.

If you must use words to describe us, use those words that most closely described our medical situation.

My being a paraplegic makes what I have to deal with vastly different from those who have to deal with blindness, deafness, quadreplegics, those with amputated limbs, CP, MS, MD, some form of mental health issues etc.

If we are striving to be the Mystical Body of Christ, we need to use language that doesnt separate, that doesnt marginalize.

Just one person’s POV who has been a paraplegic for 38 years 🙂

Hope it’s helpful and insightful
God Bless. 👍
 
ProVobis said:
You’re right. However, I have yet to see where there are attempts to make the confessionals remodeled for the handicapped. Seems as if this sacrament should be just as important as the Eucharist in our spiritual lives. When I walk into a church for the first time, the confessional is usually the first thing I look for. Besides the tabernacle, of course. 🙂
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Our church is fully handicapped accessible, and that includes the confessionals, which are small rooms instead of booths. When you enter, there is a screen on the right if one wishes to go behind the screen, or you can go around and go face-to-face. However I know not all churches, esp. older ones are as accomodating, and you are right, it is important, and they should be remodeled.
 
This thread has really gotten me thinking. I happen to have a mild visual impairment. I have more trouble in dim settings. The church I regularly attend has very good lighting so I have no problem going up to receive communion from the priest. However, I sure hate to think it would be a burden if someone needed to bring me the Eucharist because I was unable to safely make my way to the priest or Eucharistic minister.

I have found the communion line at some churches to be like a obstacle course. It is not the custom to kneel when receiving communion at my parish but every once in a while someone will. I have almost tripped several times because of this. I respect those who feel this is the most reverant way for them to receive the Eucharist however. I always try to leave plenty of room between me and the person in front of me in case the person decides to kneel.

Depending on the design of a church, making one`s way through the communion line can be very difficult. The ground is not always level, the lighting might be dim, and there might be a lot of purses, small kids, or things that can create tripping hazards. Especially if the church is old and was not built in such a way to be accessible and the aisles are narrow.

My point in bringing this up is to clarify that it is not as always as easy as it looks for people with disabilities to safely make their way to the priest and then back to their pew. Even though my visual impairment is mild, I have tripped before. Some individuals are not abel to do this in a safe and or timely manner. I am grateful I am still able to make my way through the line. But if the day comes where my vision was significantly worse, I hate to think it would be a burden for someone to bring the Eucharist to me. (I can also hear the complaints already if I need to use a mobility cane inside the church because the tap tap sound that comes from the cane tip making contact with the ground would be so amplified!).

Finally, I share the sentiment of previous posters regarding the usage of the phrase “the handicapped.” I know the OP did not mean any offense and I recognize a lot of older folks use this term without realizing it can be offensive. Persons with disabilities is the most accurate and respectful terminology. I happen to have a visual impairment but it does not define me. It just means I need to do some things differently.

Sincerely,

Maria1212
 
I may have said thsi before, but the term handicap comes from a poorly pronounced English phrase, “Hand and cap” from the days when people with disabilities had to beg for the existence. It’s not a flattering term. It’s like bedlem, which comes from the old mental health hospital outside of London, St. Mary of Bethlehem.

That being said, bringing communion to people with disabilities is not a chore. It is a corporal work of mercy, whether those persons are seated in the congregation or are shut-in at home. I’m reminded of the time when Jesus feeds the multitude. How organized was that setting? If we carefully remember, that event foreshadowed the Eucharistis meal.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF 🙂
 
hgaldys said:
Thank you, I guess I did not think I would come under attack for posting this question. I am a devout Catholic and feel very blessed to be an EMHC. I am also Sacristan for the parish, so I see ALOT! I really just want some documentation. I will have to think twice about even looking at these posts in the future.
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I think that you will find, as noted by another poster, that there is not a rule for everything. On occasion, common sense must prevail.

There is nothing wrong with being devout; a significant number of Catholics could use a bit more of it. And there is nothing wrong with asking the question; but it appears that it is a question without a specific answer.
 
ProVobis said:
I agree. At the hospital when I was visiting my dying father a priest would come around and say a few prayers with us before he gave us communion. I think this should be the norm. Or is it already?
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That will depend on the hospital and the availability of priests. Certainly if a patient wants the sacrament of healing, a priest will ahve to come around; but given availability and schedules, often a deacon or an EMHC is going to be the one to bring Communion.
 
amgp said:
Actually, there are Catholics who resent EMHCs, or should I say, they resent that EMHCs are allowed. Many Catholics feel that only an ordained priest or deacon should be allowed to touch the sacred species.
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And I can understand the feeling. However, when the Church itself has allowed it, there are at times citrcumstances where it is inevitable that Communion is going to be delivered by an EMHC. And at that point, one has to make the decision of whether receiving Christ is more important than their feelings. In general, people are not faced with that decision. And whether or not that will change in the future, the present is what we ahve to deal with.
 
I’ve been in and out of the hospital six times since August 2009. We are six brothers, only one is ordained. He could not bring communion to the hospital everyday. He has community obligations. So whichever brother was free brought communion. They rotated according to their schedules. When they could not come, because there are certain times of the day when everyone must be present for certain community functions such as meals, prayers, recreation, lectio and housekeeping, then a lay person brought it. I was not offended that the ordained brother was only able to come a few times. He’s a brother (yes he is also a priest), but he’s a brother and has duties in the community. Until prayers are said, dishes are washed, floors are clean, beds are made, community recreation is over, community meals are over, silent time is over, then he can get out and do pastoral work. But his first duty is to being a brother.

For me, it was a great act of kindness that the EMHC came or the other brothers took turns coming with the Eucharist. As I said, our brother-priest did come. He just could not come every time. I’ve been in the hospital too many times. I can’t ask someone to drop community life to come to the hospital every day. So the guys took turns and when they could not come, they asked an EMHC to come.

When you’re disabled in any way, you appreciate these little acts of charity.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF 🙂
 
As an usher I have escorted the EMHCs to those who are unable to go up and receive the Eucharist and have been escorted to the same people when serving as an EMHC; not once have I nor any others felt as those we were delivering popcorn at a baseball game. We all were doing what God has called us to do. Mybe the other poster was right, you might want to rethink being an EMHC. But, consider that in a fraction of a second you could be one of those people who will need a priest or EMHC to bring the Eucharist to you during mass.
 
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