Confused about something regarding a EMoHC?

[Blue_Rose]

At Mass, one of the Extraordinary minister of Holy Communion who usually gives out communion for the past month or so, no longer hands out communion but goes up on the alter with another EMoHC receives a blessing but does not take the body but he receives the blood then he goes back and sits in his pew. I’m confused. The other EMoHC receives both body and blood then hands out the body of Christ.

I’m confused why he would no longer hand out communion, still go up for a blessing and only receive the blood? What is this?

 

[27lw]

Maybe he just recently found out that he can’t eat wheat, and this is a convenient way to only take the blood, and not the body of Christ. Maybe it’s too awkward to walk through communion line, but then skip directly to the chalice line. Or maybe they don’t offer the chalice at your parish.

 

[sscott]

Seems like an abuse. If he is not serving he shouldn’t be acting like he is. Even if he is gluten intolerant he probably isn’t the only one. The priest should have a special cup that had no particle of host added but that still should not be reason to jump the line.

 

[Gorgias]

Or maybe they don’t offer the chalice at your parish.

This!

Before we conclude that there’s an abuse, it would be helpful to know what allowances for gluten intolerant persons there are at the parish. (Moreover, it would be helpful to know whether the EMHC is gluten intolerant.) Without knowing the answer to both these issues, it would be uncharitable to conclude “abuse”…

 

[SuscipeMeDomine]

We’re always called to give the most charitable interpretation of things in order to avoid rash judgment. I think 27lw is probably right about the reason. And I’m guessing that the pastor has recommended this particular method of receiving communion to avoid any contamination by gluten. Be thankful you don’t have the same problem.

 

[Elizium23]

It’s uncharitable just to speculate on this person’s activity in the Communion line. Mind your own business and leave others alone.

I am especially wary of this at my visiting parish. We have a traditional choir loft in the back of the church. I arrive well before most people enter the church. After the “Domine, non sum dignus” I proceed down the steps and to the head of the line as the ushers take their places. I receive and then I walk right back out into the narthex and disappear up the stairs. I am sure that at least a dozen people are convinced that I just waltzed in for Communion time and after I receive I waltz right back out the door and lay rubber in the parking lot to get out of there.

 

[TimothyH]

Mind your own business and leave others alone.

This is the answer.

Or if it’s so important that it has to be asked on an internet message board then why not just walk up to the guy after Mass, introduce yourself and ask?

Hi. My name is Tim. I’m curious as to why you go up and receive only the chalice?

What’s the big deal? Why bring it here and ask 27,653 people to speculate when you could just walk up to the guy and ask him yourself.

-Tim-

 

[Blue_Rose]

This is the answer.

Or if it’s so important that it has to be asked on an internet message board then why not just walk up to the guy after Mass, introduce yourself and ask?

Hi. My name is Tim. I’m curious as to why you go up and receive only the chalice?

What’s the big deal? Why bring it here and ask 27,653 people to speculate when you could just walk up to the guy and ask him yourself.

-Tim-

Because I have never seen a person receive only the blood and I wanted to know if this happens regularly in other parishes. I think it would be rude to just go up and ask him.
The first poster could be right about gluten allergy but I’ve seen him take the body before so it doesn’t make sense.
I was also concerned that it might be liturgical abuse and just wanted clarification.

And by the way, what is the point of these forums if I can’t ask questions? You could go onto any other post here and say “if it’s so important, go ask your parish priest” couldn’t you?
The point is to get others opinions to see if they have experienced something similar and telling me to mind my own business is offensive.

 

[InThePew]

Because I have never seen a person receive only the blood and I wanted to know if this happens regularly in other parishes. I think it would be rude to just go up and ask him.
The first poster could be right about gluten allergy but I’ve seen him take the body before so it doesn’t make sense…

Most likely he’s only recently been diagnosed and, if your parish doesn’t usually distribute communion under both kinds, then receiving in this way is probably the easiest option for him. While suggestions about a separate chalice - or indeed low gluten hosts - are fine in theory, speaking from experience, the problem comes when trying to move from theory to reality with problems abounding. these include identifying the communicant(s) who needs to receive the low gluten hosts or from the separate chalice; finding somewhere easily accessible to place it so that the flow of communicants isn’t disrupted and the person receiving it doesn’t feel singled out, and even trying to get celebrants to remember!

Receiving the precious blood alone is perfectly valid, rare though it may be. But spare a thought and a prayer for the man in question who, despite everything that can be said about validity, probably still feels like he’s missing out on the fullness of communion.

 

[paperwight66]

And by the way, what is the point of these forums if I can’t ask questions? You could go onto any other post here and say “if it’s so important, go ask your parish priest” couldn’t you?
The point is to get others opinions to see if they have experienced something similar and telling me to mind my own business is offensive.

Yes, I have to agree with you. And raising an issue might clarify something which has been puzzling another person who has no opportunity or inclination to ‘go and ask’.

This is a public form, after all, and a good evangelisatlon tool.
.

 

[TimothyH]

Because I have never seen a person receive only the blood and I wanted to know if this happens regularly in other parishes. I think it would be rude to just go up and ask him.
The first poster could be right about gluten allergy but I’ve seen him take the body before so it doesn’t make sense.
I was also concerned that it might be liturgical abuse and just wanted clarification.

And by the way, what is the point of these forums if I can’t ask questions? You could go onto any other post here and say “if it’s so important, go ask your parish priest” couldn’t you?
The point is to get others opinions to see if they have experienced something similar and telling me to mind my own business is offensive.

Why would it be rude to ask the person personally? Just go introduce yourself. Say hello and ask. That’s all. You might make a friend and learn something, and you would know for sure.

As the other poster said, it’s really none of our business anyway. Any answer you get here is going to be speculation at best.

-Tim-

 

[Blue_Rose]

Why would it be rude to ask the person personally? Just go introduce yourself. Say hello and ask. That’s all. You might make a friend and learn something, and you would know for sure.

As the other poster said, it’s really none of our business anyway. Any answer you get here is going to be speculation at best.

-Tim-

Ok, thank you.

 

[zab]

It’s uncharitable just to speculate on this person’s activity in the Communion line. Mind your own business and leave others alone.

I am especially wary of this at my visiting parish. We have a traditional choir loft in the back of the church. I arrive well before most people enter the church. After the “Domine, non sum dignus” I proceed down the steps and to the head of the line as the ushers take their places. I receive and then I walk right back out into the narthex and disappear up the stairs. I am sure that at least a dozen people are convinced that I just waltzed in for Communion time and after I receive I waltz right back out the door and lay rubber in the parking lot to get out of there.

I was totally agreeing with you in the beginning. But is it ok for you to speculate on what others are thinking about you:shrug:?

P. S. I don’t think it is wrong to just wonder why things are happening and asking questions.

 

[zab]

At Mass, one of the Extraordinary minister of Holy Communion who usually gives out communion for the past month or so, no longer hands out communion but goes up on the alter with another EMoHC receives a blessing but does not take the body but he receives the blood then he goes back and sits in his pew. I’m confused. The other EMoHC receives both body and blood then hands out the body of Christ.

I’m confused why he would no longer hand out communion, still go up for a blessing and only receive the blood? What is this?

If it just happened once, it could have been a mistake. Along with the possible gluten problem, perhaps he got his schedule mixed up. Perhaps he was asked to substitute for someone, and then that person showed up unbeknownst to him. If it happens all the time, perhaps the pastor has requested this of him for some reason. You won’t know until you ask.

 

[felsguy]

I was totally agreeing with you in the beginning. But is it ok for you to speculate on what others are thinking about you:shrug:?

P. S. I don’t think it is wrong to just wonder why things are happening and asking questions.

So then, is it ok for you to ask him if it is ok for him to speculate on what others are thinking about him?

And then is it ok for me to ask you if it is ok for you to ask him if it is ok for him to speculate on what others are thinking about him?

This kind of discussion could go on all day. Just sayin’

 

[zab]

So then, is it ok for you to ask him if it is ok for him to speculate on what others are thinking about him?

And then is it ok for me to ask you if it is ok for you to ask him if it is ok for him to speculate on what others are thinking about him?

This kind of discussion could go on all day. Just sayin’

Yes, it is ok. Now if I if you said that you were sure that my asking if it was ok was an indication of my judging him, then it would not be ok. The thing was, he didn’t “speculate”. He said he was sure…

 

[TimothyH]

…ok for me to ask you if it is ok for you to ask him if it is ok for him…

:hypno:

I lost track at the fifth or sixth “ok.”

LOL.

-Tim-

 

[Elizium23]

Yes, it is ok. Now if I if you said that you were sure that my asking if it was ok was an indication of my judging him, then it would not be ok. The thing was, he didn’t “speculate”. He said he was sure…

For the record, yes I was speculating, and yes it is perfectly OK. I have a clear conscience in this matter.

 

[zab]

For the record, yes I was speculating, and yes it is perfectly OK. I have a clear conscience in this matter.

What about your earlier post saying that it is uncharitable “to speculate on this person’s activity in the communion line” ? Sounds contradictory.

 

[Elizium23]

What about your earlier post saying that to speculate in the communion line was uncharitable? Sounds contradictory.

Because trying to figure out what a person is doing and why he is doing it, when that is the person’s own business, is rude. While speculating on what people think about me and my own business is simply looking out for my own best interests. I am actually pretty concerned about creating scandal even when I am doing something perfectly innocent. I have a reputation to cultivate and I would rather not tarnish that reputation unnecessarily. If I could receive in another way that wouldn’t raise eyebrows then I would do it.

I recently had lunch with my niece, who turned 18 and graduated from high school. I told her she could visit me any time she found herself passing by my town. Then my skin got crawly as I imagined neighbors who would see a teenage girl visiting me alone. But once again, that’s my business, and I am doing nothing wrong.

Is it uncharitable to look in a mirror? How dare I speculate on my own appearance!