COTT-Problems with ill-trained EMHCs

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Love_Divine

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For those of you who prefer to ignore the COTH indult and receive on the tongue, how do you handle those awkward COTT moments with ill-trained EMHCs when you approach them and they don’t know what to do?

I always approach the priest/deacon/EMHC with my hands clearly in the prayer position to avoid confusion about how I wish to receive. However, lately EMHC’s regardless of which parish I attend are having great issue with not knowing what to do. Last Sunday the EMHC repeatedly tried to put the host in my hand despite me sticking my tongue out, but eventually figured it out.

Today was the worst experience yet. The EMHC had no idea what to do. She picked up the host, started to say, “the bo” and then dropped the host back onto the paten and started reaching for my head to give me a blessing, so I immediately said “Amen” and quickly stuck out my tongue even further hoping she’d get the hint, and then with a confused look on her face placed the host on my tongue. 😦

During this the priest migrated over to the area to assist in the two lines, but didn’t seem to notice the EMHC’s issue.

How do you deal with these issues in the communion line without disrupting your reverent reception of the Blessed Sacrament? Does anyone just tell the EMHC that they receive on their tongue? It seems out of place to speak other than the “Amen.”
 
Perhaps you need to speak to whomever trains the EMHC’s. I one of the EMHC trainers in our diocese. We have diocesan training twice a year and anyone who is nominated must attend one of the sessions. We train them to distribute both ways. I don’t know who trains the EMHCs where you are but those are the people you need to speak to, and to the person in the parish who coordinates the EMHCs and the pastor.
 
First (and please take no offense at this as none is intended) I would suggest a more charitable attitude toward the EMHCs involved. Their ignorance is not their fault.

Second, I would simply maneuver in such a way as to receive from the presiding priest. It is usually not that difficult if you ignore the occasional scowl from an usher.

I hope this helps in some way…

God bless
 
Myqyl said:
First (and please take no offense at this as none is intended) I would suggest a more charitable attitude toward the EMHCs involved. Their ignorance is not their fault.

Second, I would simply maneuver in such a way as to receive from the presiding priest. It is usually not that difficult if you ignore the occasional scowl from an usher.

I hope this helps in some way…

God bless
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Better yet, if you know the habits of the parish and where the priest is most likely to stand, situate yourself on the priest’s side to begin with, when you sit down in your pew, and that way, no ushers need scowl - or even know. 😉
 
That is *one *of the reasons I only receive from the priest.
When I had to switch from the EF to the OF I didn’t know if the EMHCs would know what to do.

[Now that our parish has returned Jesus to His rightful place, front and centre, I sit on the side of that Father always distributes from.]
 

  1. *]Hands in the clear prayer position.
    *]Eyes closed
    *]Head tilted slight back, tongue slightly out
    *]Mind asking Jesus for communion with Him.
    *]The Extraordinary EM will have no choice…and will - even out of discomfort - figure out how to make you go away.
    *]You simply are talking with our Lord.
 
Edward_H said:

  1. *]Hands in the clear prayer position.
    *]Eyes closed
    *]Head tilted slight back, tongue slightly out
    *]Mind asking Jesus for communion with Him.
    *]The Extraordinary EM will have no choice…and will - even out of discomfort - figure out how to make you go away.
    *]You simply are talking with our Lord.
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  1. See, the problem I run into is sticking your tongue out when you have to say “Amen”,. In the EF it’s easy because the priest says it for you. In this case, the EMHC, didn’t even know if she should give me a “blessing” or give me communion. Really, that should not have even been an issue, as EMHC should be instructed that they can’t give blessings, the congregation should be told not to come forward for a “blessing” and then there would be no confusion. This shouldn’t be so difficult.
 
Love_Divine said:
See, the problem I run into is sticking your tongue out when you have to say “Amen”,. In the EF it’s easy because the priest says it for you. In this case, the EMHC, didn’t even know if she should give me a “blessing” or give me communion. Really, that should not have even been an issue, as EMHC should be instructed that they can’t give blessings, the congregation should be told not to come forward for a “blessing” and then there would be no confusion. This shouldn’t be so difficult.
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I’m a EMHC and the training we got in my diocese for taking Communion to the sick was very good but the training we got for those who would give Communion during mass was basically a history of the mass with nothing practical at all.

Even so, if a person approaches me with hands folded at the waist (not under the chin), responds ‘Amen’ after I say ‘the Body of Christ’, and then tips the head back and sticks out the tongue, even I can figure out what to do. So the procedure for you is: first respond ‘Amen’ then stick out your tongue. And, of course, you close your eyes so you’re not staring at the EMHC but are waiting to receive Our Lord.👍
 
Claire_from_DE said:
So the procedure for you is: first respond ‘Amen’ then stick out your tongue. And, of course, you close your eyes so you’re not staring at the EMHC but are waiting to receive Our Lord.👍
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So what do I do when I have nothing to say “Amen” to because the EMHC literally doesn’t know what to do because I don’t approach “with my arms extended”. That’s where the confusion comes. I honestly think some EMHC’s don’t know about COTT.

On a side note, my parish doesn’t even always use trained EMHC’s. They’ll ask volunteers from the congregation on their way in to church.:eek:
 
Love_Divine said:
So what do I do when I have nothing to say “Amen” to because the EMHC literally doesn’t know what to do because I don’t approach “with my arms extended”. That’s where the confusion comes. I honestly think some EMHC’s don’t know about COTT.

On a side note, my parish doesn’t even always use trained EMHC’s. They’ll ask volunteers from the congregation on their way in to church.:eek:
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You mean that if you come up to the EMHC and stand in front of him with your hands folded (not crossed on your chest) he doesn’t hold up the Host and say ‘the Body of Christ’? If that’s the case you need to make the priest aware of it. It’s very likely he doesn’t notice because he’s distributing Communion at the same time. This isn’t a criticism and I don’t think he would take it as such. It’s something that’s a problem for you and for all who choose to receive Communion on the tongue, and it needs to be addressed.
 
Claire_from_DE said:
You mean that if you come up to the EMHC and stand in front of him with your hands folded (not crossed on your chest) he doesn’t hold up the Host and say ‘the Body of Christ’? If that’s the case you need to make the priest aware of it. It’s very likely he doesn’t notice because he’s distributing Communion at the same time. This isn’t a criticism and I don’t think he would take it as such. It’s something that’s a problem for you and for all who choose to receive Communion on the tongue, and it needs to be addressed.
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Yeah, that’s what I mean. Our priest instructs us to come forward with are arms out to receive the host in our hand, and to cross out chest for a blessing. The EMHC should not have even tried to give me a blessing though, as she not able to give blessings, only the priest. Communicants should also be instructed of this and then there’s no room for confusion. I question if my priest will even care that someone can’t receive communion on the tongue, He’s not really welcoming of anything traditional, even if it is the universal norm.
 
Love_Divine said:
So what do I do when I have nothing to say “Amen” to because the EMHC literally doesn’t know what to do because I don’t approach “with my arms extended”. That’s where the confusion comes. I honestly think some EMHC’s don’t know about COTT.

On a side note, my parish doesn’t even always use trained EMHC’s. They’ll ask volunteers from the congregation on their way in to church.:eek:
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Well there is the problem, they aren’t trained. Of course they are not going to know what to do. Our diocese required diocesan training and then another training in the parish and then a commissioning ceremony. The EMHC mandate is for 3 years and a parish is supposed to have 3 EMHC meetings a year. We usually have on in the fall, a prayer service during Lent with any needed instruction (like a warning about dress code), and in the spring we have another prayer service and an ice cream social. I also publish a newsletter for all liturgical ministers a few times a year so that our meetings can focus on prayer (often accompanied by exposition and adoration)
 
Talk to the pastor, asking him to take care of the issue. He is in charge.
 
Love_Divine said:
See, the problem I run into is sticking your tongue out when you have to say “Amen”,. In the EF it’s easy because the priest says it for you. In this case, the EMHC, didn’t even know if she should give me a “blessing” or give me communion. Really, that should not have even been an issue, as EMHC should be instructed that they can’t give blessings, the congregation should be told not to come forward for a “blessing” and then there would be no confusion. This shouldn’t be so difficult.
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Close your eyes and say quite clearly amen. Believe me the Extraordinary Minister will give you Jesus just to make you go away! What a present.

You receive Jesus

and the eEm receives peace from giving you Jesus.
 
Love_Divine said:
So what do I do when I have nothing to say “Amen” to because the EMHC literally doesn’t know what to do because I don’t approach “with my arms extended”. That’s where the confusion comes. I honestly think some EMHC’s don’t know about COTT.

On a side note, my parish doesn’t even always use trained EMHC’s. They’ll ask volunteers from the congregation on their way in to church.:eek:
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Trust me they do! Think about the visual range of the EMHC. They will have the chiborium in one hand, and the consecrated host in the other, which they will be holding in front of them.
Usually they will try to make eye contact with the communicant.
From that perspective, initially one doesn’t always see if hands are joined, for COTT or held one below the other for CITH. For both methods, the hands occupy about the same area in front of the comunnicant, hovering in front of the solar plexus. People don’t extend the arms out straight for CITH. After the ‘Amen’, if the hands are joined, and one has missed the open mouth, its a very easy oversight to correct.🤷
But on a side-note, COTT, tends to become a bit more of CUAITM. (Communion up and into the mouth:blush:) especially the taller the communicant is, making it more awkard looking. I think the kneeling posture goes better with COTT while standing or kneeling both work for CITH.
Also, what are EMHCs doing giving ‘blessings.’
 
I do not recall when I’ve been an EMHC in the past and giving the host if anyone has requested to have communion on the tongue. I would have no issue doing so if someone did not hold their hands in the posture to receive in the hand.

EMHC’s should not be giving blessings to those who are too young to receive or those looking for blessings. I never have done that, and never will as an EMHC. Those are reserved for the priest to do.
 
Love_Divine said:
For those of you who prefer to ignore the COTH indult and receive on the tongue, how do you handle those awkward COTT moments with ill-trained EMHCs when you approach them and they don’t know what to do?

I"
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I receive in the hand unless I am in a place where I know the ministers are properly trained (if I can’t get in a line with a priest or deacon). I am so sick of ill trained lay ministers the sooner the whole practice dies out the happier I will be.
 
I do not know of where this blessing problem is - here in NoVA EMHC’s were trained not to give blessings and the fiathful have been told not to ask for one. Furthermore COTT is easy since in our parish about 1/4 of the people recieve communion that way. Puzzleannie it is a mix of lack of education of the EMHC’s AND the faithful and overuse of lay minsters. If everyone were doing their jobs we would not have the problems.
 
When I have coached 2nd graders preparing for their First Holy Communion about this, I have told them:
  1. It is your right to receive COTT if you prefer that
  2. You need to know how to receive COTT, because in some places that is the only way allowed
  3. If the minister seems confused when you don’t hold your hands out for COTH, don’t worry and do not feel in the least bit embarrassed or agitated or anything like that. Be patient, sometimes this is just something that is unusual for a particular EMHC, and they need a moment to get over their surprise that the routine has changed. Just keep your tongue out, and they normally figure it out. If they don’t get the message, it is OK to make eye contact and to discretely say, “I mean please place the host on my tongue”, but that is very rarely necessary.
If this is a recurring problem, say something to the priest, but it is not something to get agitated about. After all, there is no better penance for the remission of sins than to graciously bear the shortcomings of others with patience and kindness. If you get a chance to do it during Holy Communion, well, what better thing than to have an act of love to offer the Lord at that most intimate moment when He gives Himself to us with such a totally sacrificial love? The Lord can make every trial into a chance to love Him.
 
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