Does your parish have "Eucharist Defenders"?

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Do you have fellow parishioners who stand a few feet away from the extraordinary ministers so that no parishioners participating in holy communion leave with the Eucharist in their hand or take back to their pew or leave the parish without consuming?? šŸ¤·
 
thankfully ā€˜noā€™

I get nervous enough when the host gets stuck in mouth and wont goā€¦ if i knew there were watchersā€¦ i be ā€¦ and i been confirmed and received communion since 1985 and that little issue does worry me.
 
Another ā€˜Thankfully, noā€™ from me.

I donā€™t think people at our parish would stand for it, to be honest. How intrusive.
 
Yes, in one parish I attend, the ushers stand in front of the front-side doors during the distribution of Holy Communion.
 
I think there should be at my parish. One of my friends has her husband ā€˜smuggleā€™ the Eucharist back to their pew so their son, who hasnā€™t had First Communion yet, can receive the Eucharist. He likes munching on the ā€˜crackerā€™ ā€¦
 
Romulus said:
Do you have fellow parishioners who stand a few feet away from the extraordinary ministers so that no parishioners participating in holy communion leave with the Eucharist in their hand or take back to their pew or leave the parish without consuming?? šŸ¤·
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I donā€™t know if there are official defenders, but at my usual Sunday morning Mass there is a gentleman who a couple of times has confronted someone whoā€™s left the Communion line without having consumed the Eucharist. One of the confrontations was rather dramatic, and the gentleman actually placed himself between the communicant and her pew and stood there until she actually consumed.

Luna
 
Romulus said:
Do you have fellow parishioners who stand a few feet away from the extraordinary ministers so that no parishioners participating in holy communion leave with the Eucharist in their hand or take back to their pew or leave the parish without consuming?? šŸ¤·
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The way our communion lines are set up,the person distributing from the cup can see everyone who has received the host.

We are instructed not to let anyone go beyond the cup without consuming the host.

In short, yes, I have stopped people, and so have others.

Small price to pay to keep the Eucharist safe from desecration.
 
Yes, in two parishes I know. I have never heard the term, but we have a few people who have stepped up for this task when asked by the pastor for help. My pastor has also instructed his EMHC even if they are not serving to stop anyone who does not consume the Holy Eucharist. He says to ask for it back. It shows they are probably not Catholic, or have other plans for it. He said that any Catholic in the pew can ask for the Host from someone who has not consumed it. šŸ‘
 
nickybr38 said:
I think there should be at my parish. One of my friends has her husband ā€˜smuggleā€™ the Eucharist back to their pew so their son, who hasnā€™t had First Communion yet, can receive the Eucharist. He likes munching on the ā€˜crackerā€™ ā€¦
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Youā€™re kidding with this right? :eek:

Has anyone approached them about this? Has anyone spoken with the pastor?
 
The ushers in our parish will stand in a few strategic spots to confirm that everyone actually consumes the host. We only offer under one species so there arenā€™t extra EMHCs to do that.

We are one of the largest parishes in the diocese and while I have never heard of any confrontations with someone refusing to consume, not have I heard about Hosts left in the pews, hymnals, ect, I know it does happen. Better to be safe.

The ushers have been asked to do this by the pastor, so there are no renegade or self-appointed ā€œEucharistic Defenders.ā€
 
twopekinguys said:
Youā€™re kidding with this right? :eek:

Has anyone approached them about this? Has anyone spoken with the pastor?
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I was going to speak to the priest myself but the boy in question has since received his First Communion and he has no other siblings so Iā€™m not so sure it would be wise to bring it up.

I wouldnā€™t be surprised if more people are doing it thoughā€¦ almost everyone Iā€™ve spoken to from this parish do not understand the significance of the Eucharist. šŸ¤·
 
yes, my family attends the Cathederal Shrine of the Virgin Guadalupe in Dallas. The Cathederal is located in dowtown Dallas so people can easily come in and cause a disruption. Iā€™m glad we have people keeping a look out. It letā€™s visitors know how serious we are.
 
No pastor would allow ā€œEuchrist defendersā€ unless there had been prooven abuses of the Euchrist in his parish. I know there are uniformed and plain clothes New York City policemen stationed in St. Patricks Cathedral to protect the priests and prevent desecration of the Church and the Sacrements by radical protesters.
All of this became necessary after V II which allowed the Eucharist to be given in the hand by the priest.
I went to a Jesuit run parochial school during the 1940ā€™'s and was an altar boy at that time. We were taught that for anyone except a priest to touch the consecrated host, chalice, ciborium, or the Tabernacle was not only a mortal sin, it was sacrilege! Ocassionally a host would fall on the paten during Holy Communion, but it was instantly removed by the priest, and the paten cleansed by him.
I realize that a lot of things have changed in the Church over the years, but I am still uncomfortable with even the idea of having the Host in my hands! Thank G*d that I live near an ethnically Polish parish, with priests from the old country, and where everyone in the congregation receives on the tongue.
 
I experienced this years ago in Tennesseā€¦

Parishoners were not allowed to exit the church until the Priest left, however I was just trying to use the restroom ( I was maybe 8 at the time)
 
I donā€™t think its necessary. Reasonable and honest effort should be used to retain the integrity of our Lord. But if someone is so desperate as to steal a Eucharist (some for honest intentions but out of ignorance) or worse (intentional desecration) than they invite their destruction upon themselves. All we can do is pray for them. Policing the house of God just short of giving pat downs for the Host just doesnā€™t feel like something Christ would appreciate. But thatā€™s just my opinion.
 
Celticnovice said:
I experienced this years ago in Tennesseā€¦

Parishoners were not allowed to exit the church until the Priest left, however I was just trying to use the restroom ( I was maybe 8 at the time)
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The priest always leaves the sanctuary first, what are you talking about?
 
domandcarols said:
The priest always leaves the sanctuary first, what are you talking about?
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Sheā€™s talking about people who try to leave the nave prior to the priest leaving. I thinkā€¦

Sounds like her old church wouldnā€™t let people sneak out prior to the end of Mass and/or sneak out to go to the bathroom.
 
nickybr38 said:
Sheā€™s talking about people who try to leave the nave prior to the priest leaving. I thinkā€¦

Sounds like her old church wouldnā€™t let people sneak out prior to the end of Mass and/or sneak out to go to the bathroom.
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Speaking on behalf of men with prostate issues, I would hope that the Mass there was mercifully short! :eek:
 
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