Eucharistic Minister/reader at same mass?

[MissRose73]

Our diocese is discouraging people from serving 2 ministries in the same Mass (like usher, EMHC, or lector). With it being summer time, some people do not seek out subs if they know they will be absent, did not ask for a weekend off if they knew ahead of time, etc. I think our pastoral admin and scheduling people need to be more strict on people making sure people are doing the following: showing up on time (meaning arriving at least 15 minutes early for Mass so a sub doesn’t need to be found), or if they arranged for a sub that the person that is taking their place signs in on time too. Some people who arrange for subs have asked a person who is doing a ministry already to do a 2nd one as some people are trained for different things - unless they asked multiple people without success first to sub that were not scheduled for that Mass. We do have a phone list that includes what people are trained for, and Mass times with the printed schedule.

 

[CalCatholic]

I think that it’s recommended that lay people only serve in one capacity during the liturgy. I have been a reader and a sacristan or a server and a sacristan at the same Mass, but I try to do one or the other. I don’t like taking on both ministries at once. Sometimes, things happen and someone has to take on more than one role, but it’s advised that lay people should only serve in one ministry at the same Mass.

I agree, in small parishes there are times you have to take on added roles in the Mass when people don’t show up. At our vigil Mass we rarely have alter servers in the summer months, so I am doing that at times along with serving and reading. Yes it is ideal to have a different lay person in each role, but not always possible.

 

[JimR-OCDS]

Our Saturday Vigil Mass, this happens especially with Extraordinary Ministers of the Cup.

We’re not getting volunteers for reading or ministers of the cup.

In fact, I’m scheduled for MoC every Mass for the next few months.

So, the Lector’s often have to help out with MoC.

Jim

 

[TK421]

Please can anybody tell me if it’s permitted for a person to be Eucharistic Minister and a reader at the same mass?

Thanks.

lol Come to my parish. It’s on life support. We’ve probably had an announcer, lector, cantor, sacristan, and E Eucharistic Minister in one shotgun barrel. I think I’ve done all of them at once minus the Eucharistic Minister. I’ve been Eucharistic Minister at our 2-10 person Friday morning Masses, though I’m not trained for it. The first time I was EM the priest just pointed at me (I was altar serving for him, even though I didn’t really know what I was doing) and gave me the chalice. We’re as organized as a herd of cats.

I don’t think serving multiple capacities in a Mass is recommended, AFAIK because you don’t want a “ball hog”. This is a diocesan matter so consult your diocese on it.

 

[Andreas_Hofer]

I’m not aware of any universal legislation against performing multiple ministries in the same Mass. For instance, if there are two deacons at Mass “nothing forbids their distributing among themselves and performing different parts of the same ministry or duty. For example, one Deacon may be assigned to execute the sung parts, another to serve at the altar;” (GIRM 109), but neither is it required that they do so. It is also allowed for one deacon to “do it all” while the other just assists “in choir” on the sidelines. From this one could make a case that laypeople who are supplying for the deacon’s role (e.g., distributing Communion and announcing the petitions) could also licitly perform more than one function in the same Mass.

But if we continue with GIRM 109 we see that “if there are several readings, it is well to distribute them among a number of readers, and the same applies for other matters.” In ministries at Mass we see the people of God, in hierarchical order, united to Christ’s action on our behalf. So the general principle at work is that it is better to show forth the action of the Body in more robust ways by spreading ministerial action among several people, thus displaying in visual form the cooperation of the many parts in one act. The ordained have been conformed to Christ in a special way that makes it fitting for them to assume a greater variety of roles, but for laypeople we could present the thought as “why would we ask a foot to do the work of a hand and eye as well? don’t different functions get carried out by different parts of the body?”

Accordingly, many dioceses issue particular legislation that spells out that (lay) individuals are only allowed (with explicit or implied exceptions for necessity) to perform one liturgical ministry at a given Mass.

 

[CatholicZ09]

I agree, in small parishes there are times you have to take on added roles in the Mass when people don’t show up. At our vigil Mass we rarely have alter servers in the summer months, so I am doing that at times along with serving and reading. Yes it is ideal to have a different lay person in each role, but not always possible.

Exactly. I don’t like doing more than one, but if I’m the only person who can do it, then I have no choice. Sometimes, there’s nothing you can do.

 

[John_Lilburne]

Before any man is ordained as a deacon and priest he is required to become both an instituted reader and an instituted acolyte. From the General Instruction of the Roman Missal (GIRM) it is clear that he is to do these duties, rather than other lay people doing them.
“100. In the absence of an instituted acolyte, lay ministers may be deputed to serve at the altar and assist the priest and the deacon; they may carry the cross, the candles, the thurible, the bread, the wine, and the water, and they may also be deputed to distribute Holy Communion as extraordinary ministers.
101. In the absence of an instituted lector, other lay persons may be commissioned to proclaim the readings from Sacred Scripture. …”

So at a Mass with a person who is both an instituted reader and an instituted acolyte, he is required to perform both duties (unless there are more instituted readers or instituted acolytes present).

This is also supported by this part of the GIRM:
“110. If only one minister is present at a Mass with a congregation, that minister may exercise several different duties.”

 

[dconklin]

Sometimes at Mass I would be a Eucharistic server AND an Altar server when the young folks didn’t show up. Not ever having been one, I told the priest to give me the “high sign” when he wanted me to take a particular action. After a few times I got the hang of it.

I served this double-duty this past Sunday. I was asked to be an EMHC right before Mass began. When Mass started (a couple of minutes late) I saw the priest process in without servers but he did have a friend of mine walking in with him. I was certain my friend was a very last minute sub for the servers that did not show up and I was also certain he had no idea of what he was doing. During the offertory I joined him to help him set the altar. He asked me to stay because he was unsure when to ring the bells.

 

[rugbyref]

Thank you John Lilburne for clarifying this matter by reading the GIRM.

God Bless

 

[Secant]

Check in your diocese, but in my parish it is normal for the lector, the EM, and the altar server to be the same person. If this occurs more than once a weekend like it does for our parish sometimes, check with your diocese on how many times you can receive communion. Our bishop and our pastor have decided that we’re only permitted to receive at the Anticipatory and once during the day of.

 

[Gorgias]

Before any man is ordained as a deacon and priest he is required to become both an instituted reader and an instituted acolyte. From the General Instruction of the Roman Missal (GIRM) it is clear that he is to do these duties, rather than other lay people doing them.
“100. In the absence of an instituted acolyte, lay ministers may be deputed to serve at the altar and assist the priest and the deacon; they may carry the cross, the candles, the thurible, the bread, the wine, and the water, and they may also be deputed to distribute Holy Communion as extraordinary ministers.
101. In the absence of an instituted lector, other lay persons may be commissioned to proclaim the readings from Sacred Scripture. …”

So at a Mass with a person who is both an instituted reader and an instituted acolyte, he is required to perform both duties (unless there are more instituted readers or instituted acolytes present).

But, we’re not talking about instituted lectors or instituted acolytes; we’re talking about lay readers and lay EMHCs. So, the ‘requirement’ to perform multiple duties doesn’t apply to them.

This is also supported by this part of the GIRM:
“110. If only one minister is present at a Mass with a congregation, that minister may exercise several different duties.”

This is a reference to a priest celebrant, no? If there’s only one minister (i.e., the priest celebrant), then he may exercise these duties…