Eucharistic Minister. Should I resign?

[mick321]

Here’s my situation. I’ve been doing a lot of research (not extensively, just through browsing the internet) on the Traditional Latin Mass. The more I read up on it, the more the desire and conviction to attend one. One of the subjects I came accross during my research was that on Eucharistic Ministers. To my shocking suprise, I did not know that Eucharistic Ministers was never ordered by Vatican II. It was started as a result of direct disobedience to the Pope. They are only used on rare occasions, hence the true title “Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion”. I other words, I guess they are not to be used on an on-going basis. Now here is where it gets tricky. I currently am a Eucharistic Minister at my parish. I’ve been commissioned, and my hands have been annointed. Based on what I have read on this, should I resign this position and start going to the Latin Mass instead? I welcome any feedback. Thank you

Resign today.

Confession tomorrow.

Avoid the near occasion of sin.

 

[thistle]

@thistle, thanks. I’ll keep that in mind and in prayer. I’m assuming you attend a Latin Mass parish? Just curious.

There is no Latin Mass within several hours of where I live. I attend the NO Mass which is not riddled with abuses, at least not where I attend.
My parish has 14,000 parishioners and we have an average 80% Sunday Mass attendence. To cope we have 10 Masses every Sunday. Without EMHC’s it would not be possible to cope so we do have a legitimate need for EMHC’s.

 

[Fr_Michael_Grac]

Resign today.

Confession tomorrow.

Avoid the near occasion of sin.

If by this you infer that in legitimately exercising a legitimate ministry authorised by the Church, you are committing sin, then you need to reconsider your statement. The church has authority to bind and to loosen. Once again, who are we to put ourselves above the authority of the church?

 

[laszlo]

Back in the day - when Mass attendance was at around 70% how did they handle it?
.

People were not herded to the Communion rails, no matter what. On Easter time when people confessed their sins and received the Eucharist there was communion between the masses too.

 

[laszlo]

As I said a few posts back, there have been some abuses come from EMHC’s. The way they try to “bless” children and adults who cannot commune, that drives me nuts!

I respectfully disagree.

First blessing by laymen: don’t we received the Holy Spirit through the confirmation? If we have the grace which is for everyone, why cant we share? The imposition of hand is something different, that is sign to communicate power received through ordination, but nothing is against simple blessing words showing the Eucharist and a bow toward the recipient of the blessed ones, may be with the words: let the Body of Christ bless you.

Secondly: people are herded to the communion process, it is hard to remain seated while everyone participates in something. The result is quite a few times either sacrilegious communion or leaving the Church before the Mass is ended. If it would be a rule that one either receives the Sacred host or get blessed by it, the problem would be resolved.

 

[santodomingo]

Here’s my situation. I’ve been doing a lot of research (not extensively, just through browsing the internet) on the Traditional Latin Mass. The more I read up on it, the more the desire and conviction to attend one. One of the subjects I came accross during my research was that on Eucharistic Ministers. To my shocking suprise, I did not know that Eucharistic Ministers was never ordered by Vatican II. It was started as a result of direct disobedience to the Pope. They are only used on rare occasions, hence the true title “Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion”. I other words, I guess they are not to be used on an on-going basis. Now here is where it gets tricky. I currently am a Eucharistic Minister at my parish. I’ve been commissioned, and my hands have been annointed. Based on what I have read on this, should I resign this position and start going to the Latin Mass instead? I welcome any feedback. Thank you

I sympathize with your dilema. I have had similar doubts lately. It´s imperative you follow what is most pleasing to God. My straight answer to you, since you asked, would be “yes, you should resign from your position as Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion.”

I know I´ll get knocked for saying this, but I think it´s important. Prior to Vatican II for a lay person to touch the Holy Eucharist was considered sacrilege. For example, St. Thomas of Aquinas wrote the following:

“Out of reverence towards this sacrament [the Holy Eucharist], nothing touches it, but what is consecrated; hence the corporal and the chalice are consecrated, and likewise the priest’s hands, for touching this sacrament.” (Summa Theologica)

My question to you is: “How do you justify that what 50 years ago was a sacrilege is know OK?” Doesn´t that make you at least slightly suspicious of something having gone wrong?

I suggest you read this link, and meditate on these questions, as well as reading the quotes at the foot of the page.

latinmas.s701.sureserver.com/commwhy.htm

God bless you on your quest for the Truth.

 

[Timothy17]

Father - thank you.

What are your thoughts on this?

The Mass of Vatican II | Fr. Joseph Fessio, S.J.

and one more thought - I wish there were more Priests here.

From the article :

I said, “I want to bring some focus to this, can you give me any idea what it sounded like when Jesus and his Apostles sang the Psalms?” He said, “Of course, Father. It sounded like Gregorian Chant. You got it from us [Jews].”

I was amazed. I called Professor William Mart, a Professor of Music at Stanford University and a friend. I said, “Bill, is this true?” He said, “Yes. The Psalm tones have their roots in ancient Jewish hymnody and psalmody.” So, you know something? If you sing the Psalms at Mass with the Gregorian tones, you are as close as you can get to praying with Jesus and Mary. They sang the Psalms in tones that have come down to us today in Gregorian Chant.

In the words of modern man : facepalm

**Really guys !? **This surprises people ? Did you really think the Apostles adopted pagan rites and rituals for the primitive (proto-) worship of the early Church ? Of course not ! They were taught that all such things were profanations and perversions of God and true worship - and they were taught correctly. Of course our worship and liturgy is a continuity of the worship and liturgy of the Temple worship established by God Himself through Moses and the Prophets. God never repented of the worship He Himself fostered and gave impetus to. I can’t believe people are actually surprised that the worship of the Church is not a direct, organic continuity of that worship God’s people have always offered to God.

We are not orphans. We are not Protestants. We actually have roots, spritual ancestry and Sacred Tradition.

Listen to Miserere Mei Deus, and **read carefully **what the Psalmist (in this instance, King David) is praying - 1,000 years before Christ, and 3,000 years before our present day. King David was a Catholic in belief and Faith.

It’s astounding that this should surprise anyone !

Pax Christi,
Tim

 

[Fr_Michael_Grac]

I respectfully disagree.

First blessing by laymen: don’t we received the Holy Spirit through the confirmation? If we have the grace which is for everyone, why cant we share? The imposition of hand is something different, that is sign to communicate power received through ordination, but nothing is against simple blessing words showing the Eucharist and a bow toward the recipient of the blessed ones, may be with the words: let the Body of Christ bless you.

Secondly: people are herded to the communion process, it is hard to remain seated while everyone participates in something. The result is quite a few times either sacrilegious communion or leaving the Church before the Mass is ended. If it would be a rule that one either receives the Sacred host or get blessed by it, the problem would be resolved.

Actually a blessing with the blessed sacrament is reserved to a priest or deacon. Further more, while a EMHC might offer a simple blessing (such as God bless you (similar to the blessing parents might give to children), formal liturgical blessings are also reserved to a priest or in his absence a deacon (a lay person uses the form “my god bless us”).

The blessing of someone (particularly a child) has to my knowledge never been disallowed and is common in a number of countries around the world, but should EMCHs be giving such blessings? If anyone, it should be a priest or deacon.

 

[ProVobis]

As I said a few posts back, there have been some abuses come from EMHC’s. The way they try to “bless” children and adults who cannot commune, that drives me nuts!

This I don’t understand either. Must be that the demand to be blessed by God through the priest is very high. Except that the EMHC can’t do it any more than any other lay person.

But back to the OP. There seems to be a lot of “I can’t go to the Latin Mass because…” feeling going around. I too have a problem with Mass innovations and new age communion receptions but even if you participate in them this does not disqualify you to attend the Latin Mass. Popes JPII and Benedict XVI have both tried to widen and make the Latin Mass more generous; they didn’t do it just for a select few.

 

[InquisitorMax]

I think the rule is:

Parents may bless their children.
Laymen may not give blessings at Mass.
The priest blesses the congregation at the end of Mass anyway, so if you want one, you get one then. Outside Mass, you can ask a priest to bless you also.
Communion is not a buffet where ‘everyone must get something’. Communion is for the receipt of Communion.

This question was answered on this forum, authoritatively, some time ago, I think.

 

[InquisitorMax]

forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=260041

 

[mick321]

If by this you infer that in legitimately exercising a legitimate ministry authorised by the Church, you are committing sin, then you need to reconsider your statement. The church has authority to bind and to loosen. Once again, who are we to put ourselves above the authority of the church?

Some members of the clergy have demonstrated the willingness to embark on whatever they are told is “allowed” without regard to the spiritual damage done to those who follow in good faith. That’s unfortunate.

Lay Catholics will do well to decline participation in any liturgical novelty, take advantage of sacramental confession on a regular basis, and always avoid the near occasion of sin. I would be suspect of any “priest” who suggested otherwise.

The road to the abyss is paved with “legitimacy”. We should set our sights higher.

 

[buffalo]

Some members of the clergy have demonstrated the willingness to embark on whatever they are told is “allowed” without regard to the spiritual damage done to those who follow in good faith. That’s unfortunate.

Lay Catholics will do well to decline participation in any liturgical novelty, take advantage of sacramental confession on a regular basis, and always avoid the near occasion of sin. I would be suspect of any “priest” who suggested otherwise.

The road to the abyss is paved with “legitimacy”. We should set our sights higher.

Paraphrasing a Protestant who said if you Catholics really believed Jesus was present in Holy Communion and in the tabernacle you would get on your knees as soon as you entered the Church.

I agree with your higher standard statement.

 

[santodomingo]

Some members of the clergy have demonstrated the willingness to embark on whatever they are told is “allowed” without regard to the spiritual damage done to those who follow in good faith. That’s unfortunate.

Lay Catholics will do well to decline participation in any liturgical novelty, take advantage of sacramental confession on a regular basis, and always avoid the near occasion of sin. I would be suspect of any “priest” who suggested otherwise.

The road to the abyss is paved with “legitimacy”. We should set our sights higher.

:clapping:

 

[coolduude]

forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=260041

This is from the Congregation of Divine Worship and Discipline of the Sacraments:

1. Lay people, within the context of Holy Mass, are unable to confer blessings. These blessings, rather, are the competence of the priest (cf. Ecclesia de Mysterio, Notitiae 34 (15 Aug. 1997), art. 6, § 2; Canon 1169, § 2; and Roman Ritual De Benedictionibus (1985), n. 18).

Sounds pretty clear to me. Source: adoremus.org/0209CDW_Blessing.html

What drives me nuts is when the people who instruct EMHCs refuse to stop the blessings even after they have been made aware that EMHCs cannot confer blessings. I brought it to the attention of an EMHC supervisor (not their name, I know) once and he flat out refused to stop the blessings. To his credit, he is a good guy (yes, that doesn’t excuse the fact that blessings in Mass by EMHCs are illicit…)

 

[Annabelle_Marie]

Some members of the clergy have demonstrated the willingness to embark on whatever they are told is “allowed” without regard to the spiritual damage done to those who follow in good faith. That’s unfortunate.

Lay Catholics will do well to decline participation in any liturgical novelty, take advantage of sacramental confession on a regular basis, and always avoid the near occasion of sin. I would be suspect of any “priest” who suggested otherwise.

The road to the abyss is paved with “legitimacy”. We should set our sights higher.

So, you are saying it is a sin to be a EMHC? What gives you more authority then the church?

I would be highly suspicious of lay Catholics who make statements such as you have that is NOT what Holy Mother church teaches.

Now…if someone has no desire to be a EMHC…so be it…resign. But you don’t need to go to confession for it.

 

[santodomingo]

When I speak to older people they tell me how children used to show great respect towards their elders. For example, here in Spain when a teacher entered the classroom, all the children stood up. Always. This no longer happens. If a teacher is lucky nowadays, the children might shout hello.

Ask yourself honestly if it´s a good thing that this habbit has disappeared. IMO, it´s obviously symptomatic of a decreasing degree of respect for authority.

If you translate this example to the Mass, perhaps you get my point. The fact that now any Tom, Dick & Harry can handle the Blessed Sacrament, is a clear sign that we no longer have the same respect for the Lord. A lay Communion Minister is not necessarily intentionally disrespectful, but that´s another matter.

The way we treat the Lord is of course far more important than how children treat teachers. The Blessed Sacrament is more than just an authority we should show respect for; He is our Lord and Saviour, the source of all Goodness. Which is why I sincerely think that for a layman to touch the Eucharist with his hands is quite wrong. It should never have been allowed.

 

[ConstantineTG]

When I speak to older people they tell me how children used to show great respect towards their elders. For example, here in Spain when a teacher entered the classroom, all the children stood up. Always. This no longer happens. If a teacher is lucky nowadays, the children might shout hello.

Ask yourself honestly if it´s a good thing that this habbit has disappeared. IMO, it´s obviously symptomatic of a decreasing degree of respect for authority.

If you translate this example to the Mass, perhaps you get my point. The fact that now any Tom, Dick & Harry can handle the Blessed Sacrament, is a clear sign that we no longer have the same respect for the Lord. A lay Communion Minister is not necessarily intentionally disrespectful, but that´s another matter.

The way we treat the Lord is of course far more important than how children treat teachers. The Blessed Sacrament is more than just an authority we should show respect for; He is our Lord and Saviour, the source of all Goodness. Which is why I sincerely think that for a layman to touch the Eucharist with his hands is quite wrong. It should never have been allowed.

I agree. Although I don’t think we should get rid of EMHCs. We should make sure that such lay ministries are given some prominence so people whould know that its not something ordinary, even though the people serving are lay. Case in point, in the Philippines lay ministers are always male, always wearing the national formal wear of barong tagalog, and always wearing a stole designed for the ministry. They also usually are set apart and are given the first row. So people know that they are special, even though they are lay. There is no reason they cannot convey the message in the lay state.

 

[Fr_Michael_Grac]

Some members of the clergy have demonstrated the willingness to embark on whatever they are told is “allowed” without regard to the spiritual damage done to those who follow in good faith. That’s unfortunate.

Lay Catholics will do well to decline participation in any liturgical novelty, take advantage of sacramental confession on a regular basis, and always avoid the near occasion of sin. I would be suspect of any “priest” who suggested otherwise.

The road to the abyss is paved with “legitimacy”. We should set our sights higher.

The road to heaven is paved with obedience, charity and humility.

I state it again, if the church says it is alright, then it is alright! You may personally dislike it, that is your prerogative. You may long for the day when EMHCs will be unnecessary because of the abundance of priest and deacons in the church (I do too). You may decry the various abuses in the over uses of EMHCs (a fault which lies with the priest / bishops not the individual ministers). But you may not usurp the authority of the church.

Of course people should make regular use of the confessional, but that was not your insinuation in the earlier post.

Act with Charity and respect, pray for priest and support them. Please do not through around insults and insinuations.
God Bless.

 

[Fr_Michael_Grac]

Paraphrasing a Protestant who said if you Catholics really believed Jesus was present in Holy Communion and in the tabernacle you would get on your knees as soon as you entered the Church.

I agree with your higher standard statement.

We should all aim for the highest possible standard in reverencing the Eucharist. Any priest should way up carefully the need for EMHCs before implementing them. Our Protestant friend however was only half right. Yes, if we truly believe that Jesus is present in the tabernacle then we will pay the reserved sacrament the highest respect (and indeed a genuflection is still the proper respect for the blessed sacrament). However Jesus’ original followers did not spend their lives grovelling before him (although they did fall down and worship him, on a number of occasions). Rather they ate and drank with him, and indeed by the Lord’s command we do the same ('take this all of you and eat it"…).

We should not try and be more catholic then the Church.

EMHC are and non ideal solution to a current problem. Let us be respectful of the church’s authority. They should be used, only when they are truly needed. But if they are used, in accordance with the church’s law, there is absolutely, no wrong or disrespect in that. The highest form of respect for the Eucharist, is in following the Lord’s commands. Spending all day on you need before the Blessed Sacrament, with an attitude of defiance to the teachings of the church, would be of no credit to you at all. (Not that I am suggesting you have such an attitude, and I am sure you don’t).

God bless