Eucharistic ministers

[Marian_Carroll]

**Please make an effort to improve the charity and tone in this thread perhaps giving some thought to the observation:

“There are two ways of spreading light: to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it.”**

 

[msproule]

Here is a fun article to read:

Parishes Report Extraordinary Minister Shortage

 

[Breton]

JC Nixon:

Two years ago, at the request of our Pastor, I took over the training and scheduling of EMHC’s, because I too, thought I could make a difference and through training instill in people the proper way to reverently distribute the Body and Blood of Christ. I am sorry to say, that I have made no difference, at least not that I have seen. To say I am discouraged and disheartened is an understatement.

I have recently resigned this ministry because I find I can no longer attend Mass without the distraction of watching this one and that one to see who is doing what wrong that needs to be corrected. I want to go to Mass to pray and celebrate. I am losing my focus being ‘in charge’.

This is where I’m at now; discouraged and disheartened with the use of EMHC’s and unable to make a difference (so far) as the coordinator for my parish. I don’t want to walk away from my parish nor do I want to just sit in the pews hoping someone else will fix the problem.

 

[Breton]

So where is the solution? Has anyone seen a parish succesfully reverse the overuse of EMHC’s and how did they do it?

If a call for change doesn’t come from the top down, it ain’t going to happen. And I don’t see any mutinies in the offing so…what to do?

 

[MrS]

msproule:

Here is a fun article to read:

Parishes Report Extraordinary Minister Shortage

You made my day… this is hilarious.

 

[byHisGrace]

Breton:

Stop the presses! News flash from Pio XII - his Excellency Archbishop Jose Gomez allows his flock to desecrate the Body of Christ with their unordained hands!

Your piety is oh so inspiring.

Breton,
I’ve been following this thread and particularly appreciate what you’ve been trying to say in your postings. I am not an EMHC, but am an orthodox Catholic who attends Mass in a very reverent Novus Ordo parish, complete with more EMHC’s that we probably need. Our pastor is very faithful (including the GIRM), is our only priest, and has responsibilities for two other parishes. While I don’t think its a life or death issue one way or the other, I am inspired by the reverence our EMHC’s display, and it is interesting to see how some of those same EMHC’s give tirelessly of their time in a very humble way to other needs of the parish.

I congratulate you on doing something POSITIVE. And, regarding the piety of that earlier poster…NONE of us are worthy to touch the Body of Christ…NONE of us are even worthy to receive HIM…but thank God in HIs mercy for letting us receive Him in the Eucharist in spite of our sinful nature.

Keep up the good work, Breton!

 

[Breton]

byHisGrace:

NONE of us are worthy to touch the Body of Christ…NONE of us are even worthy to receive HIM…but thank God in HIs mercy for letting us receive Him in the Eucharist in spite of our sinful nature.

Very well said byHisGrace. And thank you for the encouragement; I hope other EMHC’s will continue to work for positive change. :bounce:

 

[palmas85]

Breton:

So where is the solution? Has anyone seen a parish succesfully reverse the overuse of EMHC’s and how did they do it?

If a call for change doesn’t come from the top down, it ain’t going to happen. And I don’t see any mutinies in the offing so…what to do?

Sad to say I sincerely doubt that many parishes would even be interested in reversing the trend. As far as they are concerned it is a great program. Gets the people, especially women, more involved, increases the laitys participation in the Mass , which is probably the only real reason for them anyway, shows how modern, progressive and right thinking the parish is, decreases the workload of the Priest, who often does not distribute Holy Comminion at all, and keeps Mass time down to an absolute minimum. . A win- win situation for everyone

Or is it??

 

[MrS]

palmas85:

. A win- win situation for everyone

Or is it??

I would hate to think of the Lord saying to me… “… you chose to have it your way… now you have to answer for it…”

 

[Supercatholic]

My parish has always referred to the non-ordained layperson as eucharistic ministers, so this term extraordinary ministers of holy communion is very strange to me. When it comes to receiving the eucharist, my first preference is to receive it from the priest who said the mass. Afterall he was the one acting in the person of Christ when he consecrated the bread and wine. Second choice is any other priest available which includes the head pastor himself. Third choice is the deacon. I would even rather receive the host from an altar server if I were given that choice, but there must be some rule against that. That poor little kid standing on the altar, holding up that heavy book, bringing the wine and water forward to the altar, carrying those candles. And all those other things they do. For what? Just to have a bunch of badly dressed laypeople pop up from the pews at the last quarter of the mass. And when I say badly dressed I mean badly dressed. One looks like they’re ready to go jogging. Another looks like they’re ready to start spring cleaning. Guys come in like they just got off the construction site. I understand the need for lay-ministers in certain circumstances and some do dress decently in either a suit if they’re a gentlemen or a long proper dress if they’re a lady, but even with that, couldn’t they all be given a garment (I don’t know what they’re called but it’s a simple long cloth that covers the front and back of the person with an opening for the person’s head) in the liturgical color of the season? Let’s face it, it’s the proper and holy vestments worn by the priests that bring the mass to its full holiness. Therefore I think it’s only respectful that a layperson who is called to be a Eucharistic minister/ Extraordinary minister of holy communion be given the proper attire to perpetuate the holiness.