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Rhonda_Renee
Guest
How does one become a Eucharistic Minister? It seems like such an important job… are they provided with classes and required to be a Catholic in good standing?
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decn2b
Guest
To be a minister of the Eucharist requires a baptised Catholic Male in good standing with the Church. After seminary and ordination he becomes a priest of which the role is to be the minister of the Eucharist.
If you are talking about being an EXTRAORDINARY minister of Holy Communion a situation where in extraordinary circumstances ther is not enough ordinary ministers (priests ) then acolytes or Lectory are invited to distribute communion…if there are no acolytes or lectors then the priest may call upon other lay persons to help distribute communion. Of course this is only supposed to be in extraordinary circumstances. In a nutshell your priest asks you to be one and training for the role is provided for that EXTRAORDINARY circumstance that help is needed.
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James0235
Guest
Strictly speaking the only way to become a Eucharistic Minister is to be ordained a priest. Not even deacons are Eucharistic Ministers.
But, I know that is not what you mean. The actual term is Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion (abbreviated EMHC). This is the term the Church uses. Those who are not priests are not to be called Eucharistic Ministers although in many places priests for some reason insist on using the terms incorrectly.
To actually answer your question - it actually varies from parish to parish and diocese to diocese. Your best bet would be to discuss it with your priest and he will let you know what training you must undergo in his parish. (And it would be a very charitable to inform your priest of the correct terminology if he isn’t aware of it.)
James
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Rhonda_Renee
Guest
I think I’m using the wrong terminology. 
I’m referring to the men and women who help administer the Eucharist at mass.
I’m referring to the men and women who help administer the Eucharist at mass.
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Br.Rich_SFO
Guest
A very important job with priests becomming fewer and fewer. To become a priest requires usually 8 years of education before Ordination. A person seeking admission would need to be a Baptized Catholic man in good standing and not Married.
To be an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion requires training for the ministry and commissioning by the local Bishop or on his authority.
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Rhonda_Renee
Guest
Okay,
All the Catholic Churches that I’ve been to (and I’m not Catholic) have 6-8 men and wemon helping to administer the sacraments. It doesn’t seem to me that this is reserved for “unusual circumstances” but is more of a norm. It really bothers my husband who is an Orthodox Catachumen because, in the Orthodox Churches he’s been to, only the Priest and Deacon administer the Eucharist.
All the Catholic Churches that I’ve been to (and I’m not Catholic) have 6-8 men and wemon helping to administer the sacraments. It doesn’t seem to me that this is reserved for “unusual circumstances” but is more of a norm. It really bothers my husband who is an Orthodox Catachumen because, in the Orthodox Churches he’s been to, only the Priest and Deacon administer the Eucharist.
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decn2b
Guest
Us Roman Catholics do have some to learn from the Orthodox. Using EMHCs is almost always an abuse in my diocese. My parish has two deacons and there is NO reason to have the extra 4-6 "mini-priests " up front. It is misguided modernist invention to “empower” the laity. It stinks and it is WRONG.
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jmcrae
Guest
That would bother me, too. At my parish, it is normally the priests who do this, and then one or two lay people, when they are needed. Unfortunately we don’t have enough priests to be able to have two-three priests at every Mass, so on Sundays we do have at least one, and often two EMHCs present. (I have sometimes seen three, if the crowd is really quite large, but never six or eight.)
They receive instruction and authorization to do this from the Bishop. The authorization lasts for one year, and then it has to be renewed. I’m not sure how strictly the renewal aspect of it is enforced, because one does see people doing this year after year.
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James0235
Guest
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Hesychios
Guest
In Orthodoxy (and also Byzantine Catholicism), it is actually the deacon who is the extraordinary minister of the Eucharist.
If the priest can handle it himself (or if there are enough priests vested) the deacon may only assist. If numbers warrant it and the number of priests are too few, then the deacon(s) may also distribute. The deacon is forbidden to do this if there are enough other vested priests available.
I have heard of the occasional parish in the Eastern Catholic churches where they have adopted the use of EMHC’s in imitation of the Latins, but this is a rare uncanonical abuse. There is actually no provision for it at all.
Michael
If the priest can handle it himself (or if there are enough priests vested) the deacon may only assist. If numbers warrant it and the number of priests are too few, then the deacon(s) may also distribute. The deacon is forbidden to do this if there are enough other vested priests available.
I have heard of the occasional parish in the Eastern Catholic churches where they have adopted the use of EMHC’s in imitation of the Latins, but this is a rare uncanonical abuse. There is actually no provision for it at all.
Michael
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teachccd
Guest
Those that broke bread in the second chapter of Acts of the Apostles, what were they called? While as a teacher of religious education, I firmly believe in defining what’s appropriate, I surely see more tactful ways than what’s shown here to you who was clearly just mistaken in terminology. I knew what you meant in your initial post. No need to be embarrassed. We are all learning even those with 5000 posts…God BlessI think I’m using the wrong terminology.
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Cristiano
Guest
There is no reason to use derogatory terms for the EMHCs. The term you use is insulting to the EMHCs and to the priesthood. I am surprised that a self-called Catholic makes recourse to such a kind of name calling. If there is an abuse that is started from the priest that allows it.
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Rhonda_Renee
Guest
Thanks. Though I am thankful to have been corrected. And, I doubt it’s the priest’s fault for using incorrect termonology as I’ve never met him. So, he’s off the hook.No need to be embarrassed. We are all learning even those with 5000 posts…God Bless
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Brendan
Guest
There actually IS a provision for it.
For the Code of Canon Law for the Eastern Churches.
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scylla
Guest
You are right most the people who serve as EMHC’s are ignorant to the the fact of abuse and would not serve if properly instructed.
Now there are some who serve as EMHC’s when there is a pressing need and they understand it is a temporary duty and not something that is to be encouraged. They serve respectfully out of service to the Church.
Unfortunately the majority in my diocese are a result of the same agenda which keeps vocations down discourages men from serving(calling the diocese confirmed this) and destroys peoples faith.
To answer the original posters question,
Yes you should be a Catholic in good standing and the training varies from diocese to diocese, it mine they give you a booklet and then talk to you for about 10 minutes. I would encourage you to be a learn more about the faith and see if you can even take some classes, here are some free ones online.
amm.org/chss.htm
God Bless
Scylla
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decn2b
Guest
Not sure what is derogatory but I assure you the use of EMHCs was only “intorduced” for EXTRAORDINARY situations. The introduction of EMHCs has done nothing for the distinction between the laity and sacramental priesthood. The use of EMHCs has exploded into what is the “norm” for distribution in many many many places. Many have reason to believe the etology of this practice is rooted in the agendas of progressives. Perhaps those agendas were guided to blur the line between the laity and the sacremental priesthood.
The whole discussion of whether or not to offer the precious blood comes up in the document Redemptionis Sacramentum. It plainly states 102. The chalice should not be ministered to lay members of Christ’s faithful where there is such a large number of communicants189 that it is difficult to gauge the amount of wine for the Eucharist and there is a danger that “more than a reasonable quantity of the Blood of Christ remain to be consumed at the end of the celebration”.
My hope would be that Arinze would revise the document to make it more specific on some matters. Example would be using specific numbers when determining whether there is too many communicants to offer under both species.
Honestly though if he church has defined that christ is present Body blood soul and divinity under both species… I am wondering why it is offered under both species. It obviously doesn’t make it more complete by recieving both.
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Marian_Carroll
Guest
GENERAL NOTICE:
When a queston is asked, it is not a requirement to use it as a platform for launching into ones own personal vents. It would be helpful to others seeking information to feel free to make enquiry and have the expectation of a civil and legitimate response. Thank you in advance for your courtesy towards fellow posters.
When a queston is asked, it is not a requirement to use it as a platform for launching into ones own personal vents. It would be helpful to others seeking information to feel free to make enquiry and have the expectation of a civil and legitimate response. Thank you in advance for your courtesy towards fellow posters.
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nas_matko
Guest
Rhonda, I am not orthodox and this situation is bothering me equally (see my other topic.
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LeahInancsi
Guest
Rhonda,
This is one of my favorite topics. One of the most fulfilling things I do in my life as a Catholic is performing the duties of Extraordinary Mininters of Holy Communion (EMHC). **To answer your question, contact the parish secretary or director of liturgy and ask what is involved in volunteering to become an EMHC. ** At my parish, training classes are given once a quarter. We are shown all procedures and what is right and wrong, etc., etc and WHY. At the end of the session there were several prayers said and we were blessed and commissioned as EMHCs.
I attend the 1 pm Mass at my parish and it seems most who attend that Mass are not big on service. I am scheduled to serve three Sundays on and one Sunday off. This is to the extreme. You would most likely be scheduled once or twice a month. It is so very special, I usually volunteer as a “walk-in” on my Sunday off.
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Titus
Guest
Dear Rhonda,
Until the Second Vatican Council (1962-65) the priest distributed the Body of Christ, and if it was necessary, the deacon assisted. No-one gave the Precious Blood to the congregation because it isn’t necessary- the fulness of the Eucharist is in each form alone. It is still possible and recommmended that the Body alone be distributed by the priest celebrant/ concelebrant, other priests, or deacons. If circumstances warrant, Instituted Acolytes (men only with proper training and permanent institution- short of removal by Tribunal) are permitted to assist. In the last resort lay men and women may be deputed to distribute the Body/ Blood & are termed Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion. This permission has widely been taken to support ‘participatory liturgy’ with large numbers of EMHCs on the altar.
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