Exercising multiple ministries in the Church

[Phemie]

Not only did it use the wrong title, it said that ‘Eucharistic Ministers’ are appointed by the priest for 3 years

It amazes me, since somewhere people got the term ‘Eucharistic Minister’. It wasn’t just me. Not just my parish, and not just my diocese. It grew like wildfire, it seems.

The term originated with the promulgation of Immensae Caritatis in 1973. At that time the term used was “special ministers of the Eucharist”. You’ll find that term in this version of that document on EWTN. Parts of that document were retranslated at some point since, as we see in THIS version on The Catholic Liturgical Library.

 

[Aramis]

Interesting. Another way your priests have marginalized themselves. Too bad.

That predates VII. Goes back to the 50’s in the Roman church, and further still in the Eastern Churches (about the 6th C), both in union and not.

Likewise, altar servers are lay ministers doing the ordained/instituted acolyte’s job… and that goes back over 200 years in the Roman Church.

 

[pnewton]

Pro multis is commenting on the way he thinks they should be. The original poster wanted to know what the *Church *says. You have the quote from the USCCB. That is your answer.

Note that in that answer, it says it is* “*desirable,” not “required” that no one serves two funcitons. Therefore, if the expert says it is not allowed by the GIRM, he is wrong. If he says that your parish will not be allowing it, that is fine. If you have enough people for the roles needed in your parish, it is the best way to go.

 

[japhy]

The term originated with the promulgation of Immensae Caritatis in 1973. At that time the term used was “special ministers of the Eucharist”.

The popular English translation of Immensae Caritatis used the phrase “special minister of the Eucharist”. However, the original Latin text found in the 65Acta Apostlica Sedis (1973), pp. 264-271 reveals that the proper English translation is, in fact, “extraordinary minister of Holy Communion”.

Original English translation: “special ministers for distributing communion”

Actual Latin text: “ministris extraordinariis s. Communionis distribuendae”

Proper English translation: “extraordinary ministers for distributing Holy Communion”