Extraordinary Minister at Hospital

[Mordocai]

Soon I will be an Extraordinary Eucharistic Minister at the local Catholic hospital.
This terrifies me for a few reasons.
I know the Chaplain there, great priest. I told him I wanted to start volunteering, and so he figured this would be a good way for me to do it. I get the sense, though, that there isn’t going to be much… catechizing? when it comes to fulfilling this function. He said he will have to invest me (think he may have used a diff. term) in order to do it.

Any documents I should read? Recommended pamphlets for this specific duty?
How do I deal with this? What if there is someone who receives who isn’t Catholic/who is not in a state of grace?
These things worry me.

Your thoughts are much appreciated.
Yes you

God Bless
Mordocai

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

Soon I will be an Extraordinary Eucharistic Minister at the local Catholic hospital.
This terrifies me for a few reasons.
I know the Chaplain there, great priest. I told him I wanted to start volunteering, and so he figured this would be a good way for me to do it. I get the sense, though, that there isn’t going to be much… catechizing? when it comes to fulfilling this function. He said he will have to invest me (think he may have used a diff. term) in order to do it.

Any documents I should read? Recommended pamphlets for this specific duty?
How do I deal with this? What if there is someone who receives who isn’t Catholic/who is not in a state of grace?
These things worry me.

Your thoughts are much appreciated.
Yes you

God Bless
Mordocai

He will “Commission” you. In some diocese this requires the Bishops permission. It’s usually for a year or two.

Purchase the “Pastoral Care of the sick, for Lay Ministers”

Read it and understand it well.

He should tell you very specifically who to take Holy Communion to. You can feel free to visit others, like new patients, after you have completed you assigned visits and returned the remaining Hosts to him or the tabernacle. During these extra visits you may discover some lasped Catholics or non-Catholics that could use a visit from him, for Reconciliation or other possible Sacraments like Anointing of the Sick.

 

[Kristen]

Mordocai, It’s great that you are undertaking to bring Our Lord to those suffering in the hospital! I’ve had several loved ones in grave health and ministers such as you have brought them and me much comfort.

A while back, I was also an extraordinary minister to a few small nursing homes and homebound folks in my parish. So, my very small contribution here is based mostly on that experience.

I get the sense, though, that there isn’t going to be much… catechizing? when it comes to fulfilling this function. He said he will have to invest me (think he may have used a diff. term) in order to do it. Any documents I should read? Recommended pamphlets for this specific duty?

I take it that you mean his “catechizing” of you, not your instruction of the patients, correct? Well, the training that I received was pretty minimal, mostly just a series of inspirational articles to read and a booklet with a rite/prayers to follow. The booklet is usually available in Catholic bookstores, if the priest does not already provide it to you. The one that I used was a small paperback with a blue cover with gold lettering (really specific description, huh?! ). So, you might want to visit your local Catholic bookstore if Father doesn’t give you what you think that you need.

How do I deal with this? What if there is someone who receives who isn’t Catholic/who is not in a state of grace?
These things worry me.

Remember that, just as a priest is not responsible for whether a person standing before him to receive Communion is in a state of grace or not (except in the case of a public heretic, which is not likely to come-up in your ministry), neither are you. So long as you believe in the Real Presence and act reverently in response as you go about your duties, you are fulfilling your responsibilities. Plus, most hospitals keep a list of Catholic patients who desire to receive, and if a patient is not Catholic, he is not likely to encourage you to stay too long with him anyway.

Regarding the sick, though, it is important to remember that they may not be able to consume a whole host or handle a lot of talking, so you may have to break off a little piece and use the simplest rite possible. I was advised to carry a little baggie with me in case the host needed to be “rescued” from a struggling patient, the floor, etc. I don’t recall what we were to do from there, so I would turn the baggie over the priest, if you ever have to use it. I never did.

I could not find any useful articles in my quick Net search, but I would urge you to ask any specific questions you may have of your priest, as he has more experience than either of us do.

God bless you in your new ministry!

Kristen

 

[blackrobe]

Soon I will be an Extraordinary Eucharistic Minister at the local Catholic hospital.

I know this sounds repetitive and nit-picky, but the distinction is important: There is no such thing as an Extraordinary Eucharistic Minister. You are becoming an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion.

JSA+

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

He will “Commission” you. In some diocese this requires the Bishops permission. It’s usually for a year or two.

Purchase the “Pastoral Care of the sick, for Lay Ministers”

Read it and understand it well.

He should tell you very specifically who to take Holy Communion to. You can feel free to visit others, like new patients, after you have completed you assigned visits and returned the remaining Hosts to him or the tabernacle. During these extra visits you may discover some lasped Catholics or non-Catholics that could use a visit from him, for Reconciliation or other possible Sacraments like Anointing of the Sick.

amazon.com/Ritual-Laypersons-Rites-Communion-Pastoral/dp/0814621503/ref=pd_bbs_sr_2/103-5647338-3927041?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1174313872&sr=1-2

 

[John_Lilburne]

The liturgical book for the ceremony of giving Communon is “Holy Communion and the Worship of the Eucharist Outside of Mass”.

The relevant parts of this are in “A Ritual for Laypersons”, Liturgical Press, 1993, ISBN 0814621503.

The litugical book “Pastoral Care of the Sick” would be useful, but it is not essential for distributing Communion. A lectionary would be useful, providing readings for the ceremony.

On the issue of how you become an Extraordinary Minister, the latest instructions are in the 2004 Redemptionis Sacramentum:
“[155.] In addition to the ordinary ministers there is the formally instituted acolyte, who by virtue of his institution is an extraordinary minister of Holy Communion even outside the celebration of Mass. If, moreover, reasons of real necessity prompt it, another lay member of Christ’s faithful may also be delegated by the diocesan Bishop, in accordance with the norm of law,
[footnote 256: Cf. Code of Canon Law, can. 230 § 3.]
for one occasion or for a specified time, and an appropriate formula of blessing may be used for the occasion. This act of appointment, however, does not necessarily take a liturgical form, nor, if it does take a liturgical form, should it resemble sacred Ordination in any way. Finally, in special cases of an unforeseen nature, permission can be given for a single occasion by the Priest who presides at the celebration of the Eucharist.
[footnote 257: Cf. S. Congregation for the Discipline of the Sacraments, Instruction, Immensae caritatis, prooemium: AAS 65 (1973) p. 264;
Pope Paul VI, Apostolic Letter (Motu Proprio), Ministeria quaedam, 15 August 1972: AAS 64 (1972) p. 532;
Missale Romanum, Appendix III: Ritus ad deputandum ministrum sacrae Communionis ad actum distribuendae, p. 1253;
Congregation for the Clergy et al., Instruction, Ecclesiae de mysterio, Practical Provisions, art. 8 § 1: AAS 89 (1997) p. 871.]”
So it seems to me that it important to have something in writing from the diocesan bishop, with a specified time for the appointment, rather than a liturgical ceremony.