There is the all too often ignored Despite the fact that practically half the population of the Vatican signed it it seems to be universally ignored. James
This is the document that I have quoted frequently. In fact, I gave a copy of this to my pastor, my PV and the new administrator of our cathedral. The new administrator is taking it to heart.
My PV and I got into a terrible disagreement about the use of EMHCs during daily Mass, which me made habitual. Mind you, my PV is generally on top of things, celebrating Mass ad orientum and really following the GIRM. He is also my best friend. However, we did not speak for three weeks when I sent him an emotionally-devoid letter indicating that what he was doing was wrong. It was not easy, especially since I was writing to my friend, that is why I took the emotions out of it. Oddly enough, he was the one who told us, in an address, that if we were to see something wrong, even if it is committed by clergy, we should inform them charitably. Even though he didn’t speak to me during that time, he did stop the practice.
This section comes from the same document that James quoted:
§ 2. Extraordinary ministers may distribute Holy Communion at eucharistic celebrations only when there are no ordained ministers present or when those ordained ministers present at a liturgical celebration are truly unable to distribute Holy Communion.(99) They may also exercise this function at eucharistic celebrations where there are particularly large numbers of the faithful and which would be excessively prolonged because of an insufficient number of ordained ministers to distribute Holy Communion. (100)
***This function is supplementary and extraordinary ***(101) and must be exercised in accordance with the norm of law. It is thus useful for the diocesan bishop to issue particular norms concerning extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion which, in complete harmony with the universal law of the Church, should regulate the exercise of this function in his diocese. Such norms should provide, amongst other things, for matters such as the instruction in eucharistic doctrine of those chosen to be extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion, the meaning of the service they provide, the rubrics to be observed, the reverence to be shown for such an august Sacrament and instruction concerning the discipline on admission to Holy Communion.
The key words here are supplemental and extraordinary. So, in a Mass with 10 communicants, using an EMHC is not justifiable. My PV was using an EMHC with under 40 communicants. It only took him about under five minutes. My pastor, having read the document, no longer uses an EMHC to assist in the distribution of Holy Communion. In fact, we talked about it during our training. Evidently, the EMHCs didn’t realize that their funciton is auxiliary and not permanent.
This document is about 11 years old and, to my knowledge, it has never been abrogated. In fact, Redemptionis Sacramentum uses similar language.
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,256 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.257
[156.] ***This function is to be understood strictly according to the name by which it is known, that is to say, that of extraordinary minister of Holy Communion, ***and not “special minister of Holy Communion” nor “extraordinary minister of the Eucharist” nor “special minister of the Eucharist”, by which names the meaning of this function is unnecessarily and improperly broadened.
[157.] If there is usually present a sufficient number of sacred ministers for the distribution of Holy Communion, extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion may not be appointed. Indeed, in such circumstances, those who may have already been appointed to this ministry should not exercise it. The practice of those Priests is reprobated who, even though present at the celebration, abstain from distributing Communion and hand this function over to laypersons.258
[158.] Indeed, the extraordinary minister of Holy Communion may administer Communion only when the Priest and Deacon are lacking, when the Priest is prevented by weakness or advanced age or some other genuine reason, or when the number of faithful coming to Communion is so great that the very celebration of Mass would be unduly prolonged.259 This, however, is to be understood in such a way that a brief prolongation, considering the circumstances and culture of the place, is not at all a sufficient reason.
RS came out in 2004, seven years after the document from the Congregation for Clergy.
But thanks for the link – it helps explain why the document varies between sites. The original translation was flawed and corrected at some point but some sites still hold the first translation. At least it explains why EMHCs are still called ‘ministers of the Eucharist’ in places – you can’t blame the people when the term actually came to us from Rome originally.
But once I heard (a couple days ago) that the Vatican web site was now hosting the A.S.S. and the A.A.S., I realized I could find the original Latin texts of pretty much any Church document from the past century or so. So I found the issue and page numbers where Immensae Caritatis was published, and voila!