Extraordinary Ministers of Eucharist

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Phillippa

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I have noticed many variations in how and when the extraordinary ministers receive communion. Surely the priest should received the previous body and blood before giving communion to the extraordinary ministers and yet I frequently see the extraordinary ministers given the precious body so they receive at the same time as the priest and some take the chalice from the altar and drink from it themselves. Is there a correct procedure. I personally feel the sacrifice of the mass is offered by the priest and is complete when he receives then communion should be offered to the congregation.
 
Get a copy of Redemptionis Sacramentum (can be downloaded or read online) familiarise yourself with it and approach the priest with respect and show him the section of RS which affects his Mass. If that doesn’t work go to the bishop, if that doesn’t work, go to Rome with a letter.
 
The priest should always receive first, even before the deacon. The special ministers are not supposed to help themselves, like it is a buffet lunch. Just more examples of priests wanting to change things just because they want to be different. Pray for the church!
 
and by the way the correct term is Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion not Extraordinary Ministers of the Eucharist - only Priests are Extraordinary Ministers of the Eucharist.
 
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deogratias:
and by the way the correct term is Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion not Extraordinary Ministers of the Eucharist - only Priests are Extraordinary Ministers of the Eucharist.
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Actually, Priests, as well as Bishops and Deacons, are ordinary ministers of Holy Communion. The term minister of the Eucharist belongs to the Priest alone.
 
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Phillippa:
. . .I frequently see the extraordinary ministers given the precious body so they receive at the same time as the priest and some take the chalice from the altar and drink from it themselves. Is there a correct procedure.
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Section 162 of the General Instruction of the Roman Missal (GIRM) says, in part, “. . .These ministers do not approach the altar before the priest has received Communion and always accept from the hands of the priest the vessel which contains either species of the Blessed Eucharist for distribution to the faithful.”

In addition, in August of 1997, twelve of the congregations in the Holy See jointly issued a document which was approved and promulgated by the Holy Father. Article 8 of that document says, in part, "To avoid creating confusion, certain practices are to be avoided and eliminated where such have emerged in particular Churches:

— extraordinary ministers receiving Holy Communion apart from the other faithful as though concelebrants;
. . .
— the habitual use of extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion at Mass thus arbitrarily extending the concept of “a great number of the faithful”.

This addresses both the timing of the Extraordinary Ministers’ communion and the requirement that they not take the chalice themselves. I hope that’s helpful.
 
Dan the Man - I stand corrected - I meant to say “ordinary Ministers of the Eucharist” not Extraordinary when referring to priests. And you are also correct in saying that Priests, Bishops and Deacons are Ordinary Ministers of Holy Communion while everyone else is Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion.

Just shows to go you that even knowing this, I typed it wrong - yikes.

I wish we did not have any Extraordinaries and then we wouldn’t have to be worrying about getting all this terminology correct;)
 
  1. Approached before Priest recieved.
    2. Layperson fractioning the Blood.
  2. Appears others are fractioning the Body.
Still pretty regular in our Parish - even after GIRM 2002 and RS.
 
Wow…kind of sad…

With that many priests, why so many EMHC’s?

Technically, tennis shoes are not a violation of anything. I have seen some VERY orthodox older priests who wear them because of health reasons. So, the young guy has no excuse.

Other obvious problems…

Glassware

Pouring Precious Blood

EMHC’s on the altar early
 
Am I wrong in my little bit of research that Extraordinary Ministers should ONLY be used in extreme cases? In other words in the case of the Priest or Deacon being literally incapabable, or in the case of many many people being present.

It seems to me that it has become an issue of convenience and our Parishes are ignoring the Church.
 
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gmk:
Am I wrong in my little bit of research that Extraordinary Ministers should ONLY be used in extreme cases?..It seems to me that it has become an issue of convenience and our Parishes are ignoring the Church.
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What you say is true. Let me offer a few ideas on the sources of the problem. It seems that the reason that many parishes do not follow the instructions given in the GIRM on Extraordinary Ministers is cultural. 1) Today we are often in a hurry and rush through many things. 2) When democracy is mixed with modernism, the individual is ceases to be inclined to submit to authority. We think that by calling our own shots we are showing our dignity, but we are really regressing to our teenage years or earlier (~2-3 years old). 3) Some members of the Church are working to decrease the distinction between the laity and the ordained.
 
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spetreopn:
What you say is true. Let me offer a few ideas on the sources of the problem. It seems that the reason that many parishes do not follow the instructions given in the GIRM on Extraordinary Ministers is cultural. 1) Today we are often in a hurry and rush through many things. 2) When democracy is mixed with modernism, the individual is ceases to be inclined to submit to authority. We think that by calling our own shots we are showing our dignity, but we are really regressing to our teenage years or earlier (~2-3 years old). 3) Some members of the Church are working to decrease the distinction between the laity and the ordained.
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I agree with your thoughts on the abuse of EM’s and some parishes truly go overboard with a small army of them. We tend to use three - one to assist the priest with the host and two to distribute the chalice. My point is that I think that in parishes that distribute communion in both species, EM’s seem to be more justified. Handling the chalices does seem to require additional help.

I personally like receiving in both species, so I can stand the two ministers of the chalice. I wish the priest would distribute the host without help, though, but that would take a few extra moments and might delay someone’s sprint to their car after mass.
 
I have gotten some feedback from my Parish with regard to why we use them. Their response has been so far that the distribution of the Eucharist should take no longer than any other part of the Mass. Therefore it is necessary to use them.

Any thoughts on whether or not this is accurate? I need to go do some reading I guess, but I don’t buy it…
 
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gmk:
I have gotten some feedback from my Parish with regard to why we use them. Their response has been so far that the distribution of the Eucharist should take no longer than any other part of the Mass. Therefore it is necessary to use them.

Any thoughts on whether or not this is accurate? I need to go do some reading I guess, but I don’t buy it…
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Just curious, gmk…

You say, “Their response has been…” Who are “they?”

Also, what do they consider to be a “part” of the Mass?
 
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gmk:
I have gotten some feedback from my Parish with regard to why we use them. Their response has been so far that the distribution of the Eucharist should take no longer than any other part of the Mass. Therefore it is necessary to use them.

Any thoughts on whether or not this is accurate? I need to go do some reading I guess, but I don’t buy it…
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I would ask them to provide documentation. Clearly that is not the case when the Holy Father celebrates Mass!

My cousin and I had an interesting discussion this morning on this very subject. She commented: “Funny, we’re willing to stand in line for over an hour for a ride at Disney, but not for ten minutes to receive Jesus!”

And that picture, phew. I thought I would be sick looking at it. That is where I fear my parish is heading unless some corrections are made!

Pax Christi. <><
 
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gmk:
I have gotten some feedback from my Parish with regard to why we use them. Their response has been so far that the distribution of the Eucharist should take no longer than any other part of the Mass. Therefore it is necessary to use them.

Any thoughts on whether or not this is accurate? I need to go do some reading I guess, but I don’t buy it…
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I’m not sure what you would call a “part” either. Some parts of the mass are rather brief and some are quite a bit longer. It also seems that since the “source and summit” of Catholic worship is the Eucharist, surely we could spare a wee bit more time for that “part”, no?
 
Can someone point me to any documentation which SPECIFICALLY points out if THIS is a particular form of abuse:

The priest sat down and didnt distribute communion, while the deacon, a seminarian and lay ministers DID.

Thanks
 
From Redemptionis Sacromentum issued and approved by JPII this spring 2004.

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]

Reprobated means not allowed and must stop immediately, even if it has attained the force of custom.

The GIRM and RS can be found here:

home.adelphia.net/~annunciation/catholiclinks.htm

Check out this site and take the quiz:

massabuses.com/quiz.htm
 
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