Extraordinary Ministers - would you resign?

  • Thread starter Thread starter baltobetsy
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
B

baltobetsy

Guest
Redemptionis Sacramentum tells us that Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion should be used only in extraordinary circumstances where there are not enough priests and deacons to distribute Holy Communion without unduly prolonging the Mass. In many parishes, there is a virtual army of EMHCs at every Mass, even lightly attended daily Masses. If you are one of these EMHCs, would you consider resigning in light of the instructions in this document?

Thanks for your thoughts.
Betsy
 
Yes. After speaking with the pastor about the lack of necessity for so many EM’s, I would resign. Why be a part to something that is clearly not sanctioned?
 
If I were an extra-ordinary minister, then I would resign, but then again I would ahve resigned even before this document came out.
 
My husband and I were EMEs. We became concerned with the fact that EMEs were being regularly scheduled and spoke to the priest about our concerns. He told us that the Diocesean office permitted it despite the fact that earlier documents said EMEs were not to be regularly scheduled. We resigned.

Peace,
Linda
 
Doesn’t the Church in America have a dispensation to use extraordinary ministers of the Holy Eucharist in a more ordinary fashion?
 
baltobetsy said:
Redemptionis Sacramentum tells us that Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion should be used only in extraordinary circumstances where there are not enough priests and deacons to distribute Holy Communion without unduly prolonging the Mass. In many parishes, there is a virtual army of EMHCs at every Mass, even lightly attended daily Masses. If you are one of these EMHCs, would you consider resigning in light of the instructions in this document?

Thanks for your thoughts.
Betsy
Click to expand...

Absolutely outstanding question! It will be wonderful to hear other people’s responses. However I am gonna guess that most people that frequent this wonderful forum are not the type that serve as EMHCs in abusive environmenta.

At daily Mass, we might have 30-50 communicants, yet three EMHCs ram their way up onto the sanctuary to “help” with Communion. On weekends we have at least ten. Tragic.

I also wonder if any other of you have been asked to be EMHCs (it’s almost a closed guilde around here), and felt you had to deline because you simply couldn’t add to the abuse?
 
40.png
jccurtis:
Doesn’t the Church in America have a dispensation to use extraordinary ministers of the Holy Eucharist in a more ordinary fashion?
Click to expand...
No such indult or “dispensation” exists in the US.
 
40.png
jccurtis:
Doesn’t the Church in America have a dispensation to use extraordinary ministers of the Holy Eucharist in a more ordinary fashion?
Click to expand...
No.
 
EMHCs, “Mass Captains” (uber-EMHC’s), and readers are scheduled out three months in advance at my parish.

This ministry has become so abused and so bloated that they actually hired someone part time to manage the mess – with disappointing results.
 
I’ve been thinking that there might be sooo many EMC’s maybe because they want to participate in the Mass so much and feel that worshipping as a congregant (sp?) isn’t enough or doesn’t give them that feeling of inclusiveness or taking part. Fortunatly for me, I got my hands full with trying to worship and concentrating all of my soul in the Mass. I think they have good intentions, but maybe need to participate in another way. Maybe they could all sign up for teaching Catechism to Adults, or Lay formation programs. Or the old favorite Catholics have been doing for a long time, missionary work in their area.
 
Part of the problem from my experience is the poor knowledge of the Mass, and what the Church directs exhibited by most EMHCs that I have talked to.

EMHCs should be extremely well trained. They should also have the intrinsic desire to educate themselves about every aspect of the Mass. Few do in my experience.

Of the 100 or some EMHCs in my parish, I serious doubt that more than 5 have even heard of Redemptoris Sacramentum or the GIRM…
 
One thing about growing up in a poor parish is you learn to count your blessings. We never had enough of them! Father was always looking around trying to figure out if there was one more who showed up…

At my current parish there seem to be plenty, but not so many as to create a glut. Just enough to get through a hymn and a half and have everyone through. It’s funny though, I thought it was a shame that the same people always were the ones who were volunteering when it was such a large parish… I hadn’t thought of the obvious honor it would be.
 
I belong to a large parish, and Saturday and Sunday Masses typically have about 600-800 parishioners. There are typically 4 or 5 EMHC’s in addition to the Priest.

Recently, our Diocese has been active in the promotion of the Permanent Deaconate, and often Mass will be administered by a Priest and a Deacon. At these masses, the Deacon will give the homily (often better and more salient than the Priest, by the way) and administer Holy Communion.

Problem is, the Priest sits idly by watching the procession. So instead of the Priest and the Deacon administering Holy Communion, there is only a Deacon and the requisite (and ubiquitous) EMHC’s. What’s up with this? Shouldn’t the Priest be in the trenches with the parishioners and the Deacon??
 
The priest and deacon are not allowed to sit while EEM’s give out Communion.
 
Cmom:

Can you provide me with some documentation for this? Thanks for the help!
 
Redemptionis Sacramentum

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.
 
I have been asked several times (usually less than 1/2 hour before Mass begins) to be a Eucharistic Minister (note that this term is forbidden), when I explain that I have never been trained, they ask, “does that mean you won’t?” Several of the regular E.M.'s are women who have been divorced and remarried. Do they have annullments? Should I have to wonder?

Please pray for us!
 
And also:
[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.
Click to expand...
 
40.png
kmmd:
Several of the regular E.M.'s are women who have been divorced and remarried. Do they have annullments? Should I have to wonder?
Click to expand...
I don’t think you should wonder. But if you are wondering, the question that you should be wondering is “did they remarry in the Catholic Church, or outside it in a civil or non-Catholic ceremony?” Annulments are private, while (re)marriage is public.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top