Extraordinary Ministers

[russell007]

Has anyone ever witnessed a EM laying on hands or making the cross (as if givnig a blessing) on the childern when people carry their kids with them to receive communion?

Ive seen it and think it wrong.

Seems everyone wants to be a priest these days or at least mimic
what he does as if it adds some sort of power to your prayer or maybe people just like to look holier than thou.

 

[buffalo]

I have seen it and it is not to be done during the Mass.

 

[Newbie2]

There was just a huge thread on this which pretty much exhausted the subject. Search for “EMCH blessings” or some such thing and you’ll find it, and I’m sure a few more threads on the same subject.

Not that we can’t use another one.

 

[benedictgal]

Welcome to CAF!

To answer your question, in a word, no. There is a thread that best explains why not. Roughly three months ago, two of our senior members wrote to the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments regarding this matter. This is the link to the thread:

forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=292341

In addition to the letter from the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discpline of the Sacraments, here is a section from a document that was issued in 1997 by the Congregation for Clergy which, while not mentioning this matter specifically, would certainly be applicable and supplemental to what the Congregation stated in its correspondence:

§ 2. To promote the proper identity (of various roles) in this area, those abuses which are contrary to the provisions of canon 907 are to be eradicated. In eucharistic celebrations deacons and non-ordained members of the faithful may not pronounce prayers — e.g. especially the eucharistic prayer, with its concluding doxology — or any other parts of the liturgy reserved to the celebrant priest. Neither may deacons or non-ordained members of the faithful use gestures or actions which are proper to the same priest celebrant. It is a grave abuse for any member of the non-ordained faithful to “quasi preside” at the Mass while leaving only that minimal participation to the priest which is necessary to secure validity.

I hope this helps.

 

[Sir_Knight]

Deacons CAN give blessings – they many not perform any actions during mass reserved for the priest but they CAN give blessings.

 

[Fludgecow101]

ya, I always see it during mass. but am I supposed to to tell them to stop, or like tell the priest

 

[LeroyCRHP]

I remember reading this in other places and remember this is the one circumstance a lay person can give blessings. I believe it is taught and done this way many places. Otherwise you end up with everyone wanting to go through the line where the Priest is serving. What am I missing?

EXAMPLE FROM: ourladyofguadalupechurch.org/documents/EM_handbook.doc

Who can bless another person?
According the official Book of Blessings, “Laymen and laywomen, in virtue of the universal priesthood, a dignity they possess because of their baptism and confirmation, may celebrate certain blessings, as indicated in the respective orders of blessings, by use of the rites and formularies designated for a lay minister. Such lay persons exercise this ministry in virtue of their office (for example, parents on behalf of their children) or by reason of some special liturgical ministry or in the fulfillment of a particular charge in the Church, as is the case in many places with religious or catechist appointed by decision of the local Ordinary” (18). Eucharistic Ministers are encouraged to bless those in the community who comes forward who cannot receive Holy Communion. Our norm is whatever feels comfortable…touch the person on the forehead, or the shoulder, saying “May God Bless you and keep you”, you may also use your thumb to place the sign of the cross on the forehead while also saying “May God Bless you and keep you.” Look at the person, smile and say it genuinely - from your heart.

 

[LeroyCRHP]

And again, I need to read the old thread!

Blessing Small Children
If parents come forward carrying a small child you may reach out your hand and touch them
saying, “God bless you” or “God be with you.”
Blessing Those Not Receiving Communion
Someone may come forward in the communion procession with their arms crossed over their
chest. This is a sign that they will not receive communion but instead wish to receive a
blessing. You should reach out your hand and touch them on the head or shoulder and say,
“God bless you” or “God be with you.”

 

[benedictgal]

I am afraid that the information posted in the two previous posts may be incorrect in light of the letter from the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, as well as the document issued by the Congregation for the Clergy (1997).

Here is what the letter from the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments says (letter dated November 22, 2008):

For the present, therefore, this Dicastery wishes to limit itself to the following observations:

The liturgical blessing of the Holy Mass is properly given to each and to all at the conclusion of the Mass, just a few moments subsequent to the distribution of Holy Communion.

***Lay people, within the context of Holy Mass, are unable to confer blessings. These blessings, rather, are the competence of the priest (***cf. Ecclesia de Mysterio, Notitiae 34 (15 Aug. 1997), art. 6, § 2; can. 1169, § 2; and Roman Ritual De Benedictionibus (1985), n. 18).

Furthermore, the laying on of a hand or hands – which has its own sacramental significance, inappropriate here – by those distributing Holy Communion, in substitution for its reception, is to be explicitly discouraged.

The Apostolic Exhortation Familiaris Consortio, n. 84, “forbids any pastor, for whatever reason to pretext even of a pastoral nature, to perform ceremonies of any kind for divorced people who remarry.” To be feared is that any form of blessing in substitution for communion would give the impression that the divorced and remarried have been returned, in some sense, to the status of Catholics in good standing.

In a similar way, for others who are not to be admitted to Holy Communion in accord with the norm of law, the Church’s discipline has already made clear that they should not approach Holy Communion nor receive a blessing. This would include non-Catholics and those envisaged in can. 915 (i.e., those under the penalty of excommunication or interdict, and others who obstinately persist in manifest grave sin).

Therefore, laity, even if they are commissioned as EMHCs, do not have the authority to impart blesisngs during the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. The only duty that an EMHC is authorized to perform is to assist in the distribution of Holy Communion when a genuine need arises. That is all.

 

[Sir_Knight]

ya, I always see it during mass. but am I supposed to to tell them to stop, or like tell the priest

Don’t put ALL of the blame on the EMHC in EVERY case. If you were to point this out to one of our priests, he would tell you that this is what the pastor wants and we are to be obedient to him.

 

[japhy]

I remember reading this in other places and remember this is the one circumstance a lay person can give blessings. I believe it is taught and done this way many places. Otherwise you end up with everyone wanting to go through the line where the Priest is serving.

They shouldn’t be going up for a blessing during Communion. The Communion procession is for Communion.

Who can bless another person?
According the official Book of Blessings, “Laymen and laywomen, in virtue of the universal priesthood, a dignity they possess because of their baptism and confirmation, may celebrate certain blessings, as indicated in the respective orders of blessings, by use of the rites and formularies designated for a lay minister. Such lay persons exercise this ministry in virtue of their office (for example, parents on behalf of their children) or by reason of some special liturgical ministry or in the fulfillment of a particular charge in the Church, as is the case in many places with religious or catechist appointed by decision of the local Ordinary” (18).

So far, so good. It’s quoting the Book of Blessings.

Eucharistic Ministers are encouraged (1) to bless those in the community who comes forward who cannot receive Holy Communion. Our norm is whatever feels comfortable (2) …touch the person on the forehead, or the shoulder, saying “May God Bless you and keep you”, you may also use your thumb to place the sign of the cross on the forehead while also saying “May God Bless you and keep you.” Look at the person, smile and say it genuinely - from your heart.

1. Encouraged by whom? Not the Book of Blessings. The bishop? The pastor?
2. “Whatever feels comfortable” is not much of a “norm”. It’s a philosophy. Comfortable for whom? The EMHC or the non-communicant?

There’s a thread which contains an answer from the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments on this very issue.

 

[Cristiano]

ya, I always see it during mass. but am I supposed to to tell them to stop, or like tell the priest

It is not your role to tell anyone to stop. However, now that you are informed you have the responsibility to notify the pastor and whomever is in charge of the EMHCs training.
When it comes to inform someone, it is not a good idea to use the opinions posted on the internet forum but you should limit yourself to use official documents only as a reference.
Change will not happen overnight!

 

[benedictgal]

It is not your role to tell anyone to stop. However, now that you are informed you have the responsibility to notify the pastor and whomever is in charge of the EMHCs training.
When it comes to inform someone, it is not a good idea to use the opinions posted on the internet forum but you should limit yourself to use official documents only as a reference.
Change will not happen overnight!

However, in the thread which I posted, there is a PDF with the document. Furthermore, because that document, from the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, has a protocol number, that is about as official as you can get.

In addition, I also posted a quote from a document that the Congregation for Clergy issued in 1997 regarding the collaboration of the faithful in the ministry of the priest. This should also provide additional documentation that refutes the practice described by the OP.

 

[Cristiano]

However, in the thread which I posted, there is a PDF with the document. Furthermore, because that document, from the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, has a protocol number, that is about as official as you can get.

You are correct! I was suggesting to use the PDF file but not the threads where we post.

 

[FrDavid96]

I remember reading this in other places and remember this is the one circumstance a lay person can give blessings. I believe it is taught and done this way many places. Otherwise you end up with everyone wanting to go through the line where the Priest is serving. What am I missing?

EXAMPLE FROM: ourladyofguadalupechurch.org/documents/EM_handbook.doc

Who can bless another person?
According the official Book of Blessings, “Laymen and laywomen, in virtue of the universal priesthood, a dignity they possess because of their baptism and confirmation, may celebrate certain blessings, as indicated in the respective orders of blessings, by use of the rites and formularies designated for a lay minister. Such lay persons exercise this ministry in virtue of their office (for example, parents on behalf of their children) or by reason of some special liturgical ministry or in the fulfillment of a particular charge in the Church, as is the case in many places with religious or catechist appointed by decision of the local Ordinary” (18). Eucharistic Ministers are encouraged to bless those in the community who comes forward who cannot receive Holy Communion. Our norm is whatever feels comfortable…touch the person on the forehead, or the shoulder, saying “May God Bless you and keep you”, you may also use your thumb to place the sign of the cross on the forehead while also saying “May God Bless you and keep you.” Look at the person, smile and say it genuinely - from your heart.

The above is parish policy. That parish policy is in violation of the liturgical laws of the Church.

Here’s what “you’re missing”: no one should be approaching in the communion line for any reason other than to receive Holy Communion (not my words, that’s what the Holy See has said on the matter). People coming forward is the source of the problem. Anyone not receiving should remain in the pew–regardless of the reason.

 

[LeroyCRHP]

Not that you need my acknowledgement! The references are great and of course confirmed with my most wise wife who of course knew the answer in full also.

Thanks for filling in the missing link FrDavid96 and japhy!
Leroy

The above is parish policy. That parish policy is in violation of the liturgical laws of the Church.

Here’s what “you’re missing”: no one should be approaching in the communion line for any reason other than to receive Holy Communion (not my words, that’s what the Holy See has said on the matter). People coming forward is the source of the problem. Anyone not receiving should remain in the pew–regardless of the reason.

 

[Rusty_Halo]

I have seen it and it is not to be done during the Mass.

Please tell us what you are basing your opinion on?

 

[Rusty_Halo]

Welcome to CAF!

To answer your question, in a word, no. There is a thread that best explains why not. Roughly three months ago, two of our senior members wrote to the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments regarding this matter. This is the link to the thread:

forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=292341

In addition to the letter from the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discpline of the Sacraments, here is a section from a document that was issued in 1997 by the Congregation for Clergy which, while not mentioning this matter specifically, would certainly be applicable and supplemental to what the Congregation stated in its correspondence:

I hope this helps.

Actually, making a sign of the cross is perfectly licit. It is not a blessing. Godparents do the same thing during a baptism.

What is a problem is when a EOMC does a pseduo-blessing (waving his hand in a cross) which is not right.

 

[Seatuck]

Actually, making a sign of the cross is perfectly licit. It is not a blessing. Godparents do the same thing during a baptism.

What is a problem is when a EOMC does a pseduo-blessing (waving his hand in a cross) which is not right.

I think it’s a stretch to say making a sing of the cross is perfectly licit at that time. The EMOHC should be keeping their hands to themselves. It drives me crazy as a bat trapped indoors to see an Ordinary Minister or an EMOHC touch another person with the hand that they are distributing communion with .

Godparents during baptism do not have fragments of the Eucharist on their fingers. Which they then may transfer to another person.

We are strictly talking about blessings during the distribution of the Eucharist and nothing else.

Yes we know lay people can give blessings at other times but that is not what this thread is about.

 

[benedictgal]

Actually, making a sign of the cross is perfectly licit. It is not a blessing. Godparents do the same thing during a baptism.

What is a problem is when a EOMC does a pseduo-blessing (waving his hand in a cross) which is not right.

No, it is not. There must be a distinction between the two. What you described is part of the ritual for Baptism; what the OP described is not licit at all. I think that we need to differentiate between the two. The section from the 1997 document issued by the Congregation for Clergy clearly states that laity cannot do something that is proper to the priest/celebrant during the Mass. This is one such occasion.