Have we become overly dependent on EMHC's?

[pianistclare]

I think a great way to start highlighting our overuse/over"dependency" on EMHCs would be to simply not use them for daily Mass. Keep HC limited to one species and have Fr. be the sole distributor. He doesn’t have a bunch of vessels to purify afterwards and it subtly makes the point that these people really aren’t needed.

We already do that. He has a Deacon present at every Mass.
But we also have about 60 people trained and certified by the Diocese or Sundays. They use no less than 6 mostly 8 per Mass, and we’re not a huge parish.
Cutting them back would be great…but every time I’ve mentioned it, all you know what breaks loose. That’s why I mentioned the “taking away” part in my recent post.
People get hysterical, and clearly, no one sees it as unusual or unnecessary.

 

[tee_eff_em]

In cases of death, a laicized priest may offer not just Absolution, but Last Rites ( Absolution, Apostolic Blessing and viaticum)

And example would be a laicized priest on a sinking ship. Not only could he offer a General Absolution, but could offer Mass and distribute Holy Communion to those about to die.

It is a very unusual circumstance, but one that exists.

We actually covered that in one of my Sacramentology classes at the Seminary

I would not dispute your experience, but it seems far-fetched to me. Which is probably why…I Am Not A Canon Lawyer.

(Canon 976 makes absolution by a laicized priest both valid and licit. Canon 861.2 does likewise for baptism. I know of no similar canon foar any of the other sacraments )

tee

 

[Brendan]

I would not dispute your experience, but it seems far-fetched to me. Which is probably why…I Am Not A Canon Lawyer.

(Canon 976 makes absolution by a laicized priest both valid and licit. Canon 861.2 does likewise for baptism. I know of no similar canon foar any of the other sacraments )

tee

Top understand how Canon Law works, imagine if this priest was found after the wreck, the only survivor.

If he was brought forward to a Court of Canon Law, would he be chided for disobedience, or lauded for providing viaticum to the dying.

 

[ProVobis]

If he was brought forward to a Court of Canon Law, would he be chided for disobedience, or lauded for providing viaticum to the dying.

I think providing absolution would be the higher priority. You mentioned absolution before.

 

[CuriousMike]

At least in my home Parish, they are a vital means by which regularly scheduled service’s can continue to run; as the Parish Priest or his assistant (leaving soon) visit between 2 and 4 times a month. The distance involved makes it prohibitive and costly to the Diocese for very frequent trips.

We also have an Acolyte that visits during the ‘favourable’ times of year, from his home Parish, who will generally take on this role, and assist our Priest during the Mass.

When the Acolyte is not present, we have two women who can serve, which is not favourable in the eyes of some, I suppose, but this has happened for over 20 years now - under guidance of at least 5 Parish priests, including some from different orders. I doubt there is a doctrinal issue on this, based upon this observation.

However, I recently attended a youth event back in the city, and the parish we attended for Sunday Mass certainly “overuses” the EMHC.
Unlike a conventional Church where there are two lines of pews, this Church had the usual two, PLUS an additional pew to each side. Even though most people attending would be “regulars,” the lines to those distributing Communion were… Confused.

There were 4 people distributing Hosts, as best I could see. Plus the two serving Priests that morning, and another 2 distributing the Blood of Christ. To save disrupting the “order,” of those there, I did not receive the Blood of Christ that Sunday, and promptly returned to my seat.

Instead of this confusing layout, if the two Priests simply distributed Hosts (I know it varies depending on the size of the congregation), you would have two uniform lines and far more simplicity, at least in my opinion.

I was surprised, given the congregation was about 100, maybe somewhere near 130 people. They also have 3 Sunday Masses, so there must be a relative abundance of EMHC’s in that Parish…

 

[Phemie]

However, I recently attended a youth event back in the city, and the parish we attended for Sunday Mass certainly “overuses” the EMHC.
Unlike a conventional Church where there are two lines of pews, this Church had the usual two, PLUS an additional pew to each side. Even though most people attending would be “regulars,” the lines to those distributing Communion were… Confused.

There were 4 people distributing Hosts, as best I could see. Plus the two serving Priests that morning, and another 2 distributing the Blood of Christ. To save disrupting the “order,” of those there, I did not receive the Blood of Christ that Sunday, and promptly returned to my seat.

I was surprised, given the congregation was about 100, maybe somewhere near 130 people. They also have 3 Sunday Masses, so there must be a relative abundance of EMHC’s in that Parish…

That set up sounds like my parish, a center aisle with a block of long pews on each side then two side aisles with a block of shorter pews. Everyone goes up the center aisle to receive. At the top of the aisle they receive the Host from the priest (on major feasts like Easter and Christmas there might be an EMHC helping him).

At the Saturday evening Mass, rarely with more than 35 in attendence, we form a single file in the center aisle and there is one EMHC offering the Cup at the top of the side aisle to the left.

On Sunday morning we have two EMHCs offering the Cup, one at the top of each side aisle because, with more people, two lines are formed in the center aisle with Father giving Communion to the person on the right or the left in turn.

Truth be told, considering how few people receive the Precious Blood, I think we could easily do with one Minister of the Cup even on Sunday but people just don’t want to merge into one line to allow that to happen.

 

[SouthCatholic]

The decision to use EMHC is above my pay-grade.
If a priest/pastor feels that they are necessary, and the Ordinary allows them, then who am I to question?

In my diocese, our previous Bishop had issued instructions that if both species were going to be offered, there needed to be 2:1 ratio. So, if we needed 2 ministers to help the priest distribute the Sacred Body, we would need 6 ministers for the Sacred Blood. As far as I know, our new Bishop has not changed this, yet. There is talk that he might stop the offering of both species, which will make me very sad, but that is his prerogative.

This is sort of the way it happens in my parish. The Priest and the Deacon hand out the bread and the EMHC’s do the wine. An EMHC rarely does the bread in my parish.

 

[Hoosier_Daddy]

This is sort of the way it happens in my parish. The Priest and the Deacon hand out the bread and the EMHC’s do the wine. An EMHC rarely does the bread in my parish.

I am almost certain you mean Body and Blood…