Help! I'm creeped out going to EMHCs for Communion!

[MarieVeronica]

Unfortunately because the practice of EMHCs has been so widely abused, many Catholics in fact do not know that EMHCs are extraordinary. And yes, there are a very few people who feel that because they have declared themselved to be priests, they can consecrate the Eucharist. They are rare, but the phenomenon is growing. What is more disturbing is the fact that the people who accept this practice, or who “see no problem with it” are also growing.

Father, your points are extremely valid. Thank you for having the courage to speak the truth. Lately, I have been noticing more and more… that our priests are standing up and speaking the TRUTH. God bless all of you. You are our fathers, in faith… and we look to you for your example.

I was away from the Church for about 10 years (have been back for 3-4 yrs.) and upon my return, I was shocked to see the huge number of EMHCs which are now “employed” at every Mass.

Having absolutely nothing personal… against any of these fine, faithful people… most of whom, carry out the tasks entrusted to them with supreme respect for Our Lord… I still have to side with your opinion, that we NEED to pray for MORE PRIESTS! The word “extraordinary” is used in the title of the EMHC… to emphasize the nature of their function. Their function is NOT the ordinary means of distributing Holy Communion. It is my personal opinion, that the Holy Spirit is now beginning to “remind” us of that fact.

I pray for the day, when all of us can once again feel comfortable (not having to worry about being rebuked, etc.) for receiving Holy Communion on our knees and from the consecrated hands of our priests. That is the ORDINARY means, of receiving the Sacred Body and Blood of Our Lord.

God bless.

 

[Pax_Vobiscum_57]

You could sit in the back and then move into the line that the priest is in. Or watch to see if he has a favorite side?

They usually do have a routine, but I’ve had people ask if they could scoot in line in front of me, and I never had a problem with it.

I, too, prefer to receive the Body and Blood of our Lord from a priest of deacon.

 

[PatienceAndLove]

The word “extraordinary” is used in the title of the EMHC… to emphasize the nature of their function. Their function is NOT the ordinary means of distributing Holy Communion. It is my personal opinion, that the Holy Spirit is now beginning to “remind” us of that fact.

If only the term EMHCs were used to refer to these people rather than EMs.

 

[MarieVeronica]

If only the term EMHCs were used to refer to these people rather than EMs.

Good point. So, maybe we all need to start referring to them as “Extraordinary Ministers”, rather than “Eucharistic Ministers”?

While we DO look to our priests to set an example (I certainly do, anyway); the Laity should also do it’s part to speak the truth… and not lay the entire responsibility on the shoulders of our priests. I am humbled by your reminder. Thank you.

 

[PatienceAndLove]

Good point. So, maybe we all need to start referring to them as “Extraordinary Ministers”, rather than “Eucharistic Ministers”?

Tried it. People look at me funny and say “No… Eucharistic Ministers” Heaven help me if I say EMHC, then I think heads start imploding.

 

[MarieVeronica]

Tried it. People look at me funny and say “No… Eucharistic Ministers” Heaven help me if I say EMHC, then I think heads start imploding.

Well, maybe just keep trying… patiently. It may take some time to undo the verbal engineering which has taken place.

We may not get through to the adults… but perhaps the teens and kids standing around, listening will pick up the correct term “Extraordinary Ministers”… and it will re-emerge.

 

[PatienceAndLove]

Well, maybe just keep trying… patiently. It may take some time to undo the verbal engineering which has taken place.

We may not get through to the adults… but perhaps the teens and kids standing around, listening will pick up the correct term “Extraordinary Ministers”… and it will re-emerge.

Maybe…Hopefully… (but if the fact the DRE’s kids come to Mass equipped with BED PILLOWS means anything, I am going to doubt it)

So, there’s only one solution…
Start praying!

 

[Soutane]

I am an Extraordinary minister of the Eucharist.If someone prefers to receive from the priest rather than me I have absolutely no problem with it.What irritates me the most are comments on threads similar to this,that indicate that Extraordinary Eucharistic ministers are somehow ego tripping or “think they’re priests”.Nothing could be further from the truth.I was APPROACHED AND ASKED by our parish priest to perform this privilege and believe me I thought long and hard about it.Many times when I proffer the Host with these words," The Body of Christ " I have come close to becoming overwhelmed by the reality of moving God through space and offering Him to my brothers and sisters in Christ.This gift that God has allowed insignificant me is at times overpowering and I often weep when I return to my seat.
If the Church decides to bring back communion rails and have ALL kneel and only the priest distibute the Eucharist with an altar boy holding the paten below the chin then Glory Halelujah I’M THERE.It is up to the Church to do that NOT ME.Until that time I will do as my parish priest has asked me in absolute gratitude and knowing that I who am COMPLETELY unworthy has somehow been given a completely undeserved gift.

 

[Newbie2]

Tried it. People look at me funny and say “No… Eucharistic Ministers” Heaven help me if I say EMHC, then I think heads start imploding.

Well, on the other side of it, there are those that will have a cow if you use EME instead of EMHC.

 

[happymommy]

Maybe…Hopefully… (but if the fact the DRE’s kids come to Mass equipped with BED PILLOWS means anything, I am going to doubt it)

So, there’s only one solution…
Start praying!

Oh, please say that you are kidding!! What is wrong with people? People take for granted that we get to go to Church and receive Christ, while there are so many in the world that have to live in fear of believing. I’d take issue with this, kindly. But no pillows in mass, no matter how little the kids are.

 

[Sarabande]

Tried it. People look at me funny and say “No… Eucharistic Ministers” Heaven help me if I say EMHC, then I think heads start imploding.

hahaha! I know. Whenever I mention the phrase, “Extraordinary Minister”, they get a strange look and correct me as well. Or they’ll say, “I never knew that’s what they were called. I thought they were Eucharistic Ministers…”

I didn’t know the difference, either, until a couple of years ago. Even when I became one back in college, before I came to a spiritual point in my life where I did not believe in being one, they called us “Eucharistic Ministers”.

I do have to say, though, that something really does need to be done to bring back the sacredness and sanctity of the Holy Eucharistic. Too many people just in my circle of life are at points where they don’t view receiving the Eucharistic as anything more special than deciding to go out for dinner on Sunday night. They don’t view it as precious anymore. Something shifted. At the same time, I don’t know if anyone else has noticed this, but there are people of my generation (20s-30s) who are searching and yearning for more sacredness in their spiritual lives. My husband and I are two such people. So perhaps the pendulum is swinging back? Perhaps we had to go so far off center to realize what we are missing? I don’t know… but I guess that is for another thread to discuss it.

 

[pnewton]

Nowhere in history have women taken the place of the priest to distribute the Eucharist.

Until now. And it’s wrong.

The current discipline allows it. You say out of one side that a woman should not take the place of the priest (in distributing communion) and out of the other side you tell the bishop of the diocese he is wrong for allowing it.

 

[happymommy]

hahaha! I know. Whenever I mention the phrase, “Extraordinary Minister”, they get a strange look and correct me as well. Or they’ll say, “I never knew that’s what they were called. I thought they were Eucharistic Ministers…”

I didn’t know the difference, either, until a couple of years ago. Even when I became one back in college, before I came to a spiritual point in my life where I did not believe in being one, they called us “Eucharistic Ministers”.

I do have to say, though, that something really does need to be done to bring back the sacredness and sanctity of the Holy Eucharistic. Too many people just in my circle of life are at points where they don’t view receiving the Eucharistic as anything more special than deciding to go out for dinner on Sunday night. They don’t view it as precious anymore. Something shifted. At the same time, I don’t know if anyone else has noticed this, but there are people of my generation (20s-30s) who are searching and yearning for more sacredness in their spiritual lives. My husband and I are two such people. So perhaps the pendulum is swinging back? Perhaps we had to go so far off center to realize what we are missing? I don’t know… but I guess that is for another thread to discuss it.

I think you are right. The older people of our church, in their 70’s and 80’s, have this amazing faith, but then those in their 50’s and 60’s just seem to go through the motions. My husband and I are in our 30’s and we have this desire for so much more and our friends feel the same way. I can really see it in the way we are raising our children. So maybe things are on there way back up.

 

[ProVobis]

Only in their usage. One should be so humbled to receive the Lord Jesus Christ that it should make no difference who brings him from the Holy Altar to their tongue.

You wouldn’t want just ANYONE to bring you the Body and Blood of Christ and you know it. And in English it is proper to capitalize any pronouns that refer to Christ. I get creeped out by someone who does not do this.

 

[pnewton]

EMHC’s make the Mass banal. So does the priest facing the congregation, use of vernacular, protestant hymns and female altar servers.

Where is the holiness in it?

Everything that might make a man think of the Divine has slowly been leached out since I was a boy. Christ has gone from being the King of the Universe who deigns to visit us in our candle-lit churches, where we welcome him, in silence, on our knees, with a choir singing Gregorian chant, to a nice chap we mention at a happy meal.

Thank God for the Motu Proprio.

I suppose the current state of the Church is the Holy Spirit’s answer to the Modernist heresy: Here, have the Mass you want, where Man is to the fore, and see where it gets you.

The Church allows this despite your low opinion of the Church’s current state.

All the things I listed are abuses, and abnormal. The Church never intended them. **Defenders of the NO habitually trot out ‘obedience’ and ‘lack of charity’ as retorts to those who criticise the NO. **

What is all the “NO, NO” stuff. Are you referring to the Mass, as in the ordinary form currently used and approved by the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church? Or do you just want to totally change topics?

Whether you personally approve or not, the practice is allowed as outlined by Fr. David above. Likewise, if it would seem only pastoral, it not an absolute right, to allow a person like this woman to do as she sees fit. I do not understand the objection to priests to those who see line-jumpers. They are usually not too many and it would seem a small thing to allow such a concession to where these people are currently in their faith journey.

I would suggest that she see where the priest normally distributes from and sit their. Then be patient and understanding when special circumstances cause him to switch around. If he always switches, then you can do the back of the Church, line jump thing. When time permits, make an appointment and talk to your pastor about it.

 

[ProVobis]

Few parishes around the US have jumped on the TLM bandwagon.

Bandwagon? Is this a word that the Pope used to bring about the spread of the EF? Or Cardinal Hoyos?

I believe the latter wished or hoped that the TLM would be said at every parish. Said nothing about a bandwagon or whether everyone would jump on it or not.

So you must not believe that the Holy Spirit hasn’t been guiding the Church for the past 40 years.

Like losing its moral leadership in the world?

 

[pnewton]

You wouldn’t want just ANYONE to bring you the Body and Blood of Christ and you know it. And in English it is proper to capitalize any pronouns that refer to Christ. I get creeped out by someone who does not do this.

I get creeped out by excessive use of smilies… and the Capitalization thing…

and polyester.

 

[happymommy]

I get creeped out by excessive use of smilies… and the Capitalization thing…

and polyester.

Ah, come on the smiles are fun…you know it…
this one is my favorite:slapfight:

sorry, just giving you a hard time!

 

[PatienceAndLove]

I get creeped out by … and polyester.

All good Catholics should be creeped out by polyester.
It’s not natural, therefore, it’s not of God.
And if it’s not of God, then it must be Evil.
And the father of Evil is Satan.

Thus, polyester = Satan!

 

[MusicMan]

You wouldn’t want just ANYONE to bring you the Body and Blood of Christ and you know it.

Oh please. I am so privileged that I am receiving God. That is what is important, not who brings God to me. He’s GOD. He’ll take care of Himself.

And in English it is proper to capitalize any pronouns that refer to Christ. I get creeped out by someone who does not do this.

Perhaps I will elect to make more errors that creep you out since your need to call me out on the carpet over such a thing creeps me out.