How do I properly use Pyx?

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Voltrael

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My wife is disabled and frequently unable to go to mass. I talked to the church office about it and they told me to get a pyx from one of the deacons.

I didn’t get the instructions to clearly on how to proceed. I gather I’m supposed to take the pyx up to communion with me. Do I present it first and then receive myself or the other way around.

At home do I just hand the pyx to my wife, do I present it to her (I have in the past served as a Eucharistic Minister, so I feel I would be qualified to do so)?

Just want to make sure I take this seriously and we do it as it is supposed to be done.
 
Contact the deacon or who ever is in charge of the EM’s in your parish. The procedure will vary from parish to parish (according to the instruction of the pastor) and you should have some kind of training before you bring communion home to your wife.
 
The deacons training was “here” and I was on my own. Before that I has talked to the individual in charge of this for the parish, but I didn’t get any useful information on what do to after receiving the pyx either. That’s why I’m asking here, hoping to find out what the most standard approach is.
 
Perhaps ask the deacon to administer to your wife? This was the original function of the deacon to take communion to those who could not attend mass.
 
Omaestre said:
Perhaps ask the deacon to administer to your wife? This was the original function of the deacon to take communion to those who could not attend mass.
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That was my original expectation and the reason behind my original inquiry. Their reply was here, have this box and you’ll take care of it yourself. So my inquiry here is for other parishes that follow a similar procedure, how do you handle the things I asked about in my original post?
 
Voltrael said:
That was my original expectation and the reason behind my original inquiry. Their reply was here, have this box and you’ll take care of it yourself. So my inquiry here is for other parishes that follow a similar procedure, how do you handle the things I asked about in my original post?
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I do not even know which country you are in. That would at least give some broad latitude.

The liturgical procedures vary widely.
 
I’m in the United States. In the Archdiocese of Atlanta, to be more precise.
 
Omaestre said:
Perhaps ask the deacon to administer to your wife? This was the original function of the deacon to take communion to those who could not attend mass.
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Actually, the original function of the deacons is shown to be firstly as ministers of charity and as ministers of the Word.
 
Voltrael said:
I’m in the United States. In the Archdiocese of Atlanta, to be more precise.
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Oh good. We can start there.

I am a priest from Europe who spent time as a missionary in the United States…typically in a parish which needed one of my various languages and usually while doing some academic work…teaching, lecturing, etc. I was, however, never in that part of your country.

In English language parishes, I remember the custom as being that the pyxes were charged after Mass…in non-English speaking parishes, where I was, the person would have the pyx open when they came for Communion and would hold up their fingers to indicate the number of Hosts they needed. As I say, that was in smaller, ethnic parishes with older populations still speaking the language of the country of origin.

It was rare that there was a parish where the deacon could be spared for Communion to the homebound on Sunday…he had too many other duties.

The preference was to have an extraordinary minister designated from among the family of the sick person and s/he, with other family members also present if applicable, would take Communion to the sick child/spouse/parent/grandparent.

If you go to the website of the Archdiocese of Atlanta, you can download the resources for Extraordinary Ministers as well as pastoral care by a lay minister to the homebound.

archatl.com/offices/divine-worship/liturgical-leader-workshops/

I am sure the Archdiocesan Office of Worship would be glad to help you.

As far as when your parish specifically charges the pyxes with Consecrated Hosts, the parish priest or deacon would have to tell you – whether it is during Mass or after Mass.

Here is a general outline of the service that you would use.

dioceseoflansing.org/lansing/sites/all/themes/lansing/pdf/worship/2012PTCommunionOutsideMass.pdf

You, of course, would take the role of the Presider. There is a formula which uses standard readings but this one is better – with you doing the readings for each Sunday Mass. You could get these online, through the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops liturgy office.

usccb.org/bible/readings
 
Also in Hotlanta here:

Every parish I’ve worked in, in this Archdiocese does it differently. Although most give it to a Deacon before Mass, and then post-communion, the priest calls forward those taking communion to our sick brothers and sisters, he says a beautiful prayer, blesses them, then dismisses them to leave immediately.
In my current parish, the EMHC’s go on weekdays, and they get the hosts from the Tabernacle immediately before their visit. Those who are going on SUnday, place their pyx’s on the creedence table, and Father will give them their pyx when he “sees” them in the communion line. They do leave after their personal post communion prayers.
Just ask the priest to meet with you It will be a good opportunity to get him up to speed on your wife’s condition, which he would be interested in.
He will appreciate your desire to recognize his method in his parish.
 
I followed up with the parish director of communion for the sick and found out how they do things. I am to leave the pyx on the altar, and toward the end of mass the priest will call me up to receive it.
 
Voltrael said:
I followed up with the parish director of communion for the sick and found out how they do things. I am to leave the pyx on the altar, and toward the end of mass the priest will call me up to receive it.
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Excellent. I am glad everything has been made clear.

I assure you of my prayers for you and your wife.
 
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