I just feel unworthy

[michaeldaniels]

Brothers and Sisters,

I am a devout Catholic who has strong traditional leanings…I split my time between the Novus Ordo and the TLM…here recently, a near and dear friend of mine…the priest at the local Cathedral hinted that he wanted me to be one of the EMHC…I told him I appreciated it and we would talk about it…but I know I will turn it down…It is not that I don’t truly feel as such a great honor has been bestowed upon me as much as I strongly feel that consecrated hands should only touch The Host…Am I wrong for feeling like this? Am I wrong for feeling that only consecrated hands should touch Our Lord and Saviour? I do not believe…nor will I ever believe my hands should touch The Eucharist. (unless I was an ordained Priest of course) Does anyone else out there face this situation? Anyone else know what I am going through? God Bless

 

[Pax_et_Caritas]

Brothers and Sisters,

I am a devout Catholic who has strong traditional leanings…I split my time between the Novus Ordo and the TLM…here recently, a near and dear friend of mine…the priest at the local Cathedral hinted that he wanted me to be one of the EMHC…I told him I appreciated it and we would talk about it…but I know I will turn it down…It is not that I don’t truly feel as such a great honor has been bestowed upon me as much as I strongly feel that consecrated hands should only touch The Host…Am I wrong for feeling like this? Am I wrong for feeling that only consecrated hands should touch Our Lord and Saviour? I do not believe…nor will I ever believe my hands should touch The Eucharist. (unless I was an ordained Priest of course) Does anyone else out there face this situation? Anyone else know what I am going through? God Bless

I think your instincts about not wanting to touch the host are correct. St. Thomas taught that only consecrated hands should touch the host.

St. Thomas: “Out of reverence towards this sacrament, nothing touches it, but what is consecrated; hence the corporal and chalice are consecrated, and likewise the priest’s hands, for touching this sacrament.”

This was the teaching of the Church for about 1500 years, right up to and including the time of Vatican II.

Even John Paul II said that distributing communion was a" priviledge of the ordained"

John Paul II: "How eloquent therefore… is the rite of the anointing of the hands in our Latin ordination, as though precisely for these hands a special grace and power of the Holy Spirit is necessary To touch the sacred species and to distribute them with their own hands is a privilege of the ordained," (Dominicae Cenae).

I think you should follow your instincts, since your instincts are in perfect harmony with what the Church has taught for many hundreds of years.

 

[GandalfTheWhite]

Hi! I think you are doing the best you can do for the Lord. I too agree with you on what you said. I guess it simply depends what he wants you to do. If the priest wants you to distribute the Eucharist during communion (which is quite common in many parishes), I wouldn’t do it. If he would rather ask you to carry it to the sick when he is not able to go then that’s a completelly different matter and I would consider the offer.

 

[Catholic_Dude]

Brothers and Sisters,
I am a devout Catholic who has strong traditional leanings…I split my time between the Novus Ordo and the TLM…here recently, a near and dear friend of mine…the priest at the local Cathedral hinted that he wanted me to be one of the EMHC…I told him I appreciated it and we would talk about it…but I know I will turn it down…It is not that I don’t truly feel as such a great honor has been bestowed upon me as much as I strongly feel that consecrated hands should only touch The Host…Am I wrong for feeling like this? Am I wrong for feeling that only consecrated hands should touch Our Lord and Saviour? I do not believe…nor will I ever believe my hands should touch The Eucharist. (unless I was an ordained Priest of course) Does anyone else out there face this situation? Anyone else know what I am going through? God Bless

It is wrong not because it is a sin to touch but because of the lack of respect and loss of awe that tends to result (and has resulted). EMHCs are an abuse because the “extra” was left out of “extraordinary” and it turned Communion into a cafeteria style get in with your tray and get out so we can get out of mass asap to go catch nfl and shop.

 

[michaeldaniels]

Thank you all for your kind responses…you all seem to be in line with what I was already thinking. You actually reinforced my train of thought. God Bless you all this Christmastide.

 

[Cat]

I thought EMHCs were approved by the Church.

So all the churches in our diocese are committing abuse? And our bishop, who has his doctorate in Canon Law, is allowing this?

 

[water]

I thought EMHCs were approved by the Church.

So all the churches in our diocese are committing abuse? And our bishop, who has his doctorate in Canon Law, is allowing this?

It is approved; however, some people don’t like the idea; and also, based on what had been discussed here, some parishes overuse the number of EMHC in mass - that is abuse.

Personally, if the Church allows, I have nothing to against it, but I respect those who don’t like the idea. I just hope they don’t play Church role themselves.

For this thread title – who is worthy, really? every time, we say “Lord, I am not worthy to receive you, but only say the Word and I shall be healed”. If you feel unworthy to use hand, what is different of using your own tongue. Your tongue normally speaks of things that it should not.

 

[adamsaj]

I thought EMHCs were approved by the Church.

So all the churches in our diocese are committing abuse? And our bishop, who has his doctorate in Canon Law, is allowing this?

EMHSs are tollerated by the Church in situations where they are absolutely necessary. no, this is not your average sunday Mass, so yes, it is likely an abuse.