In the time it takes to ceremoniously distribute both species to all the EMHC's..

[klm120861]

The real question is; how are all these people getting to the Confessionals?

Confession is offered a minimum of twice a week for roughly 2 hours at a time. Plus by appointment. Plus pretty much whenever you can catch a priest who has a few extra minutes. Plus you only have to go to confession for mortal sin. Although, if you go during Advent or Lent, get there when it starts and be prepared to stand in a long line. And that’s with 4 priests hearing confession.
What can I say, our parish confesses.
Kris

 

[Annabelle_Marie]

This is a question I ask myself. I sit on the border of two parishes and have attended Mass at both.

Parish 1 - 50-60 EMHCs, confession only on saturdays for 30mins
Parish 2 - 0 EMHCs, confession every day Mon-Sat after morning Mass AND Saturday evenings AND by appointment AND before and after Mass on Sunday if Father is able

I have attended midweek Mass at Parish 1 with maybe 12-15 in the congregation. At these Masses there are 3 EMHCs to distribute under both kinds.

Seriously…50-60 EMHC’s at one Mass? Is that not a bit of an exageration?

We use EMHC’s as our parish distributes under both species (this is left up to the Bishop/priest). But we have one priest…and there is confession twice a week…and by appointment. During Lent, there are several penance services available…as well as extra times added by our priest especially leading up to holy week.

 

[smndtupidisaftr]

Seriously…50-60 EMHC’s at one Mass? Is that not a bit of an exageration?

We use EMHC’s as our parish distributes under both species (this is left up to the Bishop/priest). But we have one priest…and there is confession twice a week…and by appointment. During Lent, there are several penance services available…as well as extra times added by our priest especially leading up to holy week.

I think the meaning was all together for all of the weekend Masses.

 

[Annabelle_Marie]

I think the meaning was all together for all of the weekend Masses.

If that is the case…it would be helpful to know…how many masses, how many priests and deacons. If there is one priest…then one 30 minute slot a week might be enough…depending on how many masses or people in the parish. But then 50-60 EMHC’s would be a stretch. It helps to have all these things in context with each other…no?

 

[Annabelle_Marie]

We have 4 station for the main floor. 2 to 4 stations for the overflow. And at least 4 for the upstairs. There are chairs in the upstairs, which is almost always full, as that is actually “ground level” (we do weird construction things in AZ). Also, that is where most of our handicapped people sit, as it is “ground level”. There are pews downstairs, and removable chairs in the “overflow”. In terms of seating, pretty much during the 10 o’clock during Lent, there are only a couple of inches between bottoms.

I don’t know how long it takes, but I know it’s always at least 3 long songs worth, with instrumental interludes included. For want of a better phrase, it all runs like a well-oiled machine. But that’s not surprising as the Catholic Church has a long history of efficency. I’m always amazed at how quickly the Eucharist is served to the 100,000’s at St. Peter’s square when they celebrate Mass to the masses. But there’s no way our priests and deacons could do it alone.
Kris

I think the other poster was having fun with you…you said your sanctuary seated 1,200…Sanctuary, the space in the church for the high altar and the clergy. If your sanctuary is set up for 1,200 priests…think how many of the laity you would have in the pews…

 

[thistle]

Does your Parish Church REALLY have 10,000 people at Mass?

Plus, the Sunday obligation is to attend. There is NO obligation to receive.

Delay in replying due to internet being down since Friday.

Our parish has 14,000 people and we get just above 80% Mass attendance on Sundays so YES we do have at least 10,000 attending Mass every Sunday.
That is why we have 10 Masses every Sunday.

We all know receiving is only an obligation once a year but the Church documents that it strongly recommends receiving frequently.
Are you saying we should ignore what the Church strongly recommends just because you don’t like EMHC’s???

 

[Faithdancer]

Born, raised and live in an urban area. 2000+ families. 16 for both species…right? How many priests? It’d work…so maybe you’d have to spend a few minutes longer on your knees, but I’ll tell you what. Put me in charge and I’d save those minutes by cutting down on the 22 prayers of the faithful, the financial pitches, the ‘affirming’ of the birthdays and anniversaries, the welcoming chaos for out of town-ers, and the madcap glad handing at the sign of peace. But that is another thread…

Oh…and yes… I have to leave now.

I salute you, Armor! And as I take your meaning, an efficient priest or two could administer Communion at the rail and on the tongue in no more time than it takes to prepare the 16 EMHC’s and for them to deliver the Eucharist. I see it done on a weekly basis! And perhaps then we could at least save the Pater Noster human chain, which doesn’t take all that long to link into!

 

[Faithdancer]

I think the other poster was having fun with you…you said your sanctuary seated 1,200…Sanctuary, the space in the church for the high altar and the clergy. If your sanctuary is set up for 1,200 priests…think how many of the laity you would have in the pews…

 

[Spudbynight]

Seriously…50-60 EMHC’s at one Mass? Is that not a bit of an exageration?

We use EMHC’s as our parish distributes under both species (this is left up to the Bishop/priest). But we have one priest…and there is confession twice a week…and by appointment. During Lent, there are several penance services available…as well as extra times added by our priest especially leading up to holy week.

That is 50-60 in the parish. There are always 3 at each Mass. Even on weekday morning Masses with 10-20 in the congregation.

Both parishes are of similar sizes with similar attendances at Mass.

Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion
28. When the size of the congregation or the incapacity of the bishop, priest, or deacon requires it, the celebrant may be assisted by other bishops, priests, or deacons. If such ordinary ministers of Holy Communion are not present, “the priest may call upon extraordinary ministers to assist him, i.e., formally instituted acolytes or even some of the faithful who have been commissioned according to the prescribed rite. In case of necessity, the priest may also commission suitable members of the faithful for the occasion.”

It is not your call to say that the use of EMHC’s is invalid in most case or to say it is bordering on disobedience.

The Church leaves this decision up to the Bishop and priest. They decide as they have the pastoral sense of what is needed and what is not.

I never understand how some people will complain that the laity make the decisions in the parish…and yet on something like this…when the priest has made their decision…we complain about it and think we know better.

No one has answered this…we trust the priest to be the Eucharistic minister (to use the correct terminolgy) but we can’t trust the priest to make the decisions regarding on if both species will be offered and if EMHC’s are needed???

I have never suggested it is my call. There are specific criteria for the use of EMHCs. Laity wanting to be involved is not a legitimate reason for the use of EMHCs.

From my own experience with EMHCs this has always been in small parishes. Parishes like the one above with 3 EMHCs for weekday morning Masses. The parish priest in question has also been seen washing the feet of women on Holy Thursday along with numerous other liturgical abuses.

Priests don’t have carte blanche to celebrate Mass as they see fit. There are very specific rules they must follow. The laity can’t direct a priest but they have a moral obligation to inform him if they see him in error. If this is not successful then they can inform his ordinary and/or the CDW.

 

[Spudbynight]

Delay in replying due to internet being down since Friday.

Our parish has 14,000 people and we get just above 80% Mass attendance on Sundays so YES we do have at least 10,000 attending Mass every Sunday.
That is why we have 10 Masses every Sunday.

We all know receiving is only an obligation once a year but the Church documents that it strongly recommends receiving frequently.
Are you saying we should ignore what the Church strongly recommends just because you don’t like EMHC’s???

10000 people at Masses on a Sunday strikes me as a wholly appropriate use of EMHCs.

It is a shame we don’t have more parishes like this.

 

[larsont7]

10000 people at Masses on a Sunday strikes me as a wholly appropriate use of EMHCs.

It is a shame we don’t have more parishes like this.

I think the bigger shame is that we don’t have more priests and parishes so we don’t have to have 10000 people at a single Mass.

 

[thistle]

10000 people at Masses on a Sunday strikes me as a wholly appropriate use of EMHCs.

It is a shame we don’t have more parishes like this.

In the Philippines overall Mass attendance is about 80%.

Of course Monday to Saturday is different. We only have 3 Masses daily.

Also we have Confession 6 days a week.

I should also add that on other Holy Days of Obligation the Sunday schedule of 10 Masses comes into effect.

 

[Armor_of_Light]

I salute you, Armor! And as I take your meaning, an efficient priest or two could administer Communion at the rail and on the tongue in no more time than it takes to prepare the 16 EMHC’s and for them to deliver the Eucharist. I see it done on a weekly basis! And perhaps then we could at least save the Pater Noster human chain, which doesn’t take all that long to link into!

I thank you for your kind words and support.

I thought everyone was saying “TOUCHDOWN!”

 

[Spudbynight]

In the Philippines overall Mass attendance is about 80%.

Of course Monday to Saturday is different. We only have 3 Masses daily.

Also we have Confession 6 days a week.

I should also add that on other Holy Days of Obligation the Sunday schedule of 10 Masses comes into effect.

Do you know Fr. Sean Coyle by any chance?

 

[Annabelle_Marie]

That is 50-60 in the parish. There are always 3 at each Mass. Even on weekday morning Masses with 10-20 in the congregation.

Both parishes are of similar sizes with similar attendances at Mass.

I have never suggested it is my call. There are specific criteria for the use of EMHCs. Laity wanting to be involved is not a legitimate reason for the use of EMHCs.

From my own experience with EMHCs this has always been in small parishes. Parishes like the one above with 3 EMHCs for weekday morning Masses. The parish priest in question has also been seen washing the feet of women on Holy Thursday along with numerous other liturgical abuses.

Priests don’t have carte blanche to celebrate Mass as they see fit. There are very specific rules they must follow. The laity can’t direct a priest but they have a moral obligation to inform him if they see him in error. If this is not successful then they can inform his ordinary and/or the CDW.

It was getting close to Holy Week…I was wondering when the washing of the feet was going to come into playopcorn:

Assume that you believe the EMHC’s to be in error…so have you informed him? And then his bishop? And what were their response.? And were you able to leave it in their hands? Or are you still making the call?

I tend to believe that usually most parishes have to plan certain things as you never know how many people will come in at the last minute (Weekday Masses). I myself appreciate it as I do have a short time schedule in order to get back from lunch. Sorry that Mass can’t go on all day. At least the use of an EMHC (or 3 if both species are offered) allows me not to have to leave before mass is ended. And I am grateful for that.

Now the Mass that I was at the other day where the priest used the old translation…now that is a liturgical abuse.

 

[thistle]

Do you know Fr. Sean Coyle by any chance?

Never had the good fortune to meet him although I have heard of him.

 

[GangGreen]

And each and every one knows that these things are grave sins? Highly doubtful. If you asked those who do them I doubt many if any would say ‘yes, of course I know that is a grave sin.’ Remember, full knowledge is a requirement without which there is no mortal sin and hence no need for confession. Not that I at all approve of this woeful level of ignorance but it is undeniable fact that many do not know Church teaching on these issues.

After all, most do not murder - which is something everyone DOES most assuredly know is a grave sin.

and isn’t it the priest’s duty to inform the laity that these things are mortal sins?
Isn’t it the priest’s duty to inform the laity that they CANNOT receive the Eucharist in a state of mortal sin?

I personally have never heard a priest even mention these things in their homilies. If they want to speak for 10+ minutes then they should spend more time teaching those who are ignorant to the Church’s teaching. The average person only learns about their faith through what their priest says at Mass. Once in a blue moon they say that the people should go to confession, but that’s the extent of it. How many people are going to confession once a year and not going throughout the year regardless of what sins they have committed? After all the Church only requires us to go to confession once per year.

Maybe then people will start to abstain from receiving when they shouldn’t be receiving to begin with and the lines will decrease. I can’t imagine that in years past when everybody in the western world went to church that they needed EMHCs. Yet today when Mass attendance is at all time lows they’re more needed? I know that there are less priests, but there are also less people in the pews.

 

[Annabelle_Marie]

and isn’t it the priest’s duty to inform the laity that these things are mortal sins?
Isn’t it the priest’s duty to inform the laity that they CANNOT receive the Eucharist in a state of mortal sin?

I personally have never heard a priest even mention these things in their homilies. If they want to speak for 10+ minutes then they should spend more time teaching those who are ignorant to the Church’s teaching. The average person only learns about their faith through what their priest says at Mass. Once in a blue moon they say that the people should go to confession, but that’s the extent of it. How many people are going to confession once a year and not going throughout the year regardless of what sins they have committed? After all the Church only requires us to go to confession once per year.

Maybe then people will start to abstain from receiving when they shouldn’t be receiving to begin with and the lines will decrease. I can’t imagine that in years past when everybody in the western world went to church that they needed EMHCs. Yet today when Mass attendance is at all time lows they’re more needed? I know that there are less priests, but there are also less people in the pews.

Since our church has had a 40% growth rate in the last 3 years…I will have to disagree with you on that one…

 

[klm120861]

I think the other poster was having fun with you…you said your sanctuary seated 1,200…Sanctuary, the space in the church for the high altar and the clergy. If your sanctuary is set up for 1,200 priests…think how many of the laity you would have in the pews…

Sorry, in the Prot. world, the “sanctuary” is the entire area for the congregation and pastor, excluding the narthex. I don’t know if Catholic churches have narthexes? :shrug:Of course, there is not altar in the Prot. churches I went to, at least not that kind of altar…I wonder if St. Peter’s in Rome could even handle 1200 priests?
Kris

 

[Annabelle_Marie]

Sorry, in the Prot. world, the “sanctuary” is the entire area for the congregation and pastor, excluding the narthex. I don’t know if Catholic churches have narthexes? :shrug:Of course, there is not altar in the Prot. churches I went to, at least not that kind of altar…I wonder if St. Peter’s in Rome could even handle 1200 priests?
Kris

I don’t think so…our priest went to Rome for the end of the year of the priest…and they had the Mass in St. Peter’s square…and gave them little funny hats to wear that made them look like Gilligan…