Is it right to offer communion to "unsuspecting" hospital patients?

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Loboto-Me

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Holding God in my Hands:Personal Encounters with the Divine

I searched our forums for anything to do with this book as the author was interviewed yesterday on Relevant Radio.

I wrote on Wendy Wiese’s Facebook page while listening… This is what I wrote:

“Holding God In My Hand: I’m listening to this program with “Paul Wilks” the author on your program at the moment. He’s doing a wonderful evangelisation, but I do have a very very big problem with the fact that he offers the Eucharist to “unsuspecting” patients in hospital, if I’m understanding correctly? Last Sunday… at Mass, my pastor included taking the Eucharist as not to be guilty of the Body and Blood of Christ in his homily. That the Eucharist is not just a symbol but is actually Jesus Himself.
I would like to know how Paul can possibly be sure that these people have made a confession recently, if these people KNOW that they are receiving Christ and not just a lovely gesture? I’m troubled by this, not only for the sake of the partakers, but Paul, knowing who he is offering, might be skipping some steps in his evangelisation process.”

Am I wrong? I don’t think so when the program kept being introduced as (paraphrasing) Paul who offers communion to UNSUSPECTING hospital patients? Should our Lord be pushed unto anyone who’s willing to take Him? The author told of a gay patient who was dying and how his mother held him up to receive after a surprise visit from him. Very sentimental, yet was this truly an act of charity? I felt that a priest should have paid a visit, As a Extraordinary Minister of the Eucharist (is that the proper title?) it seems to me that this fellow needs a little more education as to who should receive? Am I getting this all wrong? Anyone enlighten me on this?
 
I have no idea what “unsuspecting” means. In any hospital here chaplains of any faith may not even visit patients without an invitation from the patient or family, much less administer any sacrament.
 
As I understand it, a lay minister of Holy Communion should only visit those whom he has the authority to visit in order to administer the Sacrament. That authority comes from the Parish Priest in conjunction with the wishes of the sick person.

You’re almost certainly quite right to say that randomly turning up at the bedside of a sick Catholic risks them taking Communion while not in a state of grace especially if, in their weakened state, they don’t feel able to refuse, albeit in such a situation the sick person probably wouldn’t be sinning but the visitor may be guilty of profanation of the Sacrament.

Obviously if we, as lay ministers, are ASKED to attend a sick person then it is not up to us to determine the state of that person’s soul. Indeed, no priest would do so in church at Mass because he pretty much always has to assume that anyone who presents themselves for Communion has found an opportunity to avail themselves of absolution if they needed it before the Mass. If he didn’t, he’d be asking every communicant whether they’d made a confession before presenting the consecrated host. Clearly that does not happen.

It’s not possible to make a determination regarding the dying man, since he might have had absolution at some point beforehand (if he was dying, one hopes he did), so he might have received the sacrament validly. From your description I don’t know the full story.

But carrying a ‘supply’ of Holy Communion in the hope of finding random ‘customers’, as it seems from your query, does seem to me to be wrong if it’s as ‘blatant’ as that. But that being said, it really does depend on how the visitor manages the situation and what authority he has from the local parish priest. If he’s permitted to carry a ‘supply’ and he diligently determines whether a sick person wants Communion and whether they’re in a state of grace, then perhaps there’s less of a problem? Definitely a bit of a grey area I think…
 
Saint Paul wrote that a man should examine his conscience before receiving, lest he eat and drink damnation unto himself. One must be in a state of grace, repentant and properly disposed to receive the Eucharist. Despite the good intentions of those ministers, are they not potentially sealing someone’s eternal fate for the bad by doing this? And, does not God also hold them responsible for their treatment of the Holy Eucharist?

You are correct in saying that this sounds bad.
 
I am very interested in this topic because I am an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion at my local hospital. I volunteer through the hospital not through my parish. The hospital (formerly Catholic) has a spiritual care department. On the admittance form there is a place to indicate religion. If a patient puts Catholic in the box then their name is put on the Communion list and they are visited and offered Holy Communion each day. Some are unsuspecting and very pleased.others are taken aback. If they have been in the hospital for a few days they are used to an EMHC coming. When I visit, some accept, some decline, some are asleep and some can’t receive due to their medical condition. I never question if they are practicing Catholics or properly disposed to receive. Most of them are very polite if they decline. I did have a man tell me that he was now an atheist.(which I noted for future EMHCs) We pray before reception of the Eucharist, and it is usually obvious if someone is a regular communicant because they know the prayers and responses.
I have some mixed feelings about this ministry. So many people are very thankful that they can receive in the hospital and I feel so blessed to be able to bring Jesus to them. However, there are those who have a “Why not attitude” that strikes me as irreverent. There have been times that I sure that they are not practicing Catholics for various reasons. But if they want to receive and they say they are Catholic, I give them communion.
I have been considering stopping to volunteer because there is a lot walking involved and I am having some foot problems. But I also know that they are short EMHCs and need the help. I wish they could/would narrow the list down to those who wish to receive and are medically able. Then the patients would not be “unsuspecting” and I would not be walking so much to rooms that are not interested or able.
( I guess I should list to the interview)

I’d appreciate any comments.
 
lynnareyno said:
I am very interested in this topic because I am an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion at my local hospital. However, there are those who have a “Why not attitude” that strikes me as irreverent. There have been times that I sure that they are not practicing Catholics for various reasons. I’d appreciate any comments.
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Certainly a subject to bring up with your priest. At least, there should be a protocol, as at funerals and weddings where the priest announces that communion os for those who are in good standing in the Church. I see no difference in your situation. If the communicant answers in the affirmative, then you are as guiltless as you are during mass as an EMHC.
 
I used to be director of
bringing communion to the sick ministry at my church in SC . "Unsuspecting " means that when your visiting a person to give communion to, and they also have a Catholic visitor that is an unsuspected person .It is not proper for them to even ask for communion . Reason being is the able person should go to church every week .The person the minister is visiting is not able to make it to church .
 
Defender1 said:
I used to be director of
bringing communion to the sick ministry at my church in SC . "Unsuspecting " means that when your visiting a person to give communion to, and they also have a Catholic visitor that is an unsuspected person .It is not proper for them to even ask for communion . Reason being is the able person should go to church every week .The person the minister is visiting is not able to make it to church .
Click to expand...
Clearly, the healthy person should celebrate the mass in order to receive. However, there still exists the question about the patient’s state of grace.
 
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Interesting interview, but I question his authority to offer communion to anyone not in the proper disposition to receive. In my situation I would have offered to request the priest visit the young AIDS patient and not given him communion. On the other hand, I usually have more than 40 patients on my list and was told not to stop and visit. My job is to offer communion and there are others in the Spiritual Care Dept. i.e. a priest & a nun for counseling. I carry slips with me for requests for them to visit a patient.
(However, if a patient really wants to talk, I always take the time and do it.)
I would prefer fewer patients and be able to talk to all of them.
This thread has been very helpful to me. I can see that I need to discuss my concerns with the Spiritual Care dept. at my hospital. This discussion has clarified some of my thoughts. Thanks to all! 🙂 🙂 🙂
 
I just spent a three month stay in a veterans hospital. When I went in I listed “Catholic” as my religion. Even though I was not baptized at that time. When communion was offered I always declined. I had a problem back at my home parish. The chaplain helped me with the problem. He conditionally baptized me, I made a profession of faith and he received me into the Church. When communion was offed after that I always accepted it. The chaplain also heard my confession. I attended mass at every opportunity. The chaplain in a large VA hospital has a very difficult job. My room was close to the hospice wing and sometimes as many as three people would expire in one day. He also has many visits to make. It is almost impossible to find him in his office. I am so thankful for his efforts and for the EMHC who provided an opportunity to receive Holy Communion.
 
William_Pitts said:
I just spent a three month stay in a veterans hospital. When I went in I listed “Catholic” as my religion. Even though I was not baptized at that time. When communion was offered I always declined. I had a problem back at my home parish. The chaplain helped me with the problem. He conditionally baptized me, I made a profession of faith and he received me into the Church. When communion was offed after that I always accepted it. The chaplain also heard my confession. I attended mass at every opportunity. The chaplain in a large VA hospital has a very difficult job. My room was close to the hospice wing and sometimes as many as three people would expire in one day. He also has many visits to make. It is almost impossible to find him in his office. I am so thankful for his efforts and for the EMHC who provided an opportunity to receive Holy Communion.
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Praise God! And welcome home!
 
I am extremely grateful that there are those who will visit those who can’t come to Mass. Lynnareyno, I think that the way you are doing your ministry is the way it should be done, but who am I to become “Pop-ette” ? and announce the way things should go LOL!

I do worry for the sake of Paul (the author) that he is not understanding what the Body of Christ is for and that he may be participating in something that should not be done. I have no idea what his priest has told him to do, for all I know it may be the priest who has assigned him that told him to do it this way, but at this point, I believe, (there I go again… being the Pop-ette) he would need to clarify things with his priest and explain how uncomfortable it would be offer communion to those who may not be properly disposed or even contrite for whatever sins they may have.

William Pitts, I too would like to welcome you “Home”. 🙂
 
I just recently read most of this book (Holding God in My Hands) and find Paul Wilkes’ beliefs on distributing the Eucharist very troubling and dangerous.

There are a few occasions where the hospital patient he is visiting knows they shouldn’t recieve the Eucharist for several reasons (non-practicing Catholic for many years, living in mortal sin, etc.) and they tell Paul why. He then persuades them to take the Eucharist anyways (not in the state of grace). It is Paul’s own theology and belief, not the teachings of the Church. And this is very dangerous to Paul’s and the patient’s soul.

I think Paul is compassionate, but I think he suffers from false compassion to the point where he strays from the teachings of the Church, and that is dangerous.

I wouldn’t recommend this book to anyone who may not fully understand the teachings of the Church as this is not an orthodox book by any means. Wilkes goes against what St. Paul, the Early Church Fathers, and the Magisterium teach.

If you don’t think this is a big deal, read the poster’s signature just before me from St. Francis de Sales: “While those who give scandal are guilty of the spiritual equivalent of murder, those who take scandal- who allow scandals to destroy faith- are guilty of spiritual suicide.” – St. Francis de Sales
 
I visit patients in hospital at the direction of the Catholic chaplain, taking Holy Communion to those who have requested it.

When I visit the hospital I know exactly who I’m going to see and who will be receiving Holy Communion - I can’t just wander off and see other patients unsolicited. Sometimes a kindly nurse will quietly say someone’s Catholic and might like a visit, but I wouldn’t offer them Holy Communion without speaking to them first and maybe offering it the next time I go.

I used to visit a nun in the hospital and the first few weeks she wouldn’t receive as she felt unworthy - I respected her wishes but each week I gently asked her if she was ready (her feelings were connected to her mental condition) and when she was feeling a little better she asked for Holy Communion, saying she now realised Jesus still loved her and wanted her to receive Him again. That was a wonderful time!

I don’t like the idea of going to the hospital with a load of hosts just on the off-chance you might meet someone who wants Holy Communion - that seems wrong to me.
 
this is a review of Paul Wilkes’ book “The Good Enough Catholic”
amazon.com/Good-Enough-Catholic-Guide-Perplexed/dp/0345409620
read not just the blurb but the reviews

he advocates a type of Catholicism that picks and choses what to believe and what to obey. Therefore based on this book I would not trust anything else he writes or broadcasts, but read and judge for yourself.
 
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