Lay mininsters may not cleanse Communion vessels, Pope Benedict says

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Ace86 said:
What makes the priest special? The fact that he can absolve sins and he can consecrate the Eucharist. Laymen in the past were never allowed to touch the Host, so why should they clean the vessels that carry it?

I think many posters are getting the point that extra-ordinary ministers have become too “ordinary”. And I think Benedict recognizes that as well.
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But the laity are now allowed to touch the host with their hands (and I don’t think anyone will be able to explain why touching the host with the hands is bad but the tongue is okay). Since we are allowed to both take communion in the hand (a good thing) and the laity can distribute communion (also a good thing), why can’t they clean the altar vessels?

It would make more sense to have a sweeping ban on lay eucharistic ministers than do this. Not that I think that is a good idea.
 
cheese_sdc said:
Perhaps, but if you are going to allow the laity to distribute communion, why not let them clean up? I don’t understand the principle behind this decision.

Do the laity not clean up correctly? Why should this action be reserved for the priest?
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I’ll offer a possible reason. When the laity distribute Communion, they are in full view as they perform their ministry. If they act inappropriately, someone is bound to notice. When they purify the vessels, at least in my parish, they are typically alone in the sacristy or have visitors who stop by to chat. Our priest and deacons are never there because they are out front shaking hands with people as they leave Mass. I have been in the sacristy when one of our EMHCs was purifying the vessels. She was chatting with a friend while she was doing it, taking a gulp now and then, holding the glass (we don’t use chalices) like it was a bar drink, waving it around as she talked with her hands.
 
Elzee said:
I’ll offer a possible reason. When the laity distribute Communion, they are in full view as they perform their ministry. If they act inappropriately, someone is bound to notice. When they purify the vessels, at least in my parish, they are typically alone in the sacristy or have visitors who stop by to chat. Our priest and deacons are never there because they are out front shaking hands with people as they leave Mass. I have been in the sacristy when one of our EMHCs was purifying the vessels. She was chatting with a friend while she was doing it, taking a gulp now and then, holding the glass (we don’t use chalices) like it was a bar drink, waving it around as she talked with her hands.
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:eek: 😦 :eek:
 
cheese_sdc said:
But the laity are now allowed to touch the host with their hands (and I don’t think anyone will be able to explain why touching the host with the hands is bad but the tongue is okay). Since we are allowed to both take communion in the hand (a good thing) and the laity can distribute communion (also a good thing), why can’t they clean the altar vessels?
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There was a thread here (before the crash) about the differences between touching on the hand, and touching on the tongue. They’re not the same thing. If you want to know why, then I suggest you search for it, or start a thread concerning it.
It would make more sense to have a sweeping ban on lay eucharistic ministers than do this. Not that I think that is a good idea.
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I think it’s an awesome idea. Extraordinary should not become ordinary.
 
Distressed said:
The use of EMsHC SHOULD be restricted by DEFINITION.
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True.

In my parish we now have about 15 EMHCs per Mass. Theoretically, a person could go a year or more without receiving from a priest. I think this is very sad. It has gotten to the point where if I do end up in our priest’s line, it actually seems rather odd to have a person in vestments - as opposed to a lay person - give me Communion. What a sad thing for our children to grow up with, in my opinion. 😦 I think we are slowly and consistently diminishing the priesthood - in our children’s eyes, especially.

I can see the need for EMHCs to help distribute Communion to the home-bound - especially in a large parish - but other than that, I can honestly say I wish Pope Benedict would reverse this practice. If Communion takes an extra 15 or 20 minutes - well, it’s not like the Church doesn’t need our prayers. I’m sure we can all use that extra time to pray for our Church and to praise and worship God. We have just received Jesus into our very being. Think about it. What is the rush?
 
cheese_sdc said:
:hmmm:

Nope. Still don’t get it. I don’t think we are going to return to the church of 1955 by restricting the use of EM’s.

But maybe you’re right. Maybe this is a move toward more clericalism and less lay involvement in the liturgy. I’m not sure that’s a good thing, but common sense says to “wait and see”.
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Nope, not about clericalism. It is about reverence for the Lord (isn’t that why God set apart priests and deacons?).
 
kleary said:
I was brought up to believe that you must receive Holy Communion at least once a year.

So it seems all the manhours to do all that work were not necessary. In fact it may be thought of as an abuse, since Exy. Mins are only there OUT OF NECESSITY.

Ken
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That isn’t consistent with the church’s position of encouraging people to frequently receive the sacraments. Encouraging someone to do something and then denying them the means by which to do it is a bit hypocritical, isn’t it? The following post’er said it better than I …
lrs said:
Dear NetMIlls
Please be mindful that it is in the INTENTION of the RECEIVER in receiving Communion that is more important than the INTENTION of the GIVER- BECAUSE ULTIMATELY IT IS CHRIST AND CHRIST ALONE WHO IS GIVING TO YOU!!!IT IS JESUS YOU ARE RECEIVING, HE IS PRESENTWe are merely the vehicles in which the Love of God is presented and increased in the world.
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MrS said:
Personally I do not feel capable of handling or touching the Lord.
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When my pastor asked me to become an EMHC and minister to the homebound, the first words out of my mouth were that I was not worthy. His reply was that if I was unworthy to handle and touch our Lord, then I was unworthy to receive Him as well.
 
Wendy-Kay said:
Plus, I will never again risk some EMHC “throwing” a host into my mouth as though they were trying to shoot a basket when I recieve. Not saying all do, but this has happened more then once in some parishes I visited. Once, the host even fell on the floor! I only recieve from a priest or the only extraordinary minister we have that assists our elderly priest at my home parish.
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Let me see if I understanf this correctly. Are you saying that if you could not receive from a priest, you would rather give up receiving Our Lord than to receive Him from an EMHC?
 
Sir_Knight said:
When my pastor asked me to become an EMHC and minister to the homebound, the first words out of my mouth were that I was not worthy. His reply was that if I was unworthy to handle and touch our Lord, then I was unworthy to receive Him as well.
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My heart goes out to your priest.
He has no clue what a wonderful position he has.
 
Sir_Knight said:
That isn’t consistent with the church’s position of encouraging people to frequently receive the sacraments. Encouraging someone to do something and then denying them the means by which to do it is a bit hypocritical, isn’t it? The following post’er said it better than I …
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Having less EMHC’s is not denying the people access to the sacraments. They are to be used only when there are not sufficient ministers to do it within a reasonable amount of time. If it takes 10-12 of them to do it with a priest or two and a deacon or two within an hour or so, then so be it. But if takes only 1 or 2, then that should be how it is done.
 
Elzee said:
True.

In my parish we now have about 15 EMHCs per Mass. Theoretically, a person could go a year or more without receiving from a priest. I think this is very sad. It has gotten to the point where if I do end up in our priest’s line, it actually seems rather odd to have a person in vestments - as opposed to a lay person - give me Communion. What a sad thing for our children to grow up with, in my opinion. 😦 I think we are slowly and consistently diminishing the priesthood - in our children’s eyes, especially.

I can see the need for EMHCs to help distribute Communion to the home-bound - especially in a large parish - but other than that, I can honestly say I wish Pope Benedict would reverse this practice. If Communion takes an extra 15 or 20 minutes - well, it’s not like the Church doesn’t need our prayers. I’m sure we can all use that extra time to pray for our Church and to praise and worship God. We have just received Jesus into our very being. Think about it. What is the rush?
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I wish I could restate your last few statements any better. I just can’t. Well said.
 
This statement confuses me:
“Priests should also keep in mind potential risks associated with intinction, especially in the coming flu season,” the document added."

I would think intinction is more sanitary than everyone drinking from the chalice…what am I missing???
 
Walking_Home said:
I posted this here since it concerns our liturgy. I wasn’t sure if should go in the news forum.

catholicnews.com/data/stories/cns/0606058.htm

Lay ministers may not cleanse Communion vessels, Pope Benedict says

By Nancy Frazier O’Brien
Catholic News Service

WASHINGTON (CNS) – At the direction of Pope Benedict XVI, extraordinary ministers of holy Communion will no longer be permitted to assist in the purification of the sacred vessels at Masses in the United States.

In an Oct. 23 letter, Bishop William S. Skylstad, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, asked his fellow bishops to inform all pastors of the change, which was prompted by a letter from Cardinal Francis Arinze, prefect of the Vatican Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments.

The U.S. bishops had asked the Vatican to extend an indult – or church permission – in effect since 2002 …

Bishop Skylstad, who heads the Diocese of Spokane, Wash., said Cardinal Arinze asked Pope Benedict about the matter during a June 9 audience, “and received a response in the negative.”
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I heard this today on Relevant Radio! I am an Extraordinary Minister, does this mean I won’t need to wash the chalice any further in the back? I typically handle the Precious Blood, so just wondering?
 
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