Lay person receiving communion in a pyx?

[Marybell61]

Our priest calls people who are taking communion to the sick or homebound to come forward after all present have received. He places the requested number of hosts in each presented pix. Then the remainder of consecrated hosts are placed in the tabernacle as usual as part of the communion process.
I did a terrible thing which was redeemed by the Lord…when my husband was dying of cancer, I kept a pix so that I could bring communion to him. After he passed away, I FORGOT about the pix in a pocket inside my purse. One day at work in the hospital, we had a devoutly Catholic patient who wanted communion and was feeling distressed. His brother is a priest but was out of town. He was telling me about his deep desire and need for communion. I remembered then, that I still had the pix. …and was able to share communion with him. His brother thanked me when I saw him next. I explained that I wasn’t sure I had done the right thing…but he said it was beautiful. I think it shows how even our sins can be turned around for God’s glory.

 

[Odilon]

My wife and I were EMHC for a time several years ago. We always were told that “going directly” meant no stopping anywhere to do anything. It means just that, to go directly to the person to whom you will bringing Holy Communion to.

 

[Gorgias]

feeling mischievous today?

Homophones can be fun.
[/quote]

Not to mention homographs.

 

[Cor_ad_Cor]

Probably more practical and reasonable to simply consume them.

 

[Odilon]

We were instructed to consume them ourselves.

 

[Odilon]

We had one person at a nursing home we visited who was in a vegetative state and pretty much out of it. We would lay hands on her and just pray. It was a very touching moment for us to do this.

 

[Brendan_64]

EMHCs are simply lay-people. Should they be allowed to take the Eucharist from the Tabernacle, in their own time, to bring to whoever requests Communion?

 

[Cor_ad_Cor]

EMHCs are simply lay-people. Should they be allowed to take the Eucharist from the Tabernacle, in their own time, to bring to whoever requests Communion?

That’s usually part of their commissioning. They don’t determine all of the details about who and how frequently, but to be able to access the Eucharist and take it to the appropriate person(s) on the schedule determined with pastoral (name removed by moderator)ut is part of their ministry.

People in need don’t directly request from the EM, usually. They request from the parish, which the EM represents.

 

[paperwight]

Brendan_64:

EMHCs are simply lay-people. Should they be allowed to take the Eucharist from the Tabernacle, in their own time, to bring to whoever requests Communion?

That’s usually part of their commissioning. They don’t determine all of the details about who and how frequently, but to be able to access the Eucharist and take it to the appropriate person(s) on the schedule determined with pastoral (name removed by moderator)ut is part of their ministry.

People in need don’t directly request from the EM, usually. They request from the parish, which the EM represents.

Yes, indeed it is part of their commissioning. For instance, one EMHC I know goes regularly every Thursday morning to a local retirement home and gives Holy Communion to those residents who assemble in the dining room as a sign they wish to receive.

Do you think each resident should contact the parish every week to request Holy Communion? A busy parish can’t function like that.

 

[FrDavid96]

EMHCs are simply lay-people. Should they be allowed to take the Eucharist from the Tabernacle, in their own time, to bring to whoever requests Communion?

No, not really, but this one can be difficult to apply.

There can be exceptions, so it’s not an absolute “no.” It really does depend on the circumstances.

Ideally, the priest should be handing them the Eucharist (in a pyx of course), every single time. This just isn’t practical in some circumstances.

 

[FrDavid96]

That’s usually part of their commissioning. …

Yes, indeed it is part of their commissioning. …

I’m a bit concerned about these comments.

An EMHC can only be appointed by the priest for a single individual act. The bishop can appoint for a period of time. In either case, the EMHC is still the representative of the priest.

They are not appointed to administer Holy Communion whenever they decide, but only when the priest decides it’s appropriate.

In my parish, only the 2 priests and the deacon have access to the tabernacle key. If having access to the tabernacle were truly “part of their commissioning” then we would be obligated to give them access—which we surely do not.

 

[FrDavid96]

They function only as his representatives.

They cannot act on their own.

“How” a priest does that is not for me to judge on the internet. My point is for people to understand that he does it—and that EMHCs act only as representatives of the priest.

 

[Cor_ad_Cor]

At no time did I say the EMHC - ALL of which in our parish are commissioned by the bishop unless it is truly a spur of the moment thing - could decide who and when receives from them; in fact, I specifically stated otherwise.

These EMHCs that serve hospitals and nursing homes (and others unable to be at Mass) often make their visits on days when Mass isn’t even offered, simply due to the logistics. Each one is trained and given access to the tabernacle in such a way that keeps things secure.

 

[FrDavid96]

At no time did I say the EMHC - … could decide who and when receives from them; in fact, I specifically stated otherwise.
…

Then why write this response?

Brendan_64:

EMHCs are simply lay-people. Should they be allowed to take the Eucharist from the Tabernacle, in their own time, to bring to whoever requests Communion?

That’s usually part of their commissioning. …

It isn’t part of their commissioning.

They aren’t commissioned “to take the Eucharist from the Tabernacle, in their own time, to bring to whoever requests Communion?” which was the question you answered.

You did add “with pastoral (name removed by moderator)ut.” The priest does not merely have “(name removed by moderator)ut.” He decides. There is a difference. Also, the EMHC does not represent the parish, but represents the individual priest.

 

[PeterT]

I am uncomfortable with this method of giving the consecrated host for someone to take during Mass. I think it should be done at another time.

It is not described in the Roman Missal as something to happen during the Mass.

The 2004 Instruction Redemptionis Sacramentum has:

“[133.] A Priest or Deacon, or an extraordinary minister who takes the Most Holy Eucharist when an ordained minister is absent or impeded in order to administer it as Communion for a sick person, should go insofar as possible directly from the place where the Sacrament is reserved to the sick person’s home, leaving aside any profane business so that any danger of profanation may be avoided and the greatest reverence for the Body of Christ may be ensured.”

So the person going “directly” to the sick person’s home would be leaving during Mass, before the Prayer After Communion and the blessing.

Please reread what you quoted and stated.

I hope you certainly don’t think that staying for the rest of the Mass is “profane business”, because that is what you are indirectly implying thinking that the EM would need to leave Mass immediately after receiving the consecrated host in the pyx so that any danger of profanation may be avoided.

 

[lattehunter]

I don’t see an issue with how this is handled at your church. It is proper to use a pyx. The presumed EMHC received as a communicant. After receiving they are no longer a communicant. They now wear the hat if you will of EMHC who rather than assisting the Priest at mass is responsible to be the Priests representative to the faithful who are unable to attend mass. Leaving immediately after mass is appropriate. I’ve seen EM go through the line say their prayers then get at the end of the line for the priest to place the sacrament in their pyx. The priest then asks those present to pray for those who could not be present etc then give the EM the final blessing and they would leave immediately. Father would continue with the prayer after communion etc. It was beautiful. The prayers of the church went with them to the home of the sick.

At my parish the pyx are on the altar at the time of consecration. After consecration the priest places our Lord in the the pyx then begins communion. Right after the final blessing and before the recessional the EMHC to the sick will approach. The Deacon will give us a blessing and ask for blessings to descend upon all the homes we will be visiting. I visit those at home. Other EM are responsible for the nursing homes and hospice. In a perfect world the priest would be able to visit everyone but there are not enough priests.They were careful with our training in the pastoral care of the sick. Training was initially 5-6 hours. Training is ongoing. We are expected to spend at minimum an hour a month in adoration and are expected to put in additional time growing in our faith through education, retreats etc. We are commissioned by the Bishop, backround check, fingerprinted etc.

I’m not sure what you mean by suggesting that an alternate time would be better. The EM is able to see the consecration, has Jesus within them, and has the opportunity to carry the blessing and prayers of the church when leaving immediately after mass. It’s a very rare exception that I would bring Our Lord at another time.

 

[Cor_ad_Cor]

The idea that EMHCs can simply go to the tabernacle without Father knowing and remove the Eucharist, I find inappropriate on several levels.

You’re inserting words none of us have said.

 

[FrDavid96]

Please reread what you quoted and stated.

I hope you certainly don’t think that staying for the rest of the Mass is “profane business”, because that is what you are indirectly implying thinking that the EM would need to leave Mass immediately after receiving the consecrated host in the pyx so that any danger of profanation may be avoided.

No.

He said as much in his post that this is not what he meant.

What he did mean (and I know that because I’m reading what he posted) is that if a person is obligated to leave “immediately” then such a person would be leaving before the Mass has ended. The point being that the Church does not want people leaving before Mass is over. That means there’s a contradiction between the practice of giving Communion in a pyx during the Communion-time and what the law describes as the appropriate way of doing things.