Looking for links to Church Documents

[paramedicgirl]

Hi everyone - it’s been a few years since I’ve posted on here, and I need a little help finding some information. I am looking for links to Church documents that specify how Extra Ordinary Ministers of Holy Communion are to be used.

I also want to know if it is acceptable for the priest to frequently allow the EMHC to give out the Hosts while he stands off to the side with the Chalice. Is anyone aware of any Church guidelines on this issue?

I used to have this stuff at my fingertips when I posted here regularly, so I am hoping that someone here can help me find the info I need.

God bless!

 

[DCNBILL]

Hi everyone - it’s been a few years since I’ve posted on here, and I need a little help finding some information. I am looking for links to Church documents that specify how Extra Ordinary Ministers of Holy Communion are to be used.

I also want to know if it is acceptable for the priest to frequently allow the EMHC to give out the Hosts while he stands off to the side with the Chalice. Is anyone aware of any Church guidelines on this issue?

I used to have this stuff at my fingertips when I posted here regularly, so I am hoping that someone here can help me find the info I need.

God bless!

See the following link.

old.usccb.org/liturgy/documents/instructioneng.shtml

 

[paramedicgirl]

Thanks for that link. I’m in Canada so I’ll have to compare what I found in your link to the CCCB GIRM.

I found this: It is the Priest celebrant’s responsibility to minister Communion, perhaps assisted by other Priests or Deacons; and he should not resume the Mass until after the Communion of the faithful is concluded. Only when there is a necessity may extraordinary ministers assist the Priest celebrant in accordance with the norm of law.173

So I guess this means that the priest should not be standing off to the side administering the Sacred Blood in the Chalice. I do know why he does that - it’s because he wants people to realize that Jesus is wholly present under both species. I wish he would just instruct people in his homily and be the one to administer the Hosts.

 

[DCNBILL]

That document actually came from the CONGREGATION FOR DIVINE WORSHIP
AND THE DISCIPLINE OF THE SACRAMENT in Rome. The link to the document on the Vatican web site is here. vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/ccdds/documents/rc_con_ccdds_doc_20040423_redemptionis-sacramentum_en.html

 

[JM3]

I also want to know if it is acceptable for the priest to frequently allow the EMHC to give out the Hosts while he stands off to the side with the Chalice. Is anyone aware of any Church guidelines on this issue?

vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/ccdds/documents/rc_con_ccdds_doc_20030317_ordinamento-messale_en.html

1. When Communion is distributed under both kinds,

a. The chalice is usually administered by a deacon or, when no deacon is present, by a priest, or even by a duly instituted acolyte or another extraordinary minister of Holy Communion, or by a member of the faithful who, in case of necessity, has been entrusted with this duty for a single occasion;

The paragraph number is the same in the CCCB GIRM.

Noticed the underlined ‘usually’. While Church documents seem to ‘assume’ that the celebrating priest is distributing the host, they are not specific as to the species. Only that the celebrating priest must distribute communion.

catholicliturgy.com/index.cfm/FuseAction/documentText/Index/2/SubIndex/11/ContentIndex/285/Start/202

10.The faithful, whether religious or lay, who are authorized as extraordinary ministers of the Eucharist can distribute Communion only when there is no priest, deacon or acolyte, when the priest is impeded by illness or advanced age, or when the number of the faithful going to communion is so large as to make the celebration of Mass excessively long. [20] Accordingly, a reprehensible attitude is shown by those priests who, though present at the celebration, refrain from distributing Communion and leave this task to the laity.

 

[paramedicgirl]

vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/ccdds/documents/rc_con_ccdds_doc_20030317_ordinamento-messale_en.html

The paragraph number is the same in the CCCB GIRM.

Noticed the underlined ‘usually’. While Church documents seem to ‘assume’ that the celebrating priest is distributing the host, they are not specific as to the species. Only that the celebrating priest must distribute communion.

catholicliturgy.com/index.cfm/FuseAction/documentText/Index/2/SubIndex/11/ContentIndex/285/Start/202

Oh, so then there’s nothing to say the priest must be the one to distrubute Holy Communion? It seems so odd and out of place to not have the priest be the one to give out the Hosts.

 

[JM3]

Oh, so then there’s nothing to say the priest must be the one to distrubute Holy Communion? It seems so odd and out of place to not have the priest be the one to give out the Hosts.

If you want certain clarification, you can email the Bishop and ask. Something like, ‘I recently attended a mass where the celebrating priest distributed the Chalice instead of the hosts, is this normal in this diocese? I ask because this seems unusual to me.’ Keep it general and charitable.

I have not seen a Church document that specifically forbids it, though I could be wrong.

 

[paramedicgirl]

If you want certain clarification, you can email the Bishop and ask. Something like, ‘I recently attended a mass where the celebrating priest distributed the Chalice instead of the hosts, is this normal in this diocese? I ask because this seems unusual to me.’ Keep it general and charitable.

I have not seen a Church document that specifically forbids it, though I could be wrong.

Thanks, that’s good advice. That’s a good approach for not singling out this priest with his Bishop.

I am going to have one more conversation with the priest about this, and ask him if he would consider doing it less often. Every Mass this week he has been with the Chalice!

 

[Timothysis]

I am going to have one more conversation with the priest about this, and ask him if he would consider doing it less often. Every Mass this week he has been with the Chalice!

With all consideration, what gives you the right to try and instruct an ordained minister in the way that he celebrates the Mass?

 

[JM3]

With all consideration, what gives you the right to try and instruct an ordained minister in the way that he celebrates the Mass?

Charity, Timothysis. When one is taken out of their comfort zone, it is natural to question and request a return. Hopefully, the priest is wise enough to know the difference between the bleating of a lamb and the growl of a wolf.

 

[paramedicgirl]

With all consideration, what gives you the right to try and instruct an ordained minister in the way that he celebrates the Mass?

Well, here comes the backlash! I am not instructing anyone, let alone a priest in how to celebrate the Mass, but I do have questions that I need answered, hence the reason for this thread. I do believe that we have a duty to learn what the Church teaches, and that is exactly what I am trying to do here.

 

[Timothysis]

Well, here comes the backlash! I am not instructing anyone, let alone a priest in how to celebrate the Mass, but I do have questions that I need answered, hence the reason for this thread. I do believe that we have a duty to learn what the Church teaches, and that is exactly what I am trying to do here.

I did say “with all consideration,” didn’t I?

This is your statement; "I am going to… ask him if he would consider doing it less often."

Now you say that you’re “not instructing anyone, let alone a priest in how to celebrate the Mass.” There seems to be a contradiction in your two statements.

And my question isn’t a backlash. All I can say is that if I were a priest who went through four years of study for a bachelor’s degree, went to a seminary for another 2 to 4 years and then made the awesome commitment to be ordained a Catholic priest and devout myself to serving my bishop and the Church, the last thing I would really be interested in is having everyone with a computer coming up to me with with pages they printed off of the internet telling me that I’m not doing this or that correctly. CAF is full of people questioning every move of their priest…just browse the forums and you will see. If you wish to ask him about it, fine; but the idea of asking him to consider doing it less often seems arrogant rather than inquiring.

 

[paramedicgirl]

I did say “with all consideration,” didn’t I?

This is your statement; "I am going to… ask him if he would consider doing it less often."

Now you say that you’re “not instructing anyone, let alone a priest in how to celebrate the Mass.” There seems to be a contradiction in your two statements.

And my question isn’t a backlash. All I can say is that if I were a priest who went through four years of study for a bachelor’s degree, went to a seminary for another 2 to 4 years and then made the awesome commitment to be ordained a Catholic priest and devout myself to serving my bishop and the Church, the last thing I would really be interested in is having everyone with a computer coming up to me with with pages they printed off of the internet telling me that I’m not doing this or that correctly. CAF is full of people questioning every move of their priest…just browse the forums and you will see. If you wish to ask him about it, fine; but the idea of asking him to consider doing it less often seems arrogant rather than inquiring.

Oh, for heaven’s sake, I have no intention of showing up with Church documents in hand! I want to know exactly what the Church teaches in the manner of distributing Holy Communion and using and overusing EMHC. If that makes me arrogant in your eyes, then I guess I’m arrogant.

I have been to four Masses this week and at each Mass, he was off to the side with the Chalice. I find it unusual, and have already had two conversations with him about this, several month apart. I guess it’s just his preference to allow the EMHC give out the Hosts, though I have never seen any other priest do this.

 

[Timothysis]

I have been to four Masses this week and at each Mass, he was off to the side with the Chalice. I find it unusual, and have already had two conversations with him about this, several month apart**. I guess it’s just his preference to allow the EMHC give out the Hosts, though I have never seen any other priest do this.**

Then why the controversy?

 

[Cristiano]

I did say “with all consideration,” didn’t I?

This is your statement; "I am going to… ask him if he would consider doing it less often."

Now you say that you’re “not instructing anyone, let alone a priest in how to celebrate the Mass.” There seems to be a contradiction in your two statements.
…

I think that there is not contradiction between the two statements at all. The first it simply describing the fact that a parishoner is going to express a personal wish to the pastor. I think that it is a good idea to be able to express our preferences and why. If our preferences comes from what we believe to be the correct process then we have a responsibility to verify the process before we state that that it is the truth about the process. If the pastor is going to ask why then the parishoner should be ready to explain the why even as respect to the priest. Failure to gather proper information would be just playing holier than thou and disrespectful of the priest. The poster never mentioned that intends to confront the priest with the details of the information. We should not look for evils intentions when the behaviors that are described are not evil themselves.

 

[Cristiano]

Timothysis:
Then why the controversy?

I think that you are looking for controversy. The poster made clear that it is her intention to gather the correct information. Maybe, she has to proper attitude of informing herself before saying something is done in the right manner or in the wrong one

 

[Timothysis]

I think that there is not contradiction between the two statements at all. The first it simply describing the fact that a parishoner is going to express a personal wish to the pastor. .

I was not aware that we, the laity, have a right to our own “personal wish” about the way the liturgy of the Mass is celebrated.

 

[Cristiano]

Hi everyone - it’s been a few years since I’ve posted on here, and I need a little help finding some information. I am looking for links to Church documents that specify how Extra Ordinary Ministers of Holy Communion are to be used.

I also want to know if it is acceptable for the priest to frequently allow the EMHC to give out the Hosts while he stands off to the side with the Chalice. Is anyone aware of any Church guidelines on this issue?

I used to have this stuff at my fingertips when I posted here regularly, so I am hoping that someone here can help me find the info I need.

God bless!

I think that your interest in seeking information is a good idea. However, the priest might be doing that for a very specific reason. I am saying that because sometime one of our priests sits on the side after the consecration and he lets the deacon and the EMHC to distribute from the ciborium and the chalice. Some people would see that as a blatant violation of the GIRM however This holy man stands on open wounds in his feet and legs just to make sure that we can attend Mass. When you see him on the altar you cannot see his suffering but when you see him around you will see that he can barely stand and/or walk. He has been suffering this ways for years and he still celebrates the Mass and goes around town doing is pastoral duty.

 

[Cristiano]

I was not aware that we, the laity, have a right to our own “personal wish” about the way the liturgy of the Mass is celebrated.

We have a right to share our wishes with the priest and if the wish is allowed or mandated by the GIRM I do not see any reason to ask for a change if the pastor agrees. I mentioned a specific wish to my pastor long time ago, and I never brought it up again. Now a couple of years later we chant the Agnus Dein in Latin. He waited for the change of the translation and he added a little bit of Latin back into the liturgy. Did he do it to please me? I do not know and I do not care, it simply makes me happy and the GIRM allows for it.

 

[paramedicgirl]

Timothysis:
Then why the controversy?

No controversy!!! Why do you try to make more of this? Is it arrogant of me to want to understand Church teaching?