Ministers of the Eucharist

[khuldar]

Can someone please explain to me exactly what it is that the Ministers of the Eucharist can & can’t do?

Reason being that i’m only a baby catholic wise (i.e. 9 months) and at the moment I can’t reconcile some of the things that are happening in my parish in my soul during the Mass and when I ask why lay people are doing something all I get told is “They are Ministers of the Eucharist it’s all okay.” It just seems blase like “we’ve always done it this way so we’re not going to change…” It really bugs me for some reason.

I’d rather not give examples of what’s happening but if someone can help me out with what the Ministers of the Eucharist can & can’t do it would be mint!

 

[doormouse73]

Can someone please explain to me exactly what it is that the Ministers of the Eucharist can & can’t do?

Reason being that i’m only a baby catholic wise (i.e. 9 months) and at the moment I can’t reconcile some of the things that are happening in my parish in my soul during the Mass and when I ask why lay people are doing something all I get told is “They are Ministers of the Eucharist it’s all okay.” It just seems blase like “we’ve always done it this way so we’re not going to change…” It really bugs me for some reason.

I’d rather not give examples of what’s happening but if someone can help me out with what the Ministers of the Eucharist can & can’t do it would be mint!

been there done it.lets move on from this shall we.

its nearly word for word of the O P,that was asking the same question about this last week in another post.

and that got closed…

how do you think the Warriors will do in N R L this year btw.

thats more of a debate id like to talk in.

 

[thistle]

Can someone please explain to me exactly what it is that the Ministers of the Eucharist can & can’t do?

Reason being that i’m only a baby catholic wise (i.e. 9 months) and at the moment I can’t reconcile some of the things that are happening in my parish in my soul during the Mass and when I ask why lay people are doing something all I get told is “They are Ministers of the Eucharist it’s all okay.” It just seems blase like “we’ve always done it this way so we’re not going to change…” It really bugs me for some reason.

I’d rather not give examples of what’s happening but if someone can help me out with what the Ministers of the Eucharist can & can’t do it would be mint!

The Minister of the Eucharist is the priest. Lay people cannot be Eucharistic Ministers. They can be EMHC’s (Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion). That does not make them Eucharistic Ministers.

 

[Sirach2]

Here are the official regulations from the Bishops’ website:

Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion [Note the abbreviation, EMHC]

1. 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.” Extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion should receive sufficient spiritual, theological, and practical preparation to fulfill their role with knowledge and reverence. When recourse is had to Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion, especially in the distribution of Holy Communion under both kinds, their number should not be increased beyond what is required for the orderly and reverent distribution of the Body and Blood of the Lord. In all matters such Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion should follow the guidance of the diocesan bishop.

Reverence

1. All ministers of Holy Communion should show the greatest reverence for the Most Holy Eucharist by their demeanor, their attire, and the manner in which they handle the consecrated bread or wine. Should there be any mishap–as when, for example, the consecrated wine is spilled from the chalice–then the affected “area . . . should be washed and the water poured into the sacrarium.”

**Planning **

1. When Holy Communion is to be distributed under both species, careful planning should be undertaken so that:

• enough bread and wine are made ready for the communication of the faithful at each Mass. As a general rule, Holy Communion is given from hosts consecrated at the same Mass and not from those reserved in the tabernacle. Precious Blood may not be reserved at one Mass for use at another ; and
• a suitable number of ministers of Holy Communion are provided at each Mass. For Communion from the chalice, it is desirable that there be generally two ministers of the Precious Blood for each minister of the Body of Christ, lest the liturgical celebration be unduly prolonged.

 

[Joannm]

EMHCs can also expose the Eucharist for Adoration if a priest or deacon is not available. He or she cannot do Benediction. They can bring communion to the sick or homebound. They can conduct a Sunday Liturgy of the Word in the absence of a priest when they are in an area where getting to a Sunday Mass is impossible or very difficult. They can go to the tabernacle when directed to by a priest. They can distribute ashes. They can consume any remaining Precious Blood in the cup.

 

[khuldar]

been there done it.lets move on from this shall we.

its nearly word for word of the O P,that was asking the same question about this last week in another post.

and that got closed…

how do you think the Warriors will do in N R L this year btw.

thats more of a debate id like to talk in.

 

[khuldar]

The obvious post aside thanks for those who replied it really helped and has set me more at ease.

God Bless.

 

[Sirach2]

The obvious post aside thanks for those who replied it really helped and has set me more at ease.

God Bless.

You’re most welcome. I just realized, though, that you are from New Zealand, whereas I posted the guidelines from the United States’ Bishops. Most likely, they will be similar for your country, but you may want to look at the website from your bishops there to see if anything differs from our information to you.