Never saw this before

[hilde_the_dog]

Today at Mass it looked like a priest belonging to an order was filling in at a parish which is not my home parish and in a different diocese. Well in the prayers he would make minor changes that could have been accidental. But after consecration he made the EMHC take the two chalices off of the alter themselves and drink it themselves and hand it to the other EMHC’s. And then made the 4 EMHC’s (for 30+ in attendence) distribute while he knelt before the empty tabernacle or the crucifix. I believe this caused two men not to recieve since they always do and I saw them talking at this point Wierd glad its not my home parish.

 

[stbruno]

Personally, If I were the EMHC, I would just not participate in the mass…and let the priest distribute communion himself, especially if it is a weekday mass.

That’s just my opinion. And then I would discuss the concern with the pastor…or the liturgy director if one is available.

 

[a_pilgrim]

Personally, If I were the EMHC, I would just not participate in the mass…and let the priest distribute communion himself, especially if it is a weekday mass.

That’s just my opinion. And then I would discuss the concern with the pastor…or the liturgy director if one is available.

Are you saying that if you were the EMHC at this Mass you’d just walk away from the altar? If so, would you remain in the congregation through the conclusion of the Mass, or by saying that you “…would just not participate in the mass…” do you mean that you’d leave the Mass altogether?

Just trying to understand…

 

[stbruno]

If there are 30 people at mass, why would you need an Extraordinary Minister of the Eucharist. If you are the acolyte and also are one that’s different, you would not need to leave the altar, just minister as an acolyte. If the Eucharist is offered in two species, then only administer the cup…that’s all.

If you are there to attend daily Holy Mass, then just sit with the congregation. Simple.

 

[a_pilgrim]

If there are 30 people at mass, why would you need an Extraordinary Minister of the Eucharist.

Agreed. But you said, “If I were the EMHC, I would just not participate in the mass…” That’s my point. I’m not talking about if you were an acolyte… I’m not talking about if you were there as a Mass attendee… I’m talking about the specific example you used in your original post. In your example we have an EMHC who is at the altar, ready to begin assisting with the distribution of the Blessed Sacrament, when he/she notices a possible impropriety on the part of the priest. You said that if that EMHC were you, you would “…just not participate…” How would you do that? Would you return the Blessed Sacrament to Father? Would you leave the altar? Remain there but not assist with the distribution? Would you leave the Mass? Rejoin the congregation?

How does an EMHC who is already at the altar and ready to distribute the Blessed Sacrament suddenly “just not participate?” I *truly *don’t understand…

 

[Joe_Kelley]

Several years back I was reader at a morning mass. At Communion time the priest motioned for me to come up *, gave me the ciborium and went and sat down. One woman refused to take the host from me. [She later apologized to assure me that it was nothing personal. I was just sorry she missed Communion.] Father later explained to me that he was so sick that morning that he just about made it through the mass and thanked me for helping him through.

I was glad he explained. However, at the time I just assumed that as celebrant he was responsible for what went on; not me. It wasn’t the time for an argument.*

 

[StephenB]

Today at Mass it looked like a priest belonging to an order was filling in at a parish which is not my home parish and in a different diocese. Well in the prayers he would make minor changes that could have been accidental. But after consecration he made the EMHC take the two chalices off of the alter themselves and drink it themselves and hand it to the other EMHC’s. And then made the 4 EMHC’s (for 30+ in attendence) distribute while he knelt before the empty tabernacle or the crucifix. I believe this caused two men not to recieve since they always do and I saw them talking at this point Wierd glad its not my home parish.

Hilde - Did you give any thought to actually asking the celebrant about it afterwards - maybe his order, and how his order’s rule of distributing communion might differ from a parish setting? May have been a great opportunity to learn something new about a group operating in your diocese…

 

[Joan_M]

Hilde - Did you give any thought to actually asking the celebrant about it afterwards - maybe his order, and how his order’s rule of distributing communion might differ from a parish setting? May have been a great opportunity to learn something new about a group operating in your diocese…

It wouldn’t matter what his order is - there is no rule about distributing Communion for any order. The celebrant is required to distribute Holy Communion unless he is ill or physically unable to do so.

In the case of the other poster who wrote about a priest calling him to come up, giving him the ciborium and then sitting down, it would have been prudent of the priest to whisper “please distribute for me, I’m not well.” That would have taken littel time and prevented any questions in the person’s mind.

 

[StephenB]

Thanks for clearing that up -

And in retrospect, the fact that he knelt before an empty tabernacle may have ruled out him not feeling well enough to distribute.

Is there any possibility have may have even come from another rite, in union with Rome, but with a different procedural approach? (I sure couldn’t say what the norms are for all other rites.)

 

[Sir_Knight]

it would have been prudent of the priest to whisper “please distribute for me, I’m not well.” That would have taken littel time and prevented any questions in the person’s mind.

Except priests are not required to answer to us. Unless they are instructing us to do something clearly wrong, we should have faith in Christ’s representatives that they have a valid reason for their actions.

 

[Aramis]

Joan:

The Dominican and Carmelite Orders also have separate liturgical rites. Not that they are used much in parish settings, but both still exist, are still allowed, and do have different rubrics.

**In general, **however, most religious communities do not have special rules on communion.

 

[Cranch]

But after consecration he made the EMHC take the two chalices off of the alter themselves and drink it themselves and hand it to the other EMHC’s. And then made the 4 EMHC’s (for 30+ in attendence) distribute while he knelt before the empty tabernacle or the crucifix.

Unless I am misunderstanding you, you have described EMHCs self-communicating. If so, this is a clear abuse. Only a priest may self-communicate. Below are quotations from Norms for the Distribution and Reception of Holy Communion Under Both Kinds in the Dioceses of the United States of America with my emphasis in bold: 38. If extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion are required by pastoral need, they should not approach the altar before the priest has received Communion. After the priest has concluded his own Communion, he distributes Communion to the extraordinary ministers, assisted by the deacon, and then hands the sacred vessels to them for distribution of Holy Communion to the people.

1. All receive Holy Communion in the manner described by the General Instructin to the Roman Missal, whether priest concelebrants, deacons, or extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion. Neither deacons nor lay ministers may ever receive Holy Communion in the manner of a concelebrating priest.
2. After all eucharistic ministers have received Communion, the bishop or priest celebrant reverently hands vessels containing the Body or the Blood of the Lord to the deacons or extraordinary ministers who will assist with the distribution of Holy Communion. The deacon may assist the priest in handing the vessels containing the Body and Blood of the Lord to the extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion.
3. The chalice may never be left on the altar or another place to be picked up by the communicant for self-communication (except in the case of concelebrating bishops or priests), nor may the chalice be passed from one communicant to another. **There shall always be a minister of the chalice.

**As to the highly unusual act of the priest not distributing the host; while I don’t know if it is his prerogative or not, it seems neglectful of his duties. From the same instruction:27. In every celebration of the Eucharist there should be a sufficient number of ministers for Holy Communion so that it can be distributed in an orderly and reverent manner. Bishops, priests, and deacons distribute Holy Communion by virtue of their office as ordinary ministers of the Body and Blood of the Lord.