Priest Gives Host to Extraord.Mins. Before he Consumes

[davidtyng]

Can someone refer me to the specific GIRM number that prohibits priests from giving Communion to extraordinary ministers of the Eucharist before he himself receives?

 

[wifeandmomoftwo]

If extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion are required by patoral 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.
usccb.org/liturgy/girm/lit4.shtml

 

[Phemie]

Can someone refer me to the specific GIRM number that prohibits priests from giving Communion to extraordinary ministers of the Eucharist before he himself receives?

I don’t have the GIRM number but REDEMPTIONIS SACRAMENTUM says this:

[97.] A Priest must communicate at the altar at the moment laid down by the Missal each time he celebrates Holy Mass, and the concelebrants must communicate before they proceed with the distribution of Holy Communion. The Priest celebrant or a concelebrant is never to wait until the people’s Communion is concluded before receiving Communion himself.

Immediately after we say “Lord, I am not worthy…” the Missal says:

Facing the altar, the priest says quietly;

May the body of Christ bring me to everlasting life.

He reverently consumes the body of Christ. Then he takes the chalice and says quietly:

May the blood of Christ bring me to everlasting life.

He reverently drinks the blood of Christ.
After this he takes the paten or other vessel and goes to the communicants.

 

[John_Lilburne]

Can someone refer me to the specific GIRM number that prohibits priests from giving Communion to extraordinary ministers of the Eucharist before he himself receives?

From the 2002 General Instruction of the Roman Missal (GIRM) approved for the USA, which can be accessed from romanrite.com/girm.html :
“162. The priest may be assisted in the distribution of Communion by other priests who happen to be present. If such priests are not present and there is a very large number of communicants, the priest may call upon extraordinary ministers to assist him, e.g., duly instituted acolytes or even other faithful who have been deputed for this purpose. In case of necessity, the priest may depute suitable faithful for this single occasion.
These ministers should not approach the altar before the priest has received Communion, and they are always to receive from the hands of the priest celebrant the vessel containing either species of the Most Holy Eucharist for distribution to the faithful.”

Also:
“182. After the priest’s Communion, the deacon receives Communion under both kinds from the priest himself and then assists the priest in distributing Communion to the people.”

Also n. 157-160 describe the proper order for the priest to do things. This is from the section “Mass Without a Deacon”.

 

[benedictgal]

From the 2002 General Instruction of the Roman Missal (GIRM) approved for the USA, which can be accessed from romanrite.com/girm.html :
“162. The priest may be assisted in the distribution of Communion by other priests who happen to be present. If such priests are not present and there is a very large number of communicants, the priest may call upon extraordinary ministers to assist him, e.g., duly instituted acolytes or even other faithful who have been deputed for this purpose. In case of necessity, the priest may depute suitable faithful for this single occasion.
These ministers should not approach the altar before the priest has received Communion, and they are always to receive from the hands of the priest celebrant the vessel containing either species of the Most Holy Eucharist for distribution to the faithful.”

Also:
“182. After the priest’s Communion, the deacon receives Communion under both kinds from the priest himself and then assists the priest in distributing Communion to the people.”

Also n. 157-160 describe the proper order for the priest to do things. This is from the section “Mass Without a Deacon”.

Redemptionis Sacramentum further clarified the matter, as one the previous posts indicated. The way it was explained to me (in addition to the citations quoted) was that this was not to give a mistaken notion that the EMHC’s were at the same level as the clergy. In fact, one of the priests noted that they should not approach the altar at the Agnus Dei as though they were concelebrants.

At my parish, the EMHCs approach the altar after the celebrant has communicated and they receive Holy Communion directly from the priest. The Cathedral is now doing this as well. Unfortunately, in other parishes, this hasn’t happened yet. I’ve seen one instance where the priest will distribute Holy Communion to the EMHC’s and then sit at the celebrant’s chair while the EMHC’s and deacon distribute Holy Communion (he’s not infirmed nor eldery, by the way). I was somewhat shocked when I saw this and it weirded me out. From what I understand, this is no longer happening.

Now, I’ve even seen strange things occur even when the deacon is assisting at Mass. At one parish, after the Agnus Dei, when the priest holds the Host and says “Ecce Agnus Dei”, the celebrant gave a piece of the Host to the deacon and had himj hold up his piece together with the priest. That was also bizarre. The priest, however, has since been transferred, although I haven’t been tack to the parish to see if things have improved.

 

[Phemie]

At my parish, the EMHCs approach the altar after the celebrant has communicated and they receive Holy Communion directly from the priest. The Cathedral is now doing this as well. Unfortunately, in other parishes, this hasn’t happened yet. I’ve seen one instance where the priest will distribute Holy Communion to the EMHC’s and then sit at the celebrant’s chair while the EMHC’s and deacon distribute Holy Communion (he’s not infirmed nor eldery, by the way). I was somewhat shocked when I saw this and it weirded me out. From what I understand, this is no longer happening.

Unfortunately our EMHCs approach the altar at the Our Father. After the fractioning rite Fr. hands around the ciborium as though it were a candy dish, the EMHCs and altar servers help themselves and hold the body of Christ until Fr. goes to back to the altar to say “May the body of Christ bring me to everlasting life”. Then everyone consumes at the same time.

 

[benedictgal]

Unfortunately our EMHCs approach the altar at the Our Father. After the fractioning rite Fr. hands around the ciborium as though it were a candy dish, the EMHCs and altar servers help themselves and hold the body of Christ until Fr. goes to back to the altar to say “May the body of Christ bring me to everlasting life”. Then everyone consumes at the same time.

This is wrong as this is only allowed during Masses where there is a celebrant and several concelebrants. Watch the Papal Masses and you’ll get an idea on how this is to be properly done. The concelebrants consume at the same time as the principal celebrant. Not even the deacon consumes at the same time as the celebrant. Precisely because they are extra-ordinary ministers, the laity assisting the priest must receive Holy Communion after the celebrant has communicated. What your are witnessing in your parish is an abuse.

 

[Phemie]

This is wrong as this is only allowed during Masses where there is a celebrant and several concelebrants. Watch the Papal Masses and you’ll get an idea on how this is to be properly done. The concelebrants consume at the same time as the principal celebrant. Not even the deacon consumes at the same time as the celebrant. Precisely because they are extra-ordinary ministers, the laity assisting the priest must receive Holy Communion after the celebrant has communicated. What your are witnessing in your parish is an abuse.

I’m well aware that it’s an abuse but there is nothing I can do about it or about 3 EMHCs for 40 communicants or 3 EMHCs with a priest sitting down and watching. The pastor refuse to even read ‘Redemptionis…’ or any other document and his mantra is “we haven’t implemented those yet…” He and the bishop are seminary buddies so all the bishop does is shake his head and go on his merry way. Even if he were to say something pastor wouldn’t listen.

 

[benedictgal]

I’m well aware that it’s an abuse but there is nothing I can do about it or about 3 EMHCs for 40 communicants or 3 EMHCs with a priest sitting down and watching. The pastor refuse to even read ‘Redemptionis…’ or any other document and his mantra is “we haven’t implemented those yet…” He and the bishop are seminary buddies so all the bishop does is shake his head and go on his merry way. Even if he were to say something pastor wouldn’t listen.

You should, however, make an effort to mention this to the bishop in writing. Seminary buddies or not, the bishop, as the chief liturgical steward of his diocese, needs to protect the integrity of the rites, especially where it concerns the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. In your letter, remind him that the documents from the Holy See charge him with protecting the integrity of Divine Worship and the celebration of the Sacraments in his diocese. Quote from the documents, if you have to do so. It certainly doesn’t hurt to remind the bishop of what his duties are. We may not be St. Catherine of Sienna (who told the Pope that he had to return to Rome immediately, and she was just a humble nun); however, we are called to point out deficiencies in the spirit of fraternal correction and charity.

If the bishop chooses not to do anything, then, write a letter to the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments. That is the remedy given in Redemptionis Sacramentum. There will be some who, no doubt, will discourage you from doing so; however, silence when you know that an abuse occurs is just as bad as the perpetrator of that abuse. A friend of mine wrote to Cardinal Arinze last year regarding some serious abuses in the diocese. Although she knows that she won’t get an answer directly from the Congregation, she said that she believes that she’s done her duty (she had informed the bishop but zilch happened).

Redemptionis Sacramentum has the remedies spelled out. You can find this document at www.adoremus.org . I would trust what RS says regarding how to handle this than any other information floating around out there in cyber space. I hope this helps.

 

[peregrinus_sg]

Don’t forget to pray and fast for your pastors too. Prayer works wonders and can convert numerous disobedient souls.