Question about taking Holy Communion to homebound

[Kambi]

I have a question that caused a huge arguement.

My boyfriend’s father recently passed away. I remember him bringing Communion to his wife while he was still able. Yesterday, at Mass, my boyfriend had his father’s pyx and took a Host for his mother. I was concerned because he is not a Eucharistic minister. We were also out of town and it would be hours before he would give her the Sacrament. I didn’t know it we should leave the pxy in the car or what. So, Jesus went out to lunch with us and then to the mall. (I’m not trying to be funny here).

Now, my boyfriend’s family is extremely Catholic. He had an uncle who was a priest and an aunt who was a nun (both deceased), so there was no disrespect intended by his actions and his intentions were good. But I felt that I had to say something.

He became upset and defensive and said,“do you really think a Eucharistic minister gets Communion and then starts to directly make rounds to the sick and homebound?” I said yes, I did.

I hope that I get some response on this from some Eucharistic ministers. In the meantime, I told him to call his mother’s parish and ask if someone qualified would bring her Communion. He said that they “don’t go to individual homes, only nursing homes and hospitals!” What??? I could not reason with him.

By the way, we are not sure if his father was a Eucharistic minister, I just assumed that he had been.

Thank you for any help.

 

[Joan_M]

I have a question that caused a huge arguement.

My boyfriend’s father recently passed away. I remember him bringing Communion to his wife while he was still able. Yesterday, at Mass, my boyfriend had his father’s pyx and took a Host for his mother. I was concerned because he is not a Eucharistic minister. We were also out of town and it would be hours before he would give her the Sacrament. I didn’t know it we should leave the pxy in the car or what. So, Jesus went out to lunch with us and then to the mall. (I’m not trying to be funny here).

Now, my boyfriend’s family is extremely Catholic. He had an uncle who was a priest and an aunt who was a nun (both deceased), so there was no disrespect intended by his actions and his intentions were good. But I felt that I had to say something.

He became upset and defensive and said,“do you really think a Eucharistic minister gets Communion and then starts to directly make rounds to the sick and homebound?” I said yes, I did.

I hope that I get some response on this from some Eucharistic ministers. In the meantime, I told him to call his mother’s parish and ask if someone qualified would bring her Communion. **He said that they “don’t go to individual homes, only nursing homes and hospitals!” What??? **I could not reason with him.

By the way, we are not sure if his father was a Eucharistic minister, I just assumed that he had been.

Thank you for any help.

**So, how did he get the Host? I hope he didn’t just bring it with him in the Communion line and ask for a Host to be placed in it! I have seen that happen a number of times and it is totally wrong.

****This was totally wrong - carrying Jesus along with you. He should have gone straight from Mass to his mother’s home to give it to her. **

Of course Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion go directly to the sick and home-bound. This is what they are directed to do. If they don’t, they should be reported to the priest.

**Most of the people who receive Holy Communion in this was are in their individual homes. So, how does he think that they get to receive Holy Communion?

**You were totally correct and your boyfriend is, at least, misinformed. He should call or visit either the priest in his mother’s parish or the lay person who co-ordinates bringing Holy Communion to the sick and home-bound. Unless she lives in a place completely off the beaten track, they are likely to have a regularly scheduled Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion who normally covers the area where she lives.

Holy Communion does not need to be brought to a sick/home-bound person on a daily basis. It would normally only be brought once per week, at most. It certainly should not be taken anywhere else, like on a shopping trip!

 

[Kambi]

Thank you for the reply.

He was given the host during Communion by lay minister when he went up in line and held out the pyx, no questions asked. I have since talked to him this morning and he is being more reasonable and is going to call the church office and ask that Communion be taken to his mom. He discussed it with her and they both agreed that it was wrong and he is going to confess it at next confession.

Thank you

 

[benedictgal]

My father serves as an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion to the homebound. He goes early on Sunday morning to the Cathedral and either the administrator, the parochial vicar or the deacon will give him the pyx. Then, he goes straight to his rounds.

One thing to note is that the only ones who are Eucharistic Ministers are the bishop and priest because only they can confect (that is to say, cause to happen) the Sacrament. The laity who assist the priests in distributing Holy Communion are called Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion by the Church. We need to use the terms that the Church gives us.

 

[kage_ar]

EMHCs undergo training so they KNOW that they don’t take Jesus along to the mall. Yes, they go directly to the private homes, nursing homes and hospitals. There is also a prayer service and they go over the readings.

As the pyx has held the body of Christ, wisdom says to donate it to the Parish instead of keeping it at home.

 

[tinalewis]

Yes, I drive directly from my parish to the hospital, nursing home, or to the home of a house-bound parishioner. And then if I still have hosts, or part of a host left, I drive right back to the parish to replace it in the tabernacle.

Often Jesus accompanies me to the ladies’ room. But since he knows everything, I don’t think the inside of a ladies’ room shocks him.

 

[Cristiano]

That is interesting! When I used go with my family to bring Communion to the home bound we had a rule of not even chatting in the car out of respect. We would distribute Communion and only after that we would socialize with the people. There is also a ritual that should be followed, if possible, when distributing communion.

 

[John_Lilburne]

From the 2004 Instruction Redemptionis Sacramentum:
“[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. Furthermore the Rite for the administration of Communion to the sick, as prescribed in the Roman Ritual, is always to be used.”

The full document is at vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/ccdds/documents/rc_con_ccdds_doc_20040423_redemptionis-sacramentum_en.html .

 

[Mrs_Sally]

That is interesting! When I used go with my family to bring Communion to the home bound we had a rule of not even chatting in the car out of respect. We would distribute Communion and only after that we would socialize with the people. There is also a ritual that should be followed, if possible, when distributing communion.

We have this rule as well. We receive the hosts at the end of the communion distribution, right before any remaining hosts are reserved. At the conclusion of Mass, we go straight to the nursing home or to the private homes we visit. I do not listen to the radio in the car even. After I have distributed communion to whomever I was assigned to visit, I go straight back to church if I have any remaining hosts. Usually I don’t, so I can go home. I even make it a point to visit the ladies room before Mass so I don’t have to worry about that! I can’t imagine having Our Lord with me while I went out to lunch and window shopping! It is just not very respectful.

To the OP, I am very glad that your boyfriend is now looking into the proper procedure for his mom to receive communion. I pray the this experience leads you both to consider EMHC training so that you can take Holy Communion to other shut-ins who may not have family in the area to ever take them to church. It is a great privilege and blessing!

 

[tinalewis]

I even make it a point to visit the ladies room before Mass so I don’t have to worry about that!

I wish that would take care of things for me, but my parish serves an extremely large hospital that has many separate buildings and it takes me a minimum of 3 hours (usually more like 4 hours) to see to all the Catholic patients. That’s a very long time to hold it in!

The nursing home in our parish is also spread out over several buildings and floors depending on the level of care, and I drink a cup of coffee there on Sunday mornings after Mass or else I’ll get one of those caffeine-deprivation headaches. And we know what coffee means! It means I’ll be in the ladies’ room at least once on my visit.

And we won’t even discuss the needs during the “Time of the Month” . . .

 

[jmcrae]

He became upset and defensive and said,“do you really think a Eucharistic minister gets Communion and then starts to directly make rounds to the sick and homebound?” I said yes, I did.

Absolutely, they do - they aren’t even allowed to wait around for the closing prayers of the Mass - when you see an EMHC taking the Eucharist in a pyx, you will see that they receive a personal blessing from the priest at the moment that the Host is placed in the pyx, and then they immediately leave the building and take it to the home-bound person or to the hospital. There is absolutely no way that they would stop off along the way to do errands, etc.

 

[Cristiano]

Absolutely, they do - they aren’t even allowed to wait around for the closing prayers of the Mass - when you see an EMHC taking the Eucharist in a pyx, you will see that they receive a personal blessing from the priest at the moment that the Host is placed in the pyx, and then they immediately leave the building and take it to the home-bound person or to the hospital. There is absolutely no way that they would stop off along the way to do errands, etc.

Why don’t they wait for Mass to be over and then go with the pyx to the priest or the deacon?

 

[jmcrae]

Why don’t they wait for Mass to be over and then go with the pyx to the priest or the deacon?

Because by then the Hosts have been put away, and the priest is gone, and the EMHCs would have to chase him down in the Rectory. It’s easier for everyone if the EMHCs come forward right at the end of the distribution of Holy Communion, receive their Hosts, and then leave immediately after receiving their blessing.

 

[benedictgal]

Why don’t they wait for Mass to be over and then go with the pyx to the priest or the deacon?

My dad goes to Mass late Saturday afternoon. He gets up very early on Sunday morning and waits for the administrator, parochial vicar or deacon to give him the pyx and then he makes his rounds. He has to visit a senior citizens home, going up seven flights of stairs and then he moves on to the individual homes and then to a nursing home. He usually starts at about 7:30AM. He is also the only one who visits the homebound, elderly and infirmed.

 

[Cristiano]

Because by then the Hosts have been put away, and the priest is gone, and the EMHCs would have to chase him down in the Rectory. It’s easier for everyone if the EMHCs come forward right at the end of the distribution of Holy Communion, receive their Hosts, and then leave immediately after receiving their blessing.

I understand what you are saying, but it appears to me that something is broken if the faithfuls are not allowed to be there until the Mass is over. My understanding is that the EMHC can accede the tabernacle when the Mass is over. I would prefer to have an ordained person or an instituted acolyte to open the tabernacle, but that is just my preference.

 

[Cristiano]

My dad goes to Mass late Saturday afternoon. He gets up very early on Sunday morning and waits for the administrator, parochial vicar or deacon to give him the pyx and then he makes his rounds. He has to visit a senior citizens home, going up seven flights of stairs and then he moves on to the individual homes and then to a nursing home. He usually starts at about 7:30AM. He is also the only one who visits the homebound, elderly and infirmed.

You father is a very commendable person.

 

[benedictgal]

You father is a very commendable person.

Thank you. He’s been doing this for about 18 years now. It was a promise that he made when he had a stroke. Our former pastor (now deceased) visited him and gave him the Sacraments. My dad vowed that if he recovered, he would visit the elderly, infirmed and homebound to bring them Holy Communion. He is now 71 years old and is still going strong. He really enjoys doing this.

 

[jmcrae]

I understand what you are saying, but it appears to me that something is broken if the faithfuls are not allowed to be there until the Mass is over. My understanding is that the EMHC can accede the tabernacle when the Mass is over. I would prefer to have an ordained person or an instituted acolyte to open the tabernacle, but that is just my preference.

The EMHCs would never be allowed to just go to the Tabernacle after Mass and help themselves - not in our Diocese, anyway. The only way to receive the Host in a pyx around here is to have the priest place it there.

 

[zab]

The EMHCs would never be allowed to just go to the Tabernacle after Mass and help themselves - …

The EMHC in your diocese may not be allowed to open the tabernacle themselves to get the Hosts to put in their pyx for the people on their Communion routes. And that may be a good thing. But in diocese or parishes particularly where we have only one priest and where the EMHC are allowed to do this, they are not doing so “to help themselves.” I hope that you did not intend for your post to come across as being uncharitable to those EMHC.

 

[jmcrae]

The EMHC in your diocese may not be allowed to open the tabernacle themselves to get the Hosts to put in their pyx for the people on their Communion routes. And that may be a good thing. But in diocese or parishes particularly where we have only one priest and where the EMHC are allowed to do this, they are not doing so “to help themselves.” I hope that you did not intend for your post to come across as being uncharitable to those EMHC.

Even if there is only one priest, and even if your one priest has more than one parish, it is still absolutely forbidden. They have to wait until Mass, and they come forward at the end of the distribution of Holy Communion with their pyxes.

By “helping themselves” I meant lay persons taking hosts out of the Tabernacle without permission or authorization from the priest.

If they didn’t come during Mass because of an unavoidable delay, and the priest is telling them to go and get it themselves, then they have no choice in the matter, but if they are simply neglectful and forgot to go to Mass, and are just thinking Oh well, I can grab the hosts from the Tabernacle without bothering the priest - no - that’s really, really bad. The EMHC is not an independent person. He is an extension of the priest, which means that the priest has to know what he is doing, where he is going, etc., and has to be giving him the permission and authorization.