Question for Extraordinary Ministers

[Book_Worm]

My DGS will be receiving the Holy Eucharist for the first time next spring, and already his DM, my DD, is beginning to stress about it.

DGS has severe food allergies, fortunately not to the ingredients in the hosts or wine. Her concern is for cross-contamination. She worries, for example, that the hands that give him the Sacred Body might have made a peanut butter sandwich or peeled an egg before Mass.

What precautions are normally taken? A year or so ago I saw one of our priests greet a parishioner but gently refuse his outstretched hand saying he had just prepared to celebrate Mass and had cleansed his hands.

Honestly, I feel that the danger is very slight, but my DD has watched her DS go into anaphylactic shock three times, and I don’t question what it takes to allay her fears. Also, she’s extremely knowledgable about allergies; I’ve seen her tell an emergency room doctor things that he didn’t know, so I’m not about to try to minimize her fears to her.

But I would like to be able to reassure her if I could. His allergies affect almost every aspect of his life. I just hate it that they are already casting a pall on what should be such a joyous day for all of us.

 

[otjm]

I have no clue as to what your letters mean; and I suspect there will be others likewise.

If she has issues, she should speak with her pastor. No one here can answer for him.

 

[OraLabora]

I think I decoded it.

DGS is dear grandson.
DM is dear mother.
DD is dear daughter.
DS is dear son.

Her/his DGS’s DM is her/his DD; her/his DD’s DS is her/his DGS.

Correct me if I’m wrong Book Worm, but otjm has a point,we’re not all familiar wit all acronyms, and perhaps it’s easier to just spell out…

 

[otjm]

I have no clue as to what your letters mean; and I suspect there will be others likewise.

If she has issues, she should speak with her pastor. No one here can answer for him.

With a :tiphat: to Ora Labora, I will revise (sort of) my comment.

The mother (daughter of the OP?) should speak with the pastor; and if the grandson (?) is old enough, he too should speak with the pastor. and even if he is fairly young, that might be helpful, should he tell the pastor what it feels like when his allergies react.

Part of the OP seems to be seeking information, but that is something only the pastor can supply; part seems to be seeking a solution, and that definitely needs to be supplied by the pastor.

And some of that solution might be sitting in the first row of pews, so that they are the first to receive.

And none of that is to make light at all of the matter. This year I was sponsor for a woman joining the Church; she has a fairly severe degree of sensitivity caused by celiac disease.

 

[jaimeleglise]

By all means speak with the pastor. Would receiving the Precious Blood instead be helpful?

 

[Fauken]

As an EMHC, I wash my hands before Mass when I am to distribute communion, regardless of whether I am distributing the Precious Body or Blood. Anything that gets on my hands then is from shaking hands during the sign of peace, touching my missal, etc. However, receiving the Precious Blood may be the best bet in this case.

 

[Book_Worm]

Sorry for the confusion. DD, DM, etc., are common internet abbreviations for daughter, mother, etc. It never occurred to me that people who frequent an Internet forum would not be familiar with them or that they would be so very difficult to decipher.

My question was not “What should she do?” but rather “Are EMHCs instructed, as a matter of course, always to cleanse their hands before distributing communion?” Of course, she can and will discuss her concerns with her pastor, but that does not cover all situations in all churches. If they attend Mass at another church or if a EMHC moves from one parish to another, is there a standardized procedure with which all EMHCs are familiar? Her pastor can tell her what is normal in her parish or diocese, but that does not give her insight with what is done in every church or, if that is something that is stressed so that the ordinary EMHC is aware of it.

That is why I addressed the question to those people.

 

[ora_pro_nobis]

In my church we always use an alcohol based gel immediately before approaching the sanctuary to distribute HC - but surely the best thing would be to make the priest aware of the allergy issues, so that he can apprise the EMHCs of the situation.

 

[DaveBj]

I don’t know what the EMHC training at our parish includes, but there is an older married couple who frequently sit on the same pew that we sit on, and who both serve as EMsHC. When they are preparing to get up to go serve, I see them dosing their hands with hand sanitizer. That should take care of germs, but I do not know what effect hand sanitizer has on food allergen residue.

 

[OraLabora]

Sorry for the confusion. DD, DM, etc., are common internet abbreviations for daughter, mother, etc. It never occurred to me that people who frequent an Internet forum would not be familiar with them or that they would be so very difficult to decipher.

It depends on the kind of forums one hangs out on. Throw out acronyms like IFR, VFR, VMC, CAVOK, CAVU, MF, TWR, MDA, TDI, TSI, GTI, R, GSW, DSG, CF, Brifter, to name a few, and I’ll know exactly what you’re talking about.

But I have to admit that DGS, DD, DM, DS did not immediately snap into my mind, it took me a while to decode them. Thank God I was wearing my secret decoder ring (aka “wedding band”).

I guess it depends where one’s interests lie. When it comes to things like first communion or weddings, I defer to the Abbess of the household. But when the TSI of her GSW is misbehaving, it is to I that the Abbess comes to for help

 

[Joe_5859]

My question was not “What should she do?” but rather “Are EMHCs instructed, as a matter of course, always to cleanse their hands before distributing communion?” Of course, she can and will discuss her concerns with her pastor, but that does not cover all situations in all churches. If they attend Mass at another church or if a EMHC moves from one parish to another, is there a standardized procedure with which all EMHCs are familiar? Her pastor can tell her what is normal in her parish or diocese, but that does not give her insight with what is done in every church or, if that is something that is stressed so that the ordinary EMHC is aware of it.

That is why I addressed the question to those people.

There is no standard training that all EMHCs receive across the universal Church. It’s going to vary from diocese to diocese and even parish to parish.

I’ve seen some parishes where all the EMHCs go up and use hand sanitizer immediately before distributing Communion. But not all parishes do this.

And even if the EMHCs were all instructed to wash their hands before Mass, you’d never know if a particular EMHC just happened to forget that day.

Probably her best course of action will be to approach the priest before Mass at whatever Church they are at to see what the practice is at the parish and what special accommodations can be made for the safety of your grandson.

A priest is going to have his hands washed during Mass, so her best bet may be to sit in the place where they will be receiving from the main celebrant.

 

[paperwight]

.

A priest is going to have his hands washed during Mass,.

No, not really. A little water is trickled over the priest’s fingers, that’s all.

It’s purely symbolic. No soap is used. or any other cleaning agent.

 

[Joe_5859]

No, not really. A little water is trickled over the priest’s fingers, that’s all.

It’s purely symbolic. No soap is used. or any other cleaning agent.

Fair enough. My point was that it may be more of a washing than anyone else who is distributing Communion, but you are correct that there is no soap or cleaning agent used, so that is something they need to be aware of.

 

[1ke]

“Are EMHCs instructed, as a matter of course, always to cleanse their hands before distributing communion?”

EMHC should have clean hands. But you can have clean hands when you arrive. I only drive 5 minutes from my house to the parish. Not a lot happens between that would get my hands dirty.

That doesn’t mean EMHCs are “instructed” to do anything special-- like use sanitizer. Some parishes do that, some don’t.

Is there a universal instruction? No.
Is there a universal way things are done? No.

is there a standardized procedure with which all EMHCs are familiar?

No.

Her pastor can tell her what is normal in her parish or diocese, but that does not give her insight with what is done in every church or, if that is something that is stressed so that the ordinary EMHC is aware of it.

That is why I addressed the question to those people.

When in an unfamiliar place, simply refrain from receiving.

 

[DaveBj]

This thread reminds me of when I was visiting a parish in my home town while I was there for my 45th HS reunion (2009), in the middle of the H1N1 epidemic. There was a little table on the side of the sanctuary with a dispenser of hand sanitizer, and when the EMsHC went up, using it was almost like part of the liturgy

 

[janeway529]

My DGS will be receiving the Holy Eucharist for the first time next spring, and already his DM, my DD, is beginning to stress about it.

DGS has severe food allergies, fortunately not to the ingredients in the hosts or wine. Her concern is for cross-contamination. She worries, for example, that the hands that give him the Sacred Body might have made a peanut butter sandwich or peeled an egg before Mass.

What precautions are normally taken? A year or so ago I saw one of our priests greet a parishioner but gently refuse his outstretched hand saying he had just prepared to celebrate Mass and had cleansed his hands.

Honestly, I feel that the danger is very slight, but my DD has watched her DS go into anaphylactic shock three times, and I don’t question what it takes to allay her fears. Also, she’s extremely knowledgable about allergies; I’ve seen her tell an emergency room doctor things that he didn’t know, so I’m not about to try to minimize her fears to her.

But I would like to be able to reassure her if I could. His allergies affect almost every aspect of his life. I just hate it that they are already casting a pall on what should be such a joyous day for all of us.

If the cause for cross contamination is great, you could invest in what is called a “pyx” and have a host placed in there, while letting the priest and sacristan know so it can be on the altar and distributed at the appropriate moments.

 

[paperwight]

If the cause for cross contamination is great, you could invest in what is called a “pyx” and have a host placed in there, while letting the priest and sacristan know so it can be on the altar and distributed at the appropriate moments.

Indeed. That’s how we do it in our parish. The pyx containing a low-gluten altar-bread is placed on the corporal so that it is consecrated at the same time as the ordinary ones in the bowls. Then the EMHC takes the pyx with them to their ‘station’ and tips it out on to the person’s hand. So it is not touched or contaminated.

Actually, most parishes would have spare pyxes to lend, I’d have thought , unless the person/parents particularly wants one of their own to be absolutely sure of keeping it (the pyx) uncontaminated.-

 

[ChurchSoldier]

She can just have a talk with the Priest and make him aware of the situation. This should be done several days / weeks prior to the Mass, then a nice reminder on the day if possible.

Fortunately if this is a concern, the child is able to receive only once a year. Another possibility is to make a habit of going to a smaller weekday Mass where the Priest would be aware of the special situation.

Good luck

 

[MissRose73]

When the EMHCs were trained at my parish as part of a diocesan wide effort, we were told we could no longer have the sanitizer out at all on a table (it was later removed) and use it just before going to the altar by the priest doing our training (he is also diocesan director of liturgy). A few people will quickly pull out a travel size container just before going up to serve. I am not fond of the smell and texture at all so I never participated in the “sanitizing” ritual.

 

[Faith1960]

There is no standard training that all EMHCs receive across the universal Church. It’s going to vary from diocese to diocese and even parish to parish.

I’ve seen some parishes where all the EMHCs go up and use hand sanitizer immediately before distributing Communion. But not all parishes do this.

And even if the EMHCs were all instructed to wash their hands before Mass, you’d never know if a particular EMHC just happened to forget that day.

Probably her best course of action will be to approach the priest before Mass at whatever Church they are at to see what the practice is at the parish and what special accommodations can be made for the safety of your grandson.

A priest is going to have his hands washed during Mass, so her best bet may be to sit in the place where they will be receiving from the main celebrant.

They just lightly rinse and dry them.