receiving a blessing at communion

[AlanFromWichita]

The Church’s official teachings and practices are always correct and this is no exception. The issue comes about when Her instructions are not followed or keep getting stretched out further and further by individuals, not by the Church Herself.

mda

That doesn’t address my questions. I asked for one, does the Sacrament change back into bread in the hands of an EMHC, and therefore become not a Sacrament, and second, what gives me the right – and even the gall – to second-guess the celebrant of the Mass and to how he conducts himself vis a vis the distribution of the Body and Blood of Christ? There are saints rolling in their graves right now over this thread.

If we don’t like what the priest is doing, and the bishops don’t stop them, then we can either a) become pope and set them all straight, or b) accept, with humility, our stations in life and get back being the best we can be at our own stewardship callings with respect to the Church, whatever they are. For me, it’s playing music. Praise to the Lord!

:harp:

We need to remember that we are not all the controllers in the Body of Christ. I guess we all wish to be antibodies or some type of sentinels that would keep the others pure … but we have allergic reaction when we attack other members.

It’s rare, but it happens when I disagree with my own pastor, but it’s still my job to do what he asks for the Church without telling him how to do his job. Does he allow me to question him? Yes. To override his decisions? No. I know my place.

Next we’ll get into an argument about COTT or CITH.

Alan

 

[smndtupidisaftr]

Of course nothing changes when you receive from an EMHC versus an EM. However, to view the ministry as a way to increase participation is wrong. The Church has stated that they exist solely out of necessity.

And can we please stop referring to lay ministers as EM’s? Only the ordained are Eucharistic Ministers.

 

[AlanFromWichita]

Of course nothing changes when you receive from an EMHC versus an EM. However, to view the ministry as a way to increase participation is wrong. The Church has stated that they exist solely out of necessity.

So what’s the question? Whether we avoid EMHC’s? Whether we refuse to become one? Whether to tell our pastor we shouldn’t have them? I just don’t see any practical question that requires my opinion on why the celebrant does things the way he does, in order to answer. Is it so that I’ll have a bug in the back of my mind always telling me “something is wrong here,” whenever I’m at one of the vast majority of Masses where EMHC’s are used?

I don’t mean this to be personally about you. Sorry if I’ve missed some of what you had said before I jumped in; the thread was long enough I read the first third and skimmed the rest.

Alan

 

[smndtupidisaftr]

Simply, they are overused rather than used out of necessity.

 

[AlanFromWichita]

Simply, they are overused rather than used out of necessity.

If totally on “necessity only,” we do not need them at all. People either get to a priest or sorry, Charlie – should have done more for vocations.

Like is there a specification that says the Church MUST make Communion available every Sunday within five miles of every Catholic who may be in the state of grace? Or that Communion must never last more than 10 minutes? If not, then there is no absolute “need.” End of story. Right?

Alan

 

[ajecphotos]

Eucharistic MInisters are not over used when we don’t have many and also not many priests either!!!

Maybe in the USA you have tons of priests and Eucharistic MInisters but that is not the case where I live. We are need to support the priest, not take over!

God Bless

 

[Phemie]

Eucharistic MInisters are not over used when we don’t have many and also not many priests either!!!

Maybe in the USA you have tons of priests and Eucharistic MInisters but that is not the case where I live. We are need to support the priest, not take over!

God Bless

You seem determined to push people’s buttons by continuing to refer to yourself as a Eucharistic Minister even though you’ve been corrected several times. The Church, in Redemptionis Sacramentum, has categorically stated “[154.] As has already been recalled, “the only minister who can confect the Sacrament of the Eucharist in persona Christi is a validly ordained Priest”.[254] Hence the name “minister of the Eucharist” belongs properly to the Priest alone.”

Yes, EMHCs are there to help, but I’ve experienced first hand how some bristle at being told that they are not needed because there are enough Ordinary Ministers present. They think that because they were scheduled they have a right to serve, regardless of how many ordinary ministers are available. As a former EMHC I rejoiced when my service wasn’t needed. I quit being one when I became aware of how overused we were.

Of course I’ve also seen readers get upset when parts of their ministry are taken over by a transient deacon to whom those parts rightfully belong (carrying the Book of Gospels in procession & reading the Prayers of the Faithful). They simply don’t get the message that their services are only required when the ordinary ministers (in this case, instituted lectors and deacons) are not available.

 

[bilop]

You seem determined to push people’s buttons by continuing to refer to yourself as a Eucharistic Minister even though you’ve been corrected several times. The Church, in Redemptionis Sacramentum, has categorically stated “[154.] As has already been recalled, “the only minister who can confect the Sacrament of the Eucharist in persona Christi is a validly ordained Priest”.[254] Hence the name “minister of the Eucharist” belongs properly to the Priest alone.”

Yes, EMHCs are there to help, but I’ve experienced first hand how some bristle at being told that they are not needed because there are enough Ordinary Ministers present. They think that because they were scheduled they have a right to serve, regardless of how many ordinary ministers are available. As a former EMHC I rejoiced when my service wasn’t needed. I quit being one when I became aware of how overused we were.

Of course I’ve also seen readers get upset when parts of their ministry are taken over by a transient deacon to whom those parts rightfully belong (carrying the Book of Gospels in procession & reading the Prayers of the Faithful). They simply don’t get the message that their services are only required when the ordinary ministers (in this case, instituted lectors and deacons) are not available.

EMCHs are definitely overused in the U.S. My parish has 4 priests (3 active and 1 retired) and even when 3 or 4 are present to distribute, there are always 1 or 2 EMHCs used. Makes no sense.

If EMHC’s are needed in an area, I don’t see why the bishops don’t properly institute acolytes and lectors to the minor orders of the clergy. They could then serve the Mass, vested in cassock and surplice, and serve as EMHCs as well.

Actually, I do know why. Minor clergy have to be male, and no one wants to upset the women.

God Bless

 

[Phemie]

EMCHs are definitely overused in the U.S. My parish has 4 priests (3 active and 1 retired) and even when 3 or 4 are present to distribute, there are always 1 or 2 EMHCs used. Makes no sense.

If EMHC’s are needed in an area, I don’t see why the bishops don’t properly institute acolytes and lectors to the minor orders of the clergy. They could then serve the Mass, vested in cassock and surplice, and serve as EMHCs as well.

Actually, I do know why. Minor clergy have to be male, and no one wants to upset the women.

God Bless

The Vatican has left it up to the Conference of Bishops to determine the requirements for institution to the ministries of Lector and Acolyte. In Canada, as I understand it, those requirements include being a candidate for the Diaconate, transient or permanent. Not so in the US, where some dioceses do make great use of these instituted ministries.

In Canada, unless a diocese has many such candidates (we have a grand total of 1 and he’s now an instituted Acolyte) those instituted ministers will be unknown in most parishes. I doubt that most PIP even know that these instituted ministries exist.

 

[centurionguard]

EMCHs are definitely overused in the U.S. My parish has 4 priests (3 active and 1 retired) and even when 3 or 4 are present to distribute, there are always 1 or 2 EMHCs used. Makes no sense.

If EMHC’s are needed in an area, I don’t see why the bishops don’t properly institute acolytes and lectors to the minor orders of the clergy. They could then serve the Mass, vested in cassock and surplice, and serve as EMHCs as well.

Actually, I do know why. Minor clergy have to be male, and no one wants to upset the women.

God Bless

The ongoing problem with EMHC’s seems to be everywhere in Canada as well.
I was a former full-time EMHC. I still bring Holy Communion in a pyx home to my terminally ill mother. It seems given the growing shortage of priests with Sunday Lay services in some parishes, instilled EMHC’s think their position is a right taking it for granted. Being asked to serve as an EMHC is something of a very humble service above all. Never to be taken as a right.

 

[ajecphotos]

As I said many times before, or Diocese is in poor shape regarding priests and Deacons. If it weren’t then we wouldn’t be required. I am only ther to help the church, not to barge in an take over.

The priest last year was aking for more people to help wit Holy Communion as the situate was getting dire.

Sometimes at a school service where there are many hundreds of children it is jut me and the priest and one Other Minister. It really is bad here.

 

[smndtupidisaftr]

EMCHs are definitely overused in the U.S. My parish has 4 priests (3 active and 1 retired) and even when 3 or 4 are present to distribute, there are always 1 or 2 EMHCs used. Makes no sense.

That doesn’t seem so bad compared to the parishes over here. I always see at least 6 come up at the fractioning rite. For Christmas Vigil there were 12!

 

[ajecphotos]

That doesn’t seem so bad compared to the parishes over here. I always see at least 6 come up at the fractioning rite. For Christmas Vigil there were 12!

Blimey that is a massive amount!

Only a handful here! I have been doing it for nearly 2 years now.

 

[ajecphotos]

Sorry, don’t mean to keep calling myself that. Force of habit as that is what our priest calls us!

 

[airforcemom]

I am a Communion Minister and have been since about 1985. Our church is small. Our priest has handled two parishes since 1984 or so. We do have one Deacon (since 2010) and one 84 year old retired priest who helps as much as he can. If it were not for the Communion Ministers, the majority of which are women, it would be difficult. I’d love not to have to do it but the 3 men we have I can’t see them stepping up and doing more than they do now which is rarely serving. In some areas we are needed and all I know would love not to be needed.

 

[ajecphotos]

I am a Communion Minister and have been since about 1985. Our church is small. Our priest has handled two parishes since 1984 or so. We do have one Deacon (since 2010) and one 84 year old retired priest who helps as much as he can. If it were not for the Communion Ministers, the majority of which are women, it would be difficult. I’d love not to have to do it but the 3 men we have I can’t see them stepping up and doing more than they do now which is rarely serving. In some areas we are needed and all I know would love not to be needed.

It’s a lovely ministry. A very rewarding ministry. I am very lucky to be in the position where I am needed by the priest and able to serve god.

 

[Phemie]

Sorry, don’t mean to keep calling myself that. Force of habit as that is what our priest calls us!

I stopped using the term in the parish bulletin and schedules when Redemptionis Sacramentum came out (2004) but I’ve noticed that our new pastor (a canon lawyer) is using the term in the latest bulletin in an advertisement for new EMHCs.

Sometimes I wonder if it’s just we liturgy geeks who bother to read these documents. I know my former pastor refused to read it, let alone implement any of the changes mandated by the document. In fact, he returned to practices that his predecessor, who had been Pastor at the time RS was released but retired 6 months later, had discontinued (having the EMHCs, none of whom are instituted acolytes, purify the vessels.)

It later became evident that the document wasn’t widely promulgated in Canada until 7 years later when the new Roman Missal was introduced in 2011. Since few of the things in RS had anything directly to do with the Roman Missal it’s not clear why it couldn’t have been implemented upon its release.

 

[ajecphotos]

I stopped using the term in the parish bulletin and schedules when Redemptionis Sacramentum came out (2004) but I’ve noticed that our new pastor (a canon lawyer) is using the term in the latest bulletin in an advertisement for new EMHCs.

Sometimes I wonder if it’s just we liturgy geeks who bother to read these documents. I know my former pastor refused to read it, let alone implement any of the changes mandated by the document. In fact, he returned to practices that his predecessor, who had been Pastor at the time RS was released but retired 6 months later, had discontinued (having the EMHCs, none of whom are instituted acolytes, purify the vessels.)

It later became evident that the document wasn’t widely promulgated in Canada until 7 years later when the new Roman Missal was introduced in 2011. Since few of the things in RS had anything directly to do with the Roman Missal it’s not clear why it couldn’t have been implemented upon its release.

My priest is a Canon Lawyer too. You would think he would use the right terminology. Even when we get written notices from him he heads it ‘Eucharistic Ministers’