Should I be a Eucharistic minister?

  • Thread starter Thread starter sma
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
S

sma

Guest
If I know my parish is abusing the use of Eucharistic ministers, should I even continue being one? They don’t really seem to be needed at Mass.
 
What kind of abuses are we talking about here? Not enough people at the mass to warrent the use of a Eucharistic Minister or something more serious?
 
One of the blessings I get from being an Extraordinary Eucharistic Minister is I get to visit our local hospital and bring the Eucharist to the patients. Our parish has only one resident priest, our pastor, and on Sundays has at least two Masses to celebrate, so after 9:00am Mass I bring the consecrated Eucharist to the sick for him.

So, as you can see, even if your parish doesn’t need you at Mass the homebound or hospital patients may need you.
 
Being a EMHC is a great experience if done with the right motivation and training. It sounds like you are discerning the Spirit in light of the teachings of the Church. That’s good enough for me, I say go for it.

God Bless
 
Lots of interesting responses on a similar thread .

My personal opinion - if you think there is not a need in your parish, then you shouldn’t do it, and let your pastor know why.

Betsy
 
I volunteered to be a Extraordinary Minister of Communion (commonly: Eucharistic Minister) some time ago due to a shortage at a particular mass. We have a parish of ~2200 families with four masses on Sunday morning. We normally have the celebrant, one of the other priests, and a permanent Deacon assisting. Besides these men there will be nine Extraordinary Ministers required at each mass. This is with 30 minutes between each mass start time. The church seats ~750 people.

I feel this is an acceptable use of Extraordinary Ministers. I trust the pastor to determine when we are used and to what extent. I feel it is a great honor to help with mass in this manner and I take it very seriously.

Peace -
 
40.png
rayray81:
What kind of abuses are we talking about here? Not enough people at the mass to warrent the use of a Eucharistic Minister or something more serious?
Click to expand...
Yes, not enough people to really delay Mass much if we didn’t use the extraordinary ministers. It seems to be just a convenience to hurry things up a bit.
 
40.png
sma:
If I know my parish is abusing the use of Eucharistic ministers, should I even continue being one? They don’t really seem to be needed at Mass.
Click to expand...
Any EMs are too many EMs. If I were you, I would quit immediately. God bless.
 
40.png
EENS:
Any EMs are too many EMs. If I were you, I would quit immediately. God bless.
Click to expand...
Actually, the more Eucharistic Ministers, the better.

A Eucharistic Minister is a Priest or a Bishop. Only those men can confect the Eucharist.

Along with Deacons, they are also Ministers of Holy Communion. They are permiited to touch the Blessed Sacrement to distribute it to the faithful. Note the difference. EM vs. MHC

Now there are also Extra-Ordinary Ministers of Holy Communion. I think there are too many of those 😉
 
I was asked to be an Extaordinary Minister of the Eucharist and I declined. My husband is one and quite frankly (and I probably going to pay for this one),I just don’t think women should be… too many women EMs and altar girls…the men and the boys aren’t coming forward. It used to be that boys looked up to the priest and hence maybe a call to the priesthood. I realize times have changed and boy do I know it coming from the Archdioces of Boston, but maybe if we women stepped back, the men would come forward!🙂
 
40.png
EENS:
Any EMs are too many EMs. If I were you, I would quit immediately. God bless.
Click to expand...
This guy seems a tad reactionary.

I wonder what he did to get suspended?
 
Bud Stewart:
One of the blessings I get from being an Extraordinary Eucharistic Minister is I get to visit our local hospital and bring the Eucharist to the patients. Our parish has only one resident priest, our pastor, and on Sundays has at least two Masses to celebrate, so after 9:00am Mass I bring the consecrated Eucharist to the sick for him.

So, as you can see, even if your parish doesn’t need you at Mass the homebound or hospital patients may need you.
Click to expand...
My wife and I are Eucharistic Ministers at Mass and at a nearby hospital. I find distributing Holy Communion at the hospital to be more rewarding. Many of the patients are really in need of the solace that only the Eucharist can provide. Occasionally, I do think that the use of EMEs at Mass is abusive. For example, I attended a Sunday Mass where there were 8 priests and a deacon concelebrating. Yet, at communion time, only the deacon and one of the priests distributed Holy Communion; however, there also 7 EMEs.
 
“My wife and I are Eucharistic Ministers at Mass and at a nearby hospital”

As someone pointed out earlier, you are not Eucharistic Ministers - only the priest is a Eucharistic Minister,

Priests, Bishops and Deacons are Ordinary Ministers of Holy Communion

You and your wife are Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion

It’s time we all get this right.
 
Since this extraordinary anxiety (pun intended) seems here to stay, are there any guidelines for just how long the distribution of Holy Communion should take? Is there any definition of “prolonged” we can look to? In my cathedral parish we typically have priest, deacon and 6 EMHC for both species, and there have been Sundays where we have sung 3 multi-versed hymns during distribution. I don’t mind the singing, but at some point we will surely reach “prolonged.” We have 5 Sunday Masses plus a Vigil, so I’m not sure “add more Masses” is an answer–What is?
 
Along this thought, at Mass (we have only one priest who serves 3 parishes) there would be no cup if there were no EMEs which would be best in your opinions?
 
40.png
Fortiterinre:
We have 5 Sunday Masses plus a Vigil, so I’m not sure “add more Masses” is an answer–What is?
Click to expand...
Are there priests sitting in the rectory waiting their turn to celebrate Mass? Perhaps they could help. If not, I think you have a situation where EMHCs are warranted. Enough time to sing three long hymns when you must clear the parking lot for the next Mass at some point sounds like you’re nearing the “too long” point. There are no specific guidelines - this is the part of the instruction that is left to Pastors to interpret. As such, it is unfortunately subject to people’s agendas. In places where it is desired to blur the distinction between priest and laity, “too long” will have quite a different definition than in places where the priest is allowed to be the priest and the laity are allowed to be the laity. But at some point, “too long” becomes obvious, such as your situation. If one Mass ends two minutes before the next one begins, obviously something needs to be done.

Betsy
 
40.png
Fortiterinre:
In my cathedral parish we typically have priest, deacon and 6 EMHC for both species…We have 5 Sunday Masses plus a Vigil, so I’m not sure “add more Masses” is an answer–What is?
Click to expand...
Five Masses and only one priest?
If you have more than one priest in residence, those other priests should be there at Communion time to assist with distribution of the Eucharist.

Another way to cut down on prolonging the Communion line is to reserve it for Communicants only, rather than having the entire congregation come forward for blessings and such!!!

Pax Christi. <><
 
Well, all you anti EMHC’s will love this. My parish uses 40 EMHC’s at every mass. There is just no way it could be done without that many due to the size of our parish unless of course we all wanted to have two hour masses.😛
 
Sure!! You will benefit by giving service to others.
Peace be with you…
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top