the habitual use of extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion at Mass

[universalindult]

Most people do not realize that the Vatican banned the habitual use of extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion at Mass ten years ago:

vatican.va/roman_curia/pontifical_councils/laity/documents/rc_con_interdic_doc_15081997_en.html
INSTRUCTION

ON CERTAIN QUESTIONS REGARDING
THE COLLABORATION OF THE NON-ORDAINED
FAITHFUL IN THE SACRED MINISTRY OF PRIEST

LIBRERIA EDITRICE VATICANA
VATICAN CITY 1997

…

Article 8

The Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion
…

§ 1. The canonical discipline concerning extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion must be correctly applied so as to avoid generating confusion. The same discipline establishes that the ordinary minister of Holy Communion is the Bishop, the Priest and the the Deacon.(96) Extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion are those instituted as acolytes and the faithful so deputed in accordance with Canon 230, § 3.(97)

A non-ordained member of the faithful, in cases of true necessity, may be deputed by the diocesan bishop, using the appropriate form of blessing for these situation, to act as an extraordinary minister to distribute Holy Communion outside of liturgical celebrations ad actum vel ad tempus or for a more stable period. In exceptional cases or in un foreseen circumstances, the priest presiding at the liturgy may authorize such ad actum.(98)

§ 2. Extraordinary ministers may distribute Holy Communion at eucharistic celebrations only when there are no ordained ministers present or when those ordained ministers present at a liturgical celebration are truly unable to distribute Holy Communion.(99) They may also exercise this function at eucharistic celebrations where there are particularly large numbers of the faithful and which would be excessively prolonged because of an insufficient number of ordained ministers to distribute Holy Communion. (100)

This function is supplementary and extraordinary (101) and must be exercised in accordance with the norm of law. It is thus useful for the diocesan bishop to issue particular norms concerning extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion which, in complete harmony with the universal law of the Church, should regulate the exercise of this function in his diocese. Such norms should provide, amongst other things, for matters such as the instruction in eucharistic doctrine of those chosen to be extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion, the meaning of the service they provide, the rubrics to be observed, the reverence to be shown for such an august Sacrament and instruction concerning the discipline on admission to Holy Communion.

To avoid creating confusion, certain practices are to be avoided and eliminated where such have emerged in particular Churches:

— extraordinary ministers receiving Holy Communion apart from the other faithful as though concelebrants;

— association with the renewal of promises made by priests at the Chrism Mass on Holy Thursday, as well as other categories of faithful who renew religious vows or receive a mandate as extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion;

— **the habitual use of extraordinary ministers **of Holy Communion at Mass thus arbitrarily extending the concept of “a great number of the faithful”.

 

[universalindult]

By the way, this should also put to rest the idea that extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion could be used at the TLM.

They’re not supposed to be used habitually at ANY mass. Since most priests that would offer the TLM respect Vatican guidelines on rubrics, they aren’t going to introduce this liturgical abuse to the TLM.

 

[water]

They may also exercise this function at eucharistic celebrations where there are particularly large numbers of the faithful and which would be excessively prolonged because of an insufficient number of ordained ministers to distribute Holy Communion. (100)

My big parish has no problem with this.

 

[universalindult]

My big parish has no problem with this.

Seems to be a contradiction here:

To avoid creating confusion, certain practices are to be avoided and eliminated…

— the habitual use of extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion at Mass thus arbitrarily extending the concept of “a great number of the faithful”.

People will sit for hours watching TV, movies, or a football game. They’ll go to the mall at 4:00am on Black Friday and wait for hours for a bargain.

But they insist that obeying the Vatican on the elimination of EMHCs will cause mass to be too long.

Do we think God is blind?

 

[water]

1 priest, 1 deacon, and about 1,000 to 1,200 parishioners in one mass - and total of 6 masses on Sunday. Do you think we need EMHC? …

 

[universalindult]

1 priest, 1 deacon, and about 1,000 parishioners in one mass - and total of 6 masses on Sunday. Do you think we need EMHC? …

No. You need more priests.

 

[water]

No. You need more priests.

yes, we do obviously. Pray about it, will you?

 

[JuanCarlos]

If we never started (ab)using EMHC’s in the first place we may have had more priests.

I heard once that in Ruthenian Churches the guidelines for EMHC’s are 1 EMHC for every 75 people.

 

[palmas85]

1 priest, 1 deacon, and about 1,000 to 1,200 parishioners in one mass - and total of 6 masses on Sunday. Do you think we need EMHC? …

So you guys have 1000 to 12000 per mass at each of 6 Sunday Masses huh??

Where do you guys come up with this stuff?

tell you what, PM me the name of this extraordinary parish and I will go there this Sunday. I’ve got to see this place:thumbsup:

 

[water]

So you guys have 1000 to 12000 per mass at each of 6 Sunday Masses huh??

Where do you guys come up with this stuff?

tell you what, PM me the name of this extraordinary parish and I will go there this Sunday. I’ve got to see this place:thumbsup:

I’ll be delighted to take you there when you have a chance. Just PM me.

saintwilliams.org

A brand new church holding ~1,700 seats - Saint William of Round Rock, TX. It should be the biggest parish by now of Diocese of Austin.

 

[water]

If we never started (ab)using EMHC’s in the first place we may have had more priests.

I heard once that in Ruthenian Churches the guidelines for EMHC’s are 1 EMHC for every 75 people.

This is only your guessing. Have you thought about yourself following the call for priesthood; you are 17 and it is a great time for this discernment. Lots of prayers contributes to this calls, not the number of EMHC.

 

[markadm]

My smaller Parish always uses EMHCs, even when not necessary. There are three every Sunday, and one at every other Mass.

My problem is I do not know how to broach the issue with our Priest.

 

[water]

My smaller Parish always uses EMHCs, even when not necessary. There are three every Sunday, and one at every other Mass.

My problem is I do not know how to broach the issue with our Priest.

I could give you advice though if I were put in such situation, I might fail to do. The article posted by OP can be discussed with your priest but the common things are to pray, to be patient, and to be humble in dealing with others.

 

[THurifer2]

1 priest, 1 deacon, and about 1,000 to 1,200 parishioners in one mass - and total of 6 masses on Sunday. Do you think we need EMHC? …

WOuld you say that 1000-1200 is a large group of communicants? I thin this is a situation where the precious blood shoud not be offered. The vatican has spoken on this very subject in Redemptionis Sacramentum.

102. The chalice should not be ministered to lay members of Christ’s faithful where there is such a large number of communicants189 that it is difficult to gauge the amount of wine for the Eucharist and there is a danger that “more than a reasonable quantity of the Blood of Christ remains to be consumed at the end of the celebration.”190 The same is true wherever access to the chalice would be difficult to arrange, or where such a large amount of wine would be required that its certain provenance and quality could only be known with difficulty, or wherever there is not an adequate number of sacred ministers or extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion with proper formation, or where a notable part of the people continues to prefer not to approach the chalice for various reasons, so that the sign of unity would in some sense be negated.

 

[Sr_Sally]

We do not offer the precious blood at our Ordinary Form Masses. We still do use EHMCs, but not to an excess. In fact I have been to Masses at my parish where we did not use EMHCs at all, communion was distributed by only priests. I have even posted about those Masses, but didn’t get a big reaction. I guess it is easier to complain.

 

[MrS]

1 priest, 1 deacon, and about 1,000 to 1,200 parishioners in one mass - and total of 6 masses on Sunday. Do you think we need EMHC? …

I am confused.

Your website says 2 priests and 5 deacons!

and Debbie George runs 6 ministries herself.

 

[GregoryPalamas]

If we never started (ab)using EMHC’s in the first place we may have had more priests.

I heard once that in Ruthenian Churches the guidelines for EMHC’s are 1 EMHC for every 75 people.

This is the first I’ve heard of this. Do you have a link?. We have no EMHCs and never will.

CDL A Byzantine (Ruthenian) Christian

 

[puzzleannie]

this discussion belongs on the Liturgy and Sacraments forum, along with the many other discussions on the same topic, because the TLM does not use EMHCs, (the number one argument in favor of TLM, IMO) and their use is not a tradition, so let us use the forums wisely, people.

 

[a_pilgrim]

I heard once that in Ruthenian Churches the guidelines for EMHC’s are 1 EMHC for every 75 people.

I have never observed the use of an EMHC in the Ruthenian Church, at least within the Eparchy of Parma. In fact, I’m not even sure what they’d be called, since the Statutes of the Byzantine Catholic Eparchy of Parma would seemingly prohibit the title of EMHC. Article 20.2 of the Statutes, which addresses the role of the laity, reads as follows:

20.2. Laity who fulfill tasks of the ministry are not to be entitled “ministers”. This term is reserved to the ordained clergy.

 

[Sr_Sally]

this discussion belongs on the Liturgy and Sacraments forum, along with the many other discussions on the same topic, because the TLM does not use EMHCs, (the number one argument in favor of TLM, IMO) and their use is not a tradition, so let us use the forums wisely, people.

I actually did start my thread on Liturgy and Sacraments. But even there it didn’t get a lot of reaction.