To report or not to report...

[Suudy]

…that is the question.

At mass last Sunday I was an usher. I was standing off to the side helping direct people. I saw a lady come back with both her young children (looked to be about 3 and 5 years old), remove the host from her hand, break it into pieces and give it to her children, then consumed the rest herself.

The question is, do I notify my priest? If so, do I mention the specific person or just note it as a generic incident?

 

[JKirkLVNV]

…that is the question.

At mass last Sunday I was an usher. I was standing off to the side helping direct people. I saw a lady come back with both her young children (looked to be about 3 and 5 years old), remove the host from her hand, break it into pieces and give it to her children, then consumed the rest herself.

The question is, do I notify my priest? If so, do I mention the specific person or just note it as a generic incident?

YES!!! TELL YOUR PRIEST AND IF SHE’S A REGULAR, POINT HER OUT TO HIM!!!
She is in need of proper catechesis.

Has your pastor not instructed the ushers as to what to do if they see someone who did not consume the Sacrament immediately, in front of the ministers of Holy Communion (either ordinary or extraordinary)?

 

[OraProNobisIHM]

…that is the question.

At mass last Sunday I was an usher. I was standing off to the side helping direct people. I saw a lady come back with both her young children (looked to be about 3 and 5 years old), remove the host from her hand, break it into pieces and give it to her children, then consumed the rest herself.

The question is, do I notify my priest? If so, do I mention the specific person or just note it as a generic incident?

Yes, that is a horrible incident.

As JKirk says, the priest (and the ever-present "E"MHCs) need to learn to watch that people consume the Host.

 

[Suudy]

YES!!! TELL YOUR PRIEST AND IF SHE’S A REGULAR, POINT HER OUT TO HIM!!!
She is in need of proper catechesis.

She is a regular. I was unsure whether to point out the specific person, since I don’t want to appear a “tattle-tale”. My goal isn’t to get her into trouble, but to prevent this kind of abuse from happening again. I certainly don’t want to create any issues.

Has your pastor not instructed the ushers as to what to do if they see someone who did not consume the Sacrament immediately, in front of the ministers of Holy Communion (either ordinary or extraordinary)?

I’m not an EM, so I don’t know what has been said to them. As for us ushers, no. Just guide people from and back to their seats, and aren’t close enough to the altar to see anything.

But I will certainly notify our priest about the incident.

 

[KingAlfred]

…that is the question.

At mass last Sunday I was an usher. I was standing off to the side helping direct people. I saw a lady come back with both her young children (looked to be about 3 and 5 years old), remove the host from her hand, break it into pieces and give it to her children, then consumed the rest herself.

The question is, do I notify my priest? If so, do I mention the specific person or just note it as a generic incident?

Interesting scenario. I’d report it to the priest. That’s his job – to sort out things like this. If he lets it slide, at least you did the right thing.

 

[JKirkLVNV]

She is a regular. I was unsure whether to point out the specific person, since I don’t want to appear a “tattle-tale”. My goal isn’t to get her into trouble, but to prevent this kind of abuse from happening again. I certainly don’t want to create any issues.

I’m not an EM, so I don’t know what has been said to them. As for us ushers, no. Just guide people from and back to their seats, and aren’t close enough to the altar to see anything.

But I will certainly notify our priest about the incident.

Don’t think of it as ratting someone out. You’re protecting the Blessed Sacrament, the Holy One come among us. Fr. will probably handle it very well.

In the future, unless your priest says otherwise (and I CANNOT imagine that he would), you should respectfully instruct people who have carried the Most Sacred Body back to their seats to either consume It or give It to you. You should then give It to the priest.

 

[puzzleannie]

if it was a one-time thing done by a visitor there is not much you can do about it now

if this parishioner attends Mass regularly you should definitely tell your pastor and follow his advice. He should make it his business to identify and speak with the lady and to instruct ushers and EMHCs at that Mass how to approach her (in charity as in all thins). It is barely possible they are Eastern Rite Catholics and the children received first communion when they were baptized, but most of these families should know this is NOT how they bring their young children to the Eucharist, so I doubt it.

 

[stbruno]

You are not a tattle tale, you are protecting the dignity and the sanctity of the Eucharist by telling the priest, so he can approach the woman. You would be doing the very proper thing. Follow your gut.

 

[whatevergirl]

Report. I agree with stbruno.

 

[Liraco]

I see nothing wrong with telling, I agree she STRONGLY needs some good Catechesis.

The fact that she gave it to her children who should not yet be receiving and just the fact that she didn’t consume it shows she isn’t aware of what she’s doing or the value of what she’s putting in her mouth.

 

[bpbasilphx]

It’s possible that the mother and her two children are technically Eastern Catholics, where infant Communion is the norm.

In this case, they should simply tell the Priest, who would see they received Communion normally.

 

[zab]

Yes, that is a horrible incident.

As JKirk says, the priest (and the ever-present "E"MHCs) need to learn to watch that people consume the Host.

Your post comes across as being a little condescending toward those who serve as EMHC. I hope that was not your intent.

 

[Lepanto]

…that is the question.

At mass last Sunday I was an usher. I was standing off to the side helping direct people. I saw a lady come back with both her young children (looked to be about 3 and 5 years old), remove the host from her hand, break it into pieces and give it to her children, then consumed the rest herself.

The question is, do I notify my priest? If so, do I mention the specific person or just note it as a generic incident?

The priest should promote communion on the tongue. Then these incidents would be less likely to happen in the first place.

 

[OraProNobisIHM]

Your post comes across as being a little condescending toward those who serve as EMHC. I hope that was not your intent.

It’s merely to condescend towards the idea that we need an EMHC at every Mass, EVERY time the Mass is offered.

They aren’t supposed to be used all the time. If people can’t sit in the church for five more minutes to have everyone receive Christ from the priest/deacons, they really should re-examine on what they find important on a Sunday morning/Saturday evening.

 

[JKirkLVNV]

It’s merely to condescend towards the idea that we need an EMHC at every Mass, EVERY time the Mass is offered.

They aren’t supposed to be used all the time. If people can’t sit in the church for five more minutes to have everyone receive Christ from the priest/deacons, they really should re-examine on what they find important on a Sunday morning/Saturday evening.

Well, with respect, it doesn’t always work that way. In my urban parish, we have 9 weekend masses and one permanent priest (our elderly pastor), though we have retired priests who help out. The church is full for almost all the masses. It’s timed so that when one mass ends, the people from the completed Mass can get out of the parking lot and the congregation for the next Mass can get IN. I honestly think that the use of extraordinary ministers is necessary in that instance (and to visit the sick and shut-in). HOWEVER, I don’t understand why they are needed at the daily Mass, which is attended by fewer than fifty people. The priest could communicate all of us and if he wanted to extend the Most Precious Blood to us (I don’t think witholding the Chalice to avoid the use of an extraordinary minister is advantageous), he could do so by intinction.

The use of extraordinary ministers will end when good, solid vocations increase.

 

[OraProNobisIHM]

Well, with respect, it doesn’t always work that way. In my urban parish, we have 9 weekend masses and one permanent priest (our elderly pastor), though we have retired priests who help out. The church is full for almost all the masses. It’s timed so that when one mass ends, the people from the completed Mass can get out of the parking lot and the congregation for the next Mass can get IN. I honestly think that the use of extraordinary ministers is necessary in that instance (and to visit the sick and shut-in). HOWEVER, I don’t understand why they are needed at the daily Mass, which is attended by fewer than fifty people. The priest could communicate all of us and if he wanted to extend the Most Precious Blood to us (I don’t think witholding the Chalice to avoid the use of an extraordinary minister is advantageous), he could do so by intinction.

The use of extraordinary ministers will end when good, solid vocations increase.

Perhaps, I suppose. I can see how this would be a decent reason. But, of course, here I’m speaking of other churches, the majority of which I’ve been to around the country/world, where there is no Mass starting for around 30-60 minutes (sometimes no Mass afterwards at all), yet there are still EMHCs. They aren’t needed if it will “tack on” an additional 10 minutes to Communion - people should be praying anyways. I could see it being necessary at things like World Youth Day, or other large things, but even then, we have priests for that sort of business.

And, thankfully, we are finally getting on the way towards more vocations. Let’s just hope they are “equitable” spread out.

 

[JKirkLVNV]

Perhaps, I suppose. I can see how this would be a decent reason. But, of course, here I’m speaking of other churches, the majority of which I’ve been to around the country/world, where there is no Mass starting for around 30-60 minutes (sometimes no Mass afterwards at all), yet there are still EMHCs. They aren’t needed if it will “tack on” an additional 10 minutes to Communion - people should be praying anyways. I could see it being necessary at things like World Youth Day, or other large things, but even then, we have priests for that sort of business.

And, thankfully, we are finally getting on the way towards more vocations. Let’s just hope they are “equitable” spread out.

Come to think on it, you’re quite right in regards to our own vigil Mass. There is no Mass that follows. Father COULD communicate all of us, either by intinction or with no more than 2 EMHCs with chalices, rather than with the 3 others that help with the Most Sacred Body. We do need to get beyond the mindset that everyone needs a job.

 

[OraProNobisIHM]

Come to think on it, you’re quite right in regards to our own vigil Mass. There is no Mass that follows. Father COULD communicate all of us, either by intinction or with no more than 2 EMHCs with chalices, rather than with the 3 others that help with the Most Sacred Body. We do need to get beyond the mindset that everyone needs a job.

Yup.

At the parish I go to in my college town (well… went to…), we would have like, 8 or 9 (yes, 8 or NINE) "E"HMCs help distribute. This church olds a few hundred, at best (I’ve never counted, so I don’t know). It’s of a moderate size, but Communion takes a few minutes. It’s on a Sunday night, at 7:00pm. I don’t know why people HAVE to be home at 8:05pm, but alas, we have 8 to 9 "E"HMCs to distribute. It’s a pity. (Same thing at the parish I sometimes I attend in Germany - evening Mass, 3 EMHCs, when no more than maybe, 100, at best assist).

And, like you said, a lot of it is because people think they need to physically do something to be “taking part” in Mass - an error on which we could probably use a papal statement.

PS - We also need to make people stop calling everything that is done in the church a “ministry.” It is NOT a ministry to sweep the floors - it’s called a job. gets off soapbox

 

[Sir_Knight]

And, like you said, a lot of it is because people think they need to physically do something to be “taking part” in Mass - an error on which we could probably use a papal statement.

Maybe we should say “no” when the pastor asks us to help?

It’s merely to condescend towards the idea that we need an EMHC at every Mass, EVERY time the Mass is offered.

And who is more qualified to make that determination? A priest / Pastor who has training and experience in these matters or someone sitting in the pews who has neither the experience or training?

 

[Phemie]

Maybe we should say “no” when the pastor asks us to help?

And who is more qualified to make that determination? A priest / Pastor who has training and experience in these matters or someone sitting in the pews who has neither the experience or training?

I think we should say no when we see no need for ‘help’.

I think the average person in the pew, given the documents that Rome has issued on the topic, could easily make the determination.

But all the priests I’ve worked with in the past ten years, save 2, felt that EMHCs are absolutely necessary at every Mass and the more the merrier.

I had one tell me that they are no longer ‘extraordinary’ but ordinary ministers and that that’s a good thing. That same priest shook his finger in my face and yelled that they have never paid any attention to any document from Rome and they aren’t about to start now.

Sorry, even my present pastor has an agenda when it comes to EMHCs. He’ll let them give out Communion while he sits because “that’s their job and their right and people have to get used to it.”

There’s qualified for you.