What do you think ? Should Extraordinary ministers and other tasks in the Church be predominately men or woman?

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ucb4ume

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What do you think?

Do you think that it should be predominantly males helping out in the Church or should woman take an active role?

I used to be an Extraordinary minister of the Holy Eucharist, a sacristin and I was on the liturgy committee. I quit doing all those things because I felt unworthy, especially to administer the Eucharist during Mass. Its been about two years plus since I decided to focus on the Mass. Now I find myself kneeling for Holy Communion mostly because of the reality that I am receiving Jesus and if Jesus is really there than I could not simply walk up and “take” Him. I fall to my knees. THe Parish where I go now, they all stand for communion but I can not. I have tried and the knowledge of whom I am receiving brings tears to my eyes when I try to stand before Him. Our Pastor noticed that I struggled with standing and told me it was okay to kneel. Thanks be to God! So in that case I dont feel like I should distribute communion.:confused:
I love it when men read rather than woman because I can feel the presence of Christ more notably and not to mention the fact that men have stronger voices. As far as being on the liturgy committee, I feel that men should be leading our Church and helping Father just like the disciples did. The woman prayed for them to make good decisions and stand by Christ.
The only thing I am currently doing in our new parish is washing the Altar linnen. Is that enough?:confused:
What do you think?
 
I have no problem with men or women helping as Extraordinary Ministers of the Eucharist, or lectors. When anyone goes to Communion, whether you receive it on the tongue, or in the hand, Note, you receive it, you do not take it. The priest/deacon/extraordinary minister, gives it to you. When you are in a particularly large parish, and there is a large number of people receiving Communion, I ask that you simply stop and think of the logistics and time that would be involved if all insisted on receiving while kneeling. Additionally, there is the potential of Communicants tripping over your legs and the problems that could cause. I think your motives are noble but think of everyone else. This has nothing to do with the reverence you have when receiving. That reverence comes from you interiorly, not from your exterior posture.
Deacon Ed b
 
I would be so thrilled to have such support ministries carried out by competent, loyal practicing Catholics who have been well trained in their duties and carry them out with reverence, competence and love that gender would only be an issue in cases where official church documents make such a stipulation. I will take a trained, careful, competent woman over a self-appointed, incompetent irreverent man any day of the week.
 
Again, Deacon Ed is the voice of reason and clarity. Great answer. Total agreement.

One more question though, as an EMHC also, we are no longer allowed to purify the vessels used (cups/bowls) after Mass, is this pretty much a country or Archdiocese wide practice now?

Thanks
 
This practice for purification of the sacred vessels, is Church wide. Only a man with valid orders, i.e., acolyte,(which is a minor order) or a deacon, priest or bishop (which are major orders derived from the sacrament of Holy Orders) can do so.
Deacon E B
 
Thanks, makes sense, sometimes seems like not all following uniform procedures.
 
When you wonder if women should be in some of these ministries remember who it was that Jesus appeared to that first Easter morning and who brought word to the Apostles.
 
Yes we do. That is why one of the titles for Mary Magdalene is Apostle to the Apostles.
Deacon Ed B
 
Deacon_Ed_B said:
Yes we do. That is why one of the titles for Mary Magdalene is Apostle to the Apostles.
Deacon Ed B
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LOL - glad YOU brought it up == I would have been hung for it!!!:extrahappy:


:bowdown: :bowdown2: :bowdown: :bowdown2:​

:clapping: :dancing:

:harp:
 
puzzleannie said:
I will take a trained, careful, competent woman over a self-appointed, incompetent irreverent man any day of the week.
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True, very true.

However, my preference is for men to be EMHCs. Not saying it’s wrong for women to do it, or that I wouldn’t receive from a woman, because I do. But just in keeping with the traditional roles of men and women in the liturgy (Priest, deacon, etc.) It resonates more to see men up there.

I was a kid at the time, but it still disappointed me in some way I couldn’t define when they started allowing altar girls. I guess it’s too late to turn the tide back on that one now, and IMO it wouldn’t be prudent to restrict the gender qualifications of EMHCs. But personally, ucb4ume-- I get where you’re coming from.
 
Deacon_Ed_B said:
This practice for purification of the sacred vessels, is Church wide. Only a man with valid orders, i.e., acolyte,(which is a minor order) or a deacon, priest or bishop (which are major orders derived from the sacrament of Holy Orders) can do so.
Deacon E B
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Acolyte is an instituted ministry, not a minor order, in the Ordinary rite.
 
There should not be Extraordinary ministers except for extraordinary circumstances; far too often it they are put to use during ordinary times.
 
"I guess it’s too late to turn the tide back "

Never too late for anything. Check Church history and you’ll find lots of instances when certain practices were discontinued for one reason or another. When enough priests and deacons are available to distribute Communion in all parishes, EMHC may be discontinued altogether. Personally, I know that they are allowed but I’ve often felt they were undermining the value of ordained hands in the ministry of distributing communion.
 
I believe that they should be men. That being said the men need to come forward and be of service. If a man is in the church building and is trained for the position then he should be the first asked to preform the duties needed. When there are no men available then women should be asked to serve.

I find it sad to see our male Altar servers sitting in the pews and only girls at the Altar. Our church even uses female acolytes at Mass.
 
Hello,
ac_claire said:
However, my preference is for men to be EMHCs.
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Deacon_Ed_B said:
I have no problem with men or women helping as Extraordinary Ministers of the Eucharist, or lectors. When anyone goes to Communion, whether you receive it on the tongue, or in the hand, Note, you receive it, you do not take it. The priest/deacon/extraordinary minister, gives it to you. When you are in a particularly large parish, and there is a large number of people receiving Communion, I ask that you simply stop and think of the logistics and time that would be involved if all insisted on receiving while kneeling. Additionally, there is the potential of Communicants tripping over your legs and the problems that could cause. I think your motives are noble but think of everyone else. This has nothing to do with the reverence you have when receiving. That reverence comes from you interiorly, not from your exterior posture.
Deacon Ed b
Click to expand...
My preference is that there be no Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion! With all due respect Deacon, I think sometimes there is too much concern given to so called logistics. I have never been to a Mass the required the use of an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion. At most Mass, the Priest(s) and Deacon(s) present could adequately distribute Communion without aid from the laity. Yes, it would take longer - what 5 or 10 minutes. We won’t turn into pumpkins at the stroke of the clock. So what if Mass then lasts an hour and five minutes. Where better do people have to be than at the apex of space and time?

Now, there are many Masses that draw thousands - even millions (say a Papal Mass or a Chrism Mass). At these, there is always a large enough grouping of ordained men to accommodate the large crowd.

I can foresee the extreme possibility of using an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion. Say at a Mass that normally has 1000 people and has two Priests. One falls ill that morning and cannot attend. In that case - I could see it (though it still wouldn’t be absolutely necessary). But that is an unforeseen extraordinary event (hence the name Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion).

There has only been one good thing from the usage of Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion - in my opinion - and that is to show us that something extraordinary can be used ordinarily. Let’s go Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite! :dancing:
 
Church documents express a preference for men as EMHCs, which I agree with.

From the 2002 General Instruction of the Roman Missal (GIRM) approved for the USA, which can be accessed from romanrite.com/girm.html :
“100. In the absence of an instituted acolyte, lay ministers may be deputed to serve at the altar and assist the priest and the deacon; they may carry the cross, the candles, the thurible, the bread, the wine, and the water, and they may also be deputed to distribute Holy Communion as extraordinary ministers.”

Only men can become instituted acolytes (Code of Canon Law, canon 230), and they are to be used before other EMHCs.

The liturgical books encourage the use of instituted acolytes, particularly the 1984 Ceremonial of Bishops, n. 28 “But in celebrations presided over by the bishop it is fitting that all such ministerial functions be carried out by formally instituted acolytes …”.

Any man has the possibility of being instituted as an acolyte, no woman has. So, if all else is equal, the priest should choose men to be EMHCs, in the absence of instituted acolytes.

I would apply the same reasoning to the choice of readers. If there is no instituted lector, men should be the preferred choice to read. This provides encouragement for them to become instituted lectors.

The habitual use of men in these functions would also reduce the pressure on bishops in deciding to instituted men as lectors and acolytes. Many bishops seem reluctant to institute men to these ministries, because then women who do these functions will be denied their role. If more people encouraged women not to take up these roles, priests would stop choosing them and bishops may be more prepared to instituted lectors and acolytes.
 
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