What's it like to be a eucharistic minister?

[Brendan]

Maybe, but you still have not shown that EMHC are not a valid ministry, and needed in the church today, or that you accept the authority of the Church in forming this ministry.

Lux

I don’t think anyone here said that the Church does not permit EMHC’s. It does, that is not in question.

The question Irishdude posted was in regard to an EMHC’s person feelings on him exclusively going to a priest for Holy Commuion.

My solution was that if the EMHC has such a misunderstanding of the difference between their role at Mass and that of the Ministerial Priesthood that they get upset about someone reciveing from the priest instead of them, that the person should be prayed for.

Is that a problem?

 

[Lux_et_Tenebrae]

Hi Brendan,

No, but I do have a problem with being told I am “full of myself” because my reasons for defending the ministry cannot be refuted.

Lux

 

[Newbie2]

(I don’t mean to hijack this thread, if someone could just answer my question, people can ignore it from here on out)

I am a traditionalist Roman Catholic. It is my personal belief that I should only receive Holy Communion from the hands of the priest. I have had to by pass many EM’s to get to the priest’s line. It dosen’t cause any disruption but I wonder if you, as a EM, are offended when people do this. I get odd looks.

Thanks!

Pax Vobiscum

Doesn’t bother me.

What you may want to do (and I suggested this when you posted your original post in another thread) is to scratch off the incorrect title and replace it with Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion.

You’re kidding, right?

If forumites always used EMHC, many would have nothing to talk about on this forum. double

 

[benedictgal]

Doesn’t bother me.

You’re kidding, right?

If forumites always used EMHC, many would have nothing to talk about on this forum. double

No, I am not kidding. We have no right to use titles that do not refer to us. The Church, regardless of who reads the forums, asks us to use the correct terminology. Note Redemptionis Sacramentum:

[156.] This function is to be understood strictly according to the name by which it is known, that is to say, that of extraordinary minister of Holy Communion, and not “special minister of Holy Communion” nor “extraordinary minister of the Eucharist” nor “special minister of the Eucharist”, by which names the meaning of this function is unnecessarily and improperly broadened.

And, Ecclesia de Mysterio:

. "In some cases, the extension of the term “ministry” to the munera belonging to the lay faithful has been permitted by the fact that the latter, to their own degree, are a participation in the one priesthood of Christ. The officia temporarily entrusted to them, however, are exclusively the result of a deputation by the Church. Only with constant reference to the one source, the ‘ministry of Christ’ (…) may the term ministry be applied to a certain extent and without ambiguity to the lay faithful: that is, without it being perceived and lived as an undue aspiration to the ordained ministry or as a progressive erosion of its specific nature.

“In this original sense the term ministry (servitium) expresses only the work by which the Church’s members continue the mission and ministry of Christ within her and the whole world. However, when the term is distinguished from and compared with the various munera and officia, then it should be clearly noted that only in virtue of sacred ordination does the work obtain that full, univocal meaning that tradition has attributed to it.” (55)

1. The non-ordained faithful may be generically designated “extraordinary ministers” when deputed by competent authority to discharge, solely by way of supply, those offices mentioned in Canon 230, 3(56) and in Canons 943 and 1112. Naturally, the concrete term may be applied to those to whom functions are canonically entrusted e.g. catechists, acolytes, lectors etc. Temporary deputation for liturgical purposes – mentioned in Canon 230, 2 – does not confer any special or permanent title on the non-ordained faithful.(57)

My dad used to sell insurance for the Knights of Columbus. We changed phone numbers and, until such time as the replacement cards were delivered (about two or three weeks back then), he just scratched the old number and replaced it with the new.

As I indicated earlier, my father serves as an EMHC to the elderly and homebound. However, he is very careful about what he does so as to not blur the lines. When sacraments are needed, he ensures that the priest gets that message and that he does his best to make sure that the priest goes.

I think that there is a commom misconception here. No one is downplaying the work that EMHCs do when visiting the sick to distribute Holy Communion. However, the real issue here concerns the fact that we need to humbly submit ourselves to the Holy See regarding the regulations (terminology included) concerning this duty. Ecclesiae de Mysterio came out precisely because there were those laity (and clergy) who were blurring the line to the point that one didn’t know when the laity’s collaborative efforts ended and the priest’s sarcedotal duties began. Seven years later, Redemptionis Sacramentum came out to partially revisit the issue and remind us what we needed to do.

 

[Newbie2]

No, I am not kidding. We have no right to use titles that do not refer to us.

Please. Some forumites make mistakes in their terminology. They get corrected. Then you hit them over the head, quoting chapter and verse. The Pharisees did that, no?

The term has been corrected early on in this thread. You made your point. Using other terms is not sinful, especially when made in error, yet you treat it like it is a grave sin.

 

[benedictgal]

Please. Some forumites make mistakes in their terminology. They get corrected. Then you hit them over the head, quoting chapter and verse. The Pharisees did that, no?

The term has been corrected early on in this thread. You made your point. Using other terms is not sinful, especially when made in error, yet you treat it like it is a grave sin.

It is not about being pharisaical. It is about reminding folks that we need to use the terminology that the Church assigns. Furthermore, if you note, there are some who, perhaps, may be a little insistent that they use terminology that does not apply to them and others who may have completely missed the point of why such terminology is needed.

 

[Brendan]

It is very thinkable, but also impossible. Our Masses run until 2:15, and baptisms start at 2:30

Lux,

Why is it impossible.

Our parish has Sunday Masses at

7:30am, 9:30am, 11:30am, 1:30pm ( and Sunday evening Masses at 6:30pm and 8:30pm)

Ours is a parish of about 900 families and we don’t use EHMC’s ( well mostly, we do have an ordained Chaldean Sub-Deacon who assists at Mass, and thus is an EMHC, but no laity at all)

 

[Methodi]

EMHCs, are commonly called Eucharist Ministers, I even heard a priest refer to them as such. At my church, we usually have at least three if not four EMHCs at every mass, one week they needed another one , so the priest asked the congregation if there was another eucharist minister in the house& there was

 

[Cristiano]

Please. Some forumites make mistakes in their terminology. They get corrected. Then you hit them over the head, quoting chapter and verse. The Pharisees did that, no?

The term has been corrected early on in this thread. You made your point. Using other terms is not sinful, especially when made in error, yet you treat it like it is a grave sin.

Are you saying that calling yourself a priest/bishop when you are a lay person is not sinful? You just want it your way and not the Church way. To you the Church way is not important, it is your choice.

By the way calling someone a Pharisee, as a derogatory term, just because the want the rules to be followed is surprising to me. Jesus scolded the Pharisees for not following the law and being hypocritical. Are you saying that Benedictgal does not follow the law and that she is being hypocritical?

 

[EvelynEVF]

Back to the OP’s question I serve as an EMHC, and we are scheduled for all four weeks of a given month, and then have a couple months off. We have very little trouble, if any, with no-shows. Those who take our Lord to the sick are either part of the particular ministry group that regularly does that, or sometimes we just know someone.

When an elderly daily communicant landed in the hospital for a couple weeks, I took her Communion many times. I don’t know if there are rules about frequency, but I knew that as a (nearly) daily communicant myself, I would really appreciate someone coming frequently, so that’s what I did, with the blessing of the priest and deacon.

The experience? I almost fainted the first time I served, and it is still quite overwhelming. I only minister the Precious Blood during Mass, and I hope I am never asked to minister the Body of Christ, because I don’t know how I would manage to handle the Sacrament itself (Himself?) so many times. It can be nerve-wracking to serve a school Mass, because the kids are not always careful handing back the chalice, and I have to pay special attention to keep from spilling. When I took our Lord to the hospital for my friend, I rode across town on my bike, and had ten minutes every day to think about how amazing it was that Jesus would permit His Presence to be carried out of the church, let alone on a bicycle!

Our training was very minimal, more along the lines of choregraphy, but the priest and deacon have always been open to my questions. We have no nominating or commissioning.

 

[benedictgal]

EMHCs, are commonly called Eucharist Ministers, I even heard a priest refer to them as such. At my church, we usually have at least three if not four EMHCs at every mass, one week they needed another one , so the priest asked the congregation if there was another eucharist minister in the house& there was

Just because it is commonly used, that doesn’t make it okay. The problem is that there are authoritative documents out there that should be read, but, are not. We cannot use titles that pertain to the ordained ministry in order to describe an extraordinary function of the laity.

We are in the process of creating a website for our parish. I have volunteered to write the section for EMHCs and will make a point of differentiating the terms.

 

[Methodi]

Just because it is commonly used, that doesn’t make it okay. The problem is that there are authoritative documents out there that should be read, but, are not. We cannot use titles that pertain to the ordained ministry in order to describe an extraordinary function of the laity.

We are in the process of creating a website for our parish. I have volunteered to write the section for EMHCs and will make a point of differentiating the terms.

To be honest, I have never heard them being called anything else but Eucharist Ministers, so maybe I am a poorer catholic than I thought

 

[Cristiano]

To be honest, I have never heard them being called anything else but Eucharist Ministers, so maybe I am a poorer catholic than I thought

You are not, it is the people teaching such an improper use that are at least “misinformed” Catholics.

 

[Newbie2]

Are you saying that calling yourself a priest/bishop when you are a lay person is not sinful? You just want it your way and not the Church way. To you the Church way is not important, it is your choice.

By the way calling someone a Pharisee, as a derogatory term, just because the want the rules to be followed is surprising to me. Jesus scolded the Pharisees for not following the law and being hypocritical. Are you saying that Benedictgal does not follow the law and that she is being hypocritical?

First, I never said anything about it being OK for a lay person to call themself a Priest or Bishop.

I also never said anything about the term EMHC not being the proper term, and never critisized it’s use.

You are rather presumptious in saying that “the church way” is not important to me, not to mention that YOU’RE WRONG. Please do not put words in my mouth, OK? OK???

Yes, I’m saying that Benedictgal or anyone else that has this ***need ***to chime in with documents and so forth when it is not necessary (the topic had been addressed already) and especially when she suggested to change the topic of the thread to read EMHC rather than eucharistic minister.

No, I do not think that Benedictgal is being hypocritical. She obviously has a tremendous knowledge of the faith. However, I think that she is overly critical of people’s use (or misuse) of the term EMHC, Eucharistic minister, etc., especially when they are seemingly not aware of the difference i.e. making a mountain out of a molehill…something the the Pharisees were guilty of…hypercriticism.

You are of course free to disagree with me, Cristiano, but please do not misunderstand what I’m saying.

 

[ElizabethPH]

(I don’t mean to hijack this thread, if someone could just answer my question, people can ignore it from here on out)

I am a traditionalist Roman Catholic. It is my personal belief that I should only receive Holy Communion from the hands of the priest. I have had to by pass many EM’s to get to the priest’s line. It dosen’t cause any disruption but I wonder if you, as a EM, are offended when people do this. I get odd looks.

 

[ElizabethPH]

(I don’t mean to hijack this thread, if someone could just answer my question, people can ignore it from here on out)

I am a traditionalist Roman Catholic. It is my personal belief that I should only receive Holy Communion from the hands of the priest. I have had to by pass many EM’s to get to the priest’s line. It dosen’t cause any disruption but I wonder if you, as a EM, are offended when people do this. I get odd looks.

Thanks!

Pax Vobiscum

I think the same. I always sit in the area where the line forms for the priest, which is in pews on the right of the aisle. He always serves Holy Communion on the right; or his left. The deacon next to him. The EMHC’s are always in the area’s that are on either side of the sanctuary.

 

[Lux_et_Tenebrae]

Lux,

Why is it impossible.

Our parish has Sunday Masses at

7:30am, 9:30am, 11:30am, 1:30pm ( and Sunday evening Masses at 6:30pm and 8:30pm)

Ours is a parish of about 900 families and we don’t use EHMC’s ( well mostly, we do have an ordained Chaldean Sub-Deacon who assists at Mass, and thus is an EMHC, but no laity at all)

You have 900 families and 2 hours between Masses. We have 4000 families and 1:15 between Masses (and no deacon or other assistant). Our Masses would run into each other without EMHC, and I already stated this before, as well as the reasons no more Masses can be scheduled. EMHC are a definite necessity, especially in large parishes, and parishes where one priest must cover many parishes, as well as a valid ministry in the Catholic Church.

Lux

 

[Lux_et_Tenebrae]

To be honest, I have never heard them being called anything else but Eucharist Ministers, so maybe I am a poorer catholic than I thought

Please, terminology certainly does not make a good Catholic. Have you ever seen a dancer who knows every step of the routine perfectly, but is just missing something?

My hospital badge reads “Eucharistic Minister” This is what the nun who was head of the Pastoral Care Dept. wanted and our title in our parishes (this was long before RS, and the big issue of the title) EMHC is meaningless to most people, and the title written out would not fit. I introduce myself as (name) from (parish name), since most Catholics think anyone with the word minister in their title is protestant.

Lux

 

[japhy]

I introduce myself as (name) from (parish name), since most Catholics think anyone with the word minister in their title is protestant.

I doubt that. The parishes around me can’t name enough ministries. Ushers are now “ministers of hospitality”. I’m waiting for “lectors” (i.e. readers) to eventually be called “ministers of the Word”…

 

[Methodi]

Please, terminology certainly does not make a good Catholic. Have you ever seen a dancer who knows every step of the routine perfectly, but is just missing something?

My hospital badge reads “Eucharistic Minister” This is what the nun who was head of the Pastoral Care Dept. wanted and our title in our parishes (this was long before RS, and the big issue of the title) EMHC is meaningless to most people, and the title written out would not fit. I introduce myself as (name) from (parish name), since most Catholics think anyone with the word minister in their title is protestant.

Lux

I agree with you, I have never known them by any other name. I even know a few of them & they refer to themselves as Eucharistic ministers. I dont have a problem with what they are called, I am just happy that we have people who dedicate themselves to this wonderful deed. There is no doubt that we need them