Withholding the Eucharist

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dhgray

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I know I will have to address this with my Parish Priest but I wanted to get your thoughts.

Can a Eucharist Minister withhold the Eucharist from someone who is pro-choice, openly gay, inappropriately dressed (shorts and halter-top), etc?
 
I don’t know if this is 100% correct, because the actual answer varies diocese to diocese, parish to parish since it isn’t addressed directly by official doctrine.

In my archdiocese training I was told that a EMHC is not supposed to make any judgements as to whether someone is worthy to recieve the Eucharist. Only the priest is allowed to make that call. The only exception COULD be if the priest knows of something that is going to happen during Mass before Mass and warns the EMHCs. An example would be if the group that wears rainbow sashes to protest treatment of homosexuals is going to attend. A priest might say to all the EMHCs not to distribute to that group since they are making a political statement. The priest may know a particular politician will be at the Mass and may ask the EMHCs not to distribute to them.

In the end it is always the Priest’s choice, not the EMHCs choice.

If there is a real question about a particular person you should consult the priest before or after Mass.
 
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dhgray:
I know I will have to address this with my Parish Priest but I wanted to get your thoughts.

Can a Eucharist Minister withhold the Eucharist from someone who is pro-choice, openly gay, inappropriately dressed (shorts and halter-top), etc?
Click to expand...
No, that is not the EMs call. In fact the only reason that I know of for denying the Eucharist is if a politician is openly and scandalously defying Church teaching. Even then, the need for the Church to confront scandal which could lead others astray that prompts this, not judgment of the individual.
 
I agree with the above posters. Thank God it is not my decision! and thank God it is not a lay person’s decision either!
 
A Eucharistic Minister can and most certainly should make that decision.

A Eucharistic Minister is one who can confect the Eucharist, namely a priest or bishop. Even a deacon is not a Eucharistic Minister.

Now a Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion should leave that decision to the EM :rolleyes:

(sorry, incorrect use of the term ‘EM’ is a big pet peeve of mine)
 
As an Extrordinary Minister of the Eucharist, I don’t feel that I could deny the Eucharist to anyone and this is why:

I am not a confessor…lets say that John Kerry wakes up this morning and has a change of heart. He comes in to his parish and goes to his parish priest for confession. He truely has deep contrition for his sin. He’s in there balling and has every intention of going to the public with this new found Grace.
He comes to Mass that very day and is denied the Eucharist by an extraordinary minister. WOuld you want to be in those shoes? I know I wouldn’t. The deniel of the Most Holy Eucharist is totally up to the priest who is presiding. It is his responsibility to approach this particular sinner himself and if this sinner refuses to comply , than the priest can tell his ministers to withold the Eucharist. It is not for us to judge in this instance.
 
This is exactly why I will not sign up to be an extraordinary minister.
 
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Marauder:
I don’t know if this is 100% correct, because the actual answer varies diocese to diocese, parish to parish since it isn’t addressed directly by official doctrine.

In my archdiocese training I was told that a EMHC is not supposed to make any judgements as to whether someone is worthy to recieve the Eucharist. Only the priest is allowed to make that call. The only exception COULD be if the priest knows of something that is going to happen during Mass before Mass and warns the EMHCs. An example would be if the group that wears rainbow sashes to protest treatment of homosexuals is going to attend. A priest might say to all the EMHCs not to distribute to that group since they are making a political statement. The priest may know a particular politician will be at the Mass and may ask the EMHCs not to distribute to them.

In the end it is always the Priest’s choice, not the EMHCs choice.

If there is a real question about a particular person you should consult the priest before or after Mass.
Click to expand...
This is exactly what we were told in our parish.
 
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Brendan:
A Eucharistic Minister can and most certainly should make that decision.

A Eucharistic Minister is one who can confect the Eucharist, namely a priest or bishop. Even a deacon is not a Eucharistic Minister.

Now a Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion should leave that decision to the EM :rolleyes:

(sorry, incorrect use of the term ‘EM’ is a big pet peeve of mine)
Click to expand...
Oh yes indeed! One of my peeves, too.

Hey Brendan - are you going to Ordination on Saturday?
 
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dhgray:
I know I will have to address this with my Parish Priest but I wanted to get your thoughts.

Can a Eucharist Minister withhold the Eucharist from someone who is pro-choice, openly gay, inappropriately dressed (shorts and halter-top), etc?
Click to expand...
If the pastor instructs you as an EMHC to do so and only on his instruction. You should bring this to his attention.
 
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