The abuse of the use of Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion is one of my pet peeves, as I am sure it is for many others. We have all seen times when it seemed that there were more extraordinary ministers than recipients of communion.
Leticia of causa nostrae laetitiae and I were recently discussing something that we witnessed at mass on Sunday. The priest at our local parish seemingly spent more time waiting for all the extraordinary Eucharistic ministers to finish receiving the Precious Blood than would likely have been used by giving out communion by him. This may be slightly hyperbolic, but only slightly.
I am sure that many or most of the Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion have absolutely no idea that what they are doing is an abuse. I am sure that they have no idea that 10 extraordinary ministers for 100 people does not constitute and extraordinary circumstance. These are well meaning people who are happy to be ‘participating’.
Something that really gets me is that many priests seemed to have forgotten that they are the ordinary ministers of holy communion. I have seen priests make a call out during mass for any extraordinary ministers when there weren’t more than 40-50 people there for mass, as if they could not possibly handle the onslaught. I have seen priests wait in the nave of the church during communion to be sure and ready to greet parishioners as they leave, but just stand there while extraordinary ministers pack the sanctuary.
This all got me to thinking, how do you put the genie back in the bottle? How do you do it so that people understand why? How do you not offend those that think they are doing something good? I wonder if this is why pastors and bishops who might know it is wrong just turn a blind eye to the practice? How do you be pastorally sensitive, but still fix the problem?
I ask these questions sincerely. If anyone has seen a pastor or a bishop correct this problem or if you have any ideas on how to remedy this abuse, tell us about it.
August 14, 2007 at 9:35 am
I’m afraid that this appointment is seen as a vocation. Which it isn’t.
August 14, 2007 at 1:33 pm
Just a slight correction here: the correct term is “extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion, not “extraordinary Eucharistic ministers”.
I believe BXVI’s statement on the Eucharist earlier this year highlighted that point for the umpteenth time.
August 14, 2007 at 1:59 pm
Check out Sacramentum Caritatis, where Pope Benedict exhorted everyone to obey Redemptionis Sacramentum, issued by the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments which repudiated the usages “special ministers” and “extraordinary ministers of the Eucharist”.
As to putting the genie back in the bottle…I have no idea… Perhaps if we had more Lectors and Acolytes…
August 14, 2007 at 2:10 pm
One more reason why the Traditional Mass or Extraordinary Form is truly extraordinary. This is a non-issue during the Traditional Mass.
The largest Mass (and youngest) that my dear priest serves, is the 9:00 a.m. Traditional Mass. As you would expect, Fr. administers communion to the 8 to 12 servers first and then proceeds to the altar rail for the rest of the congregation. This is done so quickly, yet with such reverence.
Communion under both species at the NO with it’s many EM’s has become the ordinary, as you aptly state. There is nothing extraordinary about that which is routinely done.
I don’t think this genie will go back in willingly…it will have to be subdued first, through charitable, yet firm instruction by our priests. Even then, humility and acceptance will be key.
August 14, 2007 at 2:30 pm
“I believe BXVI’s statement on the Eucharist earlier this year highlighted that point for the umpteenth time.”
I believe the writer just wanted an answer to his question, as to how other priests reversed this trend. Somebody around here has to just give one, so I will.
The best remedy is to have enough priests around, and not be afraid to use them. In some parts of the USA, that’s possible. (No, I realize it’s not possible everywhere.) At my cathedral parish, the rector has stipulated that priests and deacons will be available to administer communion. They still use extraordinary ministers sometimes, but it’s obvious they are superfluous. All in good time…
August 14, 2007 at 2:36 pm
I think it comes down to the pastor limiting the number of EMHC, perhaps by tightening requirements. A written test might be a good idea, like I had to take to become an altarboy.
Also encouragement to join the “invisible” ministries of a parish like Legion of Mary, Pro-Life Committee, Bible Study would be a good start. Takes away the “Look at me!” feel of the EMHCs.
August 14, 2007 at 2:45 pm
David L Alexander, I was not meaning to be a pedant. Redemtionis Sacramentum links both issues.
Indeed, on my reading of RS, the Vatican is suggesting, or perhaps implying, exactly your solution.
That is to say, if adequate sacred ministers are present, they MUST be used in preference to lay ministers, and mere short delay or prolongation is NO SUFFICIENT REASON to use lay ministers.
Sufficient Priests and Deacons means no EMs. Therefore, ensure the presence of sufficient Priests and Deacons. Perhaps easier said than done, sometimes.
This is what RS says:
“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.
[157.] If there is usually present a sufficient number of sacred ministers for the distribution of Holy Communion, extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion may not be appointed. Indeed, in such circumstances, those who may have already been appointed to this ministry should not exercise it. The practice of those Priests is reprobated who, even though present at the celebration, abstain from distributing Communion and hand this function over to laypersons.
Indeed, the extraordinary minister of Holy Communion may administer Communion only when the Priest and Deacon are lacking, when the Priest is prevented by weakness or advanced age or some other genuine reason, or when the number of faithful coming to Communion is so great that the very celebration of Mass would be unduly prolonged.[259] This, however, is to be understood in such a way that a brief prolongation, considering the circumstances and culture of the place, is not at all a sufficient reason.
I think that those passages need to be drilled again and again into extraordinary ministers (and indeed, some Priests), and that pastors need to do thieir utmost to ensure that there are sufficient sacred ministers present to ensure that EMs are rarely, if ever, required.
Again, I’m sorry if I sounded pedantic, but the two issues are closely linked, by the Vatican document itself.
August 14, 2007 at 2:51 pm
Okay, as long as we’re on the subject, here’s what I would do as bishop:
Playing Priest
August 14, 2007 at 3:25 pm
what? You guys don’t like “Drive Thru Jesus.” Seeing people speed up to the Eucharistic Minister who’s wearing flip-flops stationed next to the one wearing jeans.
I think people appreciate not having any time to contemplate the sacrifice before gulping Him down. Today’s church is the new secularized, sleek, aerodynamic Church. Enjoy it. You’ll be home in time for football.
August 14, 2007 at 3:34 pm
I recently saw a middle-aged lady in a black mantilla “hold up” a whole Communion line in our Cathedral, by kneeling before the Archbishop and refusing to rise until he had given her Holy Communion on the tongue.
Madam, whoever you are, I admire that!
August 14, 2007 at 6:19 pm
I say give them all a Paten to hold instead.
Seriously though I can see using EMHC’s for the Precious Blood when another deacon or priest is not available, but there are hardly any Masses so crowded that having a priest and one EMHC could not effectively handle the number of people.
Though for speed a Communion rail is much speedier and when I have received Communion that way I noticed how much more efficient it was.
August 14, 2007 at 7:37 pm
Jeff,
I too think the communion rail is the answer!
Back when we had communion rails 3 priests could handle a packed church in a few minutes. Then we could give them patens.
August 14, 2007 at 8:19 pm
I must say, I had a run in with a co-worker who was running around telling everyone she was a “minister.” Come to find out she was a …Eucharistic minister.
Jeesh.
August 14, 2007 at 8:33 pm
I am a woman who just resigned as a Extraordinary Minister – a position I only took beause my pastor asked, and I was thinking about “obedience” – and I couldn’t be happier! We don’t need the sacristy crawling withlay people, and I too am tired of receiving communion from women in flip-flops, dirty feet, etc. Also, one of our women left the Church to become an Episcopal priest!!!!
August 14, 2007 at 10:02 pm
David:
I have no difficulty with anything you have shared (obviously). Most of our commenters can agree on the need to “bell the cat.” The question posed to us was how. I quite agree with the need for EMHCs to be apprised of the proper perspective. We can blog about it all day, and cite documents till we’re blue in the face, but a word from a parish priest will go farther. I wish it were easier, ‘cuz all these wannabes are starting to get on my nerves.
August 15, 2007 at 2:04 am
I have a friend who is an internationally recognized industrial engineer who specializes in conducting efficiency studies for major corporations. He did a study of the distribution of Holy Communion in a large parish with Extraordinary Ministers versus distribution with a Priest and Deacon. He found that the difference was negligible — certainly not enough to warrant the crowd and commotion of EMs around the altar. He sent a detailed analysis complete with diagrams and statistics to our Bishop and, not surprisingly, never heard a word back.
August 15, 2007 at 3:06 pm
Our parish recently jumped up by about 500 people because of other parishes that were closed. Things have been very chaotic at Mass because of the large influx of people. And the number of EMHC has skyrocketed. We have people distribuiting Holy Communion all over the Church. It is very disconcerting. Also disconcerting is the lack of judgement used by some of the “ministers.” Clothing issues have been mentioned. An older couple, new to the parish, administers Holy Communion together because the man is in the beginning stages of Altzeimer’s and doesn’t always remember what he is supposed to be doing. His wife cues him when he forgets. I know this couple, they are great supporters of Catholic education and have been actively involved in their Faith their whole lives, but it seems inappropriate for him to be acting in this capacity when he often times does not have clear understanding of what he is doing. And, often as not, the other two priests of the parish are waiting in the wings to greet parishoner immediately after Mass is over! Sigh.
Sharon
August 15, 2007 at 6:27 pm
A lot of Confirmation programs for high schoolers emphasize that “after Confirmation you are an adult in the Church! You can be a lector! You can be an EMHC!” As if by merely being a faithful Catholic pewsitter you are somehow slacking. Our deacon also regularly uses his homily time to exhort us to get involved- join a committee, be an EMHC, etc. Again, there’s the implication that one isn’t a faithful Catholic if one isn’t joining/doing something extra in the parish.
As for how to put the genie back in the bottle, beats me. Limit the number? Start by eliminating them at daily Mass during the wee?
August 16, 2007 at 7:18 am
I think a good place to begin would be not to offer the Precious Blood at every Mass. This would instantly cut my parish’s number of EMHCs from twelve to no more than three. We do only have one priest and one deacon, but the deacon isn’t able to be at every Mass on Sunday, so I don’t see a realistic way to distribute Holy Communion in a timely manner without at least a few laypeople; but if there were only a few, greater care could be taken in selecting and training them.
August 17, 2007 at 2:36 am
I’m with Jeff. Ordinary ministers of the paten (especially for those receiving in the hand). Also I heard a suggestion that EMHC’s be required to put in one hour of Eucharistic Adoration per month.
Also, I believe any EMHC who uses the term: “minister of the bread”, or “minister of the wine” should be sent to Eucharistic re-education camp. 🙂