Extraordinary Ministers of the Eucharist
Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion are mandated by the Bishop, at the request of the pastor, to assist the clergy in distributing the Body and Blood of the Lord, both within the liturgical assembly and to the homebound. The mandate is for two years.
This is the only ministry for which a mandate of the Bishop is required. This creates an awareness of the seriousness of this ministry. A period of preparation is required prior to the request for mandate. It is not something one takes casually.
The persons chosen for this ministry must be known as exemplary Catholics and must be at least 18 years of age. They should not exercise other liturgical ministries (ie. usher, lector, cantor, etc.). This preserves the distinction of the roles and the plurality of ministries in the liturgy.
This ministry is exercised only when an adequate number of priests and deacons are not available or where there are particularly large numbers of the faithful which would result in excessively prolonging this part of the
This is a ministry of Christian charity and service performed in the name of the parish. The ministers are to be mindful of what they are doing and WHOM they are giving to the people of God. The Blessed Sacrament is always to be given and received with the highest reverence and respect.
Taking Holy Communion to the homebound is a particularly rewarding aspect of this ministry for both the minister and the communicant. The ministers receive the hosts in their pyx after Communion and leave immediately to go directly to the communicant’s home. They also take them news of our parish, a parish bulletin, and the love and prayers of our parish family. Any needs or concerns of the communicant are brought to the attention of our parish staff.
Any questions regarding this ministry may be directed to Kathy
Monthly Schedule: EM_schedule_February_2010.pdf