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ST. ELIZABETH ANN SETON CATHOLIC CHURCH
Extraordinary Ministers J
im LaFrance has been an by Christ. Extraordinary Minister “It became a ministry for over 30 years. He takes where I came to bring them communion to parishioners peace and happiness,” he in hospitals, nursing homes, says. “I let them know that and their own homes. Of they’re important to God, the nine nursing homes that and I listen to them.” the parish now serves with Over time, Jim realized a monthly Mass and weekly that the Lord had called him communion services, Jim to work with the elderly. visits seven every week. He “The best way for me to also visits 14 homes weekly do that is being a Eucharistic to give communion to the Minister and visiting with homebound. them,” he says. Jim was led to become Steadfastly showing up an Extraordinary Minister for people has opened doors after accompanying a friend for others to draw closer to who was serving in a nursing the Lord. home. However, when “There was a woman in Jim first started serving in a nursing home,” he says. nursing homes, he didn’t “When I first met her, I asked care for the work. Seeing so if she was Catholic, and she many lonely and isolated said, ‘yes.’ When I asked Jim LaFrance is an Extraordinary Minister people who needed to rely if she wanted to receive of Holy Communion on others for care was hard. communion she said, ‘no.’ “Then, I realized that they needed more than So I sat with her for 15 minutes. This went on the Eucharist,” Jim says. “They needed people to for two to three months. Eventually, she told me hear their story — to smile and laugh.” that the reason she doesn’t receive communion Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion is that her daughter died when she was 6 and play an important role in the parish community. this woman blamed God for it. I explained to her They support our priests by giving out that God didn’t kill her daughter.” communion at Masses and by taking communion Jim gratefully remembers that his persistence to homebound parishioners who can’t make paid off in the end since she received Holy it to Mass. It’s a special ministry. Ministers Communion one week before she passed. are responsible both for carrying the sacred When Extraordinary Ministers go to nursing body and blood of Christ and for providing homes, they conduct a communion service spiritual and relational support for those two during which the Word of God is proclaimed and whom they minister. Ministers are trained and the Holy Communion is distributed. Additionally, commissioned before starting their work. Jim prepares a reflection based on the Sunday Being an Extraordinary Minister has enabled Liturgy. Jim to encounter the Lord in the lives of others, “It makes you stop and study the readings,” all while drawing closer and being transformed he says. “I try to come up with a reflection that
