Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion Guidelines

EXTRAORDINARY MINISTERS OF HOLY COMMUNION

Introduction: In 1973, Pope Paul V I explained the need for the Minister of Communion in his Instruction on Facilitating Sacramental Eucharistic Communion in Particular Circumstances, where he described how a lack of sufficient clergy for sharing Communion could occur:

"During Mass, because of the size of the congregation or a particular difficulty in which a celebrant finds himself; outside of Mass, when it is difficult because of distance to take the sacred species, especially in the Viaticum, to the sick in danger of death, or when the number of the sick especially in hospitals and similar institutions requires many ministers."

A Life of Ministry You have accepted a share in this ministry to share the Body and Blood of Christ with fellow worshippers in the assembly, and with those confined to their homes, or institutions, such as those in the Hospitals and Nursing Home facilities, so that no one 'be deprived of this sacramental help and consolation'.

For extraordinary ministers of Holy CommUnion, there is another dignity and responsibility; you must become what you give. You must become and live as the Body of Christ thafyou give to the brothers and sisters. In you, as in the bread and wine of the Eucharist, God the Father starts with the human and brings out the beyond-the human. God the Father gives you a share in a ministry that humans could not deserve and would not dare to ask for on their own. Your call to serve is as unexpected and as undeserved as the young boy's at the multiplication of the loaves and fishes (John 6; 1-15) Jesus began His great miracle with loaves and fishes provided by a young boy. How happy and surprised this boy must have felt in knowing that Jesus had chosen to use his loaves and fish in so great a miracle. God starts with the human-with us-to lead us beyond human possibilities. That is what Jesus does for those of us who accept God's call to ministry and for those we serve.

To put this in another way, your service as ministers inside the liturgy should only make visible the faith and love you are seen to manifest outside the liturgy. Generous self足 giving, conformed to the pattern of Christ's self-giving unto death, must mark both your interior and exterior life, both inside and outside the liturgy. St. Augustine, exhorted his hearers to such self-giving while praising St. Lawrence, deacon ad martyr, who had ministered the chalice of the Lord's blood. "Just as he had partaken of a gift of self at the table of the Lord, so he prepared to offer such a gift. In his life he loved Christ, in his death he followed in his footsteps".

Similarly, your love for Christ present in the Eucharist and in his people will make the bread and wine you minister to others genuine signs of Christ's self-sacrifice and your own.

Practical suggestions: In our parish, extraordinary ministers occupy the first pew on the on the left, facing the altar space.

We are to dress decently, (Per GIRM, lay ministers, may wear an alb, or suitable vesture, or other appropriate and dignified clothing.)

We have a unique and special function to perform at each liturgy: The Ministry of Communion. Thus you should not "double up" by serving as lector, usher, or song leader at one and the same liturgy. (It is understandable that an emergency might require you to serve more than one ministry, but such a practice should never be planned.)

The extraordinary minister should fulfill hislher role at the Mass in which he/she participates and should not be assigned to serve at several celebrations.

The sharing of the Body and Blood of Christ brings us into communion with Him and with each other. This communion with other persons requires you to make the sharing of the Eucharist as personal as possible. You must be truly present to others in the brief moment you share with them in the act of Communion.

Try to be caring about and at ease with the people you serve, both inside and outside the liturgy. (All who gather at the table of the Lord are brothers and sisters in the Lord; their assembly is marked by equality in Jesus Christ.

The ministration of Communion should be done with dignity and reverence.

(Do not rush).

The ministry of Communion is only for those who can look at another person in the eye with comfort and touch another person with ease.

You profess your own faith in saying, "The Body of Christ" and "The Blood of Christ" as you serve your brothers and sisters. You also call forth the faith of those you serve as they respond, "Amen".

After each communicant has stopped in front of you, speak to that person. Raise the bread slightly and look the person in the eye in a friendly manner, and say as you mean it "The Body of Christ." Speak clearly and loud enough so that hard-of hearing person will be able to say their "Amen".

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Three necessary kinds of contact in the sharing of Communion:

Ocular-dare to let your eyes meet those of the communicant and reflect the

wonder of God's love in the Eucharist.

I

II

Verbal-dare to let your voice announce God's invitation to the banquet of etemallife.

Tactile-dare to let your hands touch those of the communicant as they minister God's

holy gift. Let the communicant feel the texture of the bread and your own hands.

Allow communicant to indicate the manner in which they wish to receive. Place the

bread in the person's hand or tongue reverently. We are handling a treasure, the Body

and Blood of Christ.

Extraordinary ministers receiving the Body and Blood of Christ reverently and humbly

from the priest or deacon maybe the best immediate preparation that extraordinary

ministers can have for reverently and humbly ministering the Eucharist to others.

**Stand with reverence as you receive a plate or cup from the priest or deacon, then take your position at a Communion station. Your position should indicate that you are relaxed but ready for attentive service. Your demeanor should be that of a caring host or hostess, not that of a soldier presenting the colors at gravesite. **Hold the cup and plate with reverence, remembering the contents are very precious, and your reverence is seen and felt by all. ***Ifyou or a communicant should drop a piece of bread (this can happen despite all cautions taken), gracefully stoop down and pick it up. Keep this bread apart so that you can dispose of it reverently after Communion or after Mass. (We usually consume the bread in an inconspicuous manner.) Should spilling the precious Blood of Christ happens, stoop down and immediately cover it with your purificator. Turn to the Sacristan, who will come to assist you. After Communion or after the Mass, purify the spot where the precious Blood was spilled.) **Crumbs should be disposed of reverently after each Mass, either by consuming them, or by mixing them with water and drinking the mixture. (Pouring the mixture into the Sacrarium is another option.) **Communion cups containing wine should not be left at the counter with the collection baskets. The ministers should consume the extra wine reverently after Communion or after Mass.

Routine is the death of reverence. If you find yourself becoming routine, refocus on the significance of the actions you are performing. Your presence and actions will have much to do with how that person receives the Lord in Holy Communion that day, for good or ill. Such is the challenge and responsibility of your call to ministry.

Your gracious lesson and example as a minister of Holy Communion will lead others to generous service of their neighbors.

Reference: THE MINISTRY OF COMMUNION Michael Kwatera, OSB