EXTRAORDINARY MINISTER OF HOLY COMMUNION. A guide for Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion at St. Albert the Great Catholic Church

Transcription

1 EXTRAORDINARY MINISTER OF HOLY COMMUNION A guide for Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion at St. Albert the Great Catholic Church

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3 Extraordinary Minister Of Holy Communion A Guide for Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion at St. Albert the Great Catholic Church REVISED AND UPDATED August 14, 2013

4 Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion, A guide for Extraordinary Ministers at St. Albert the Great Catholic Church has been developed as a resource by Deacon Chuck Lanham for lay ministers instituted to distribute Holy Communion at the Mass.

5 Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion The Lord Jesus, on the night he was handed over, took bread, and, after he had given thanks, broke it and said, This is my body that is for you. Do this in remembrance of me. In the same way also the cup, after supper, saying, This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me. 1 Corinthians, 11:23-25 The priest may call upon extraordinary ministers to assist him, that is, duly instituted acolytes or even other faithful who have been duly deputed for this purpose. The General Instruction of the Roman Missal # 162, USCCB Thank you for your desire to become an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion. Within Mass, the Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion may distribute Holy Communion when there are insufficient ordained ministers capable of administering the Sacrament, in order to provide a timely and reverent distribution of Holy Communion.

6 Ministry schedule Outside of Mass, the Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion may also assist parish priests and deacons in the distribution of Holy Communion to the sick and homebound. Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion must be: Roman Catholics whose qualities of Christian life, faith, and morals recommend them Fully initiated Catholics (i.e., have received the Sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist) At least 16 years old Regular participants in the sacramental life of the Church Ministry schedule The schedule for every Mass is published in the bulletin and mailed to all ministers prior to the beginning of every month. Each month when you receive the calendar, please review your assignments and make note of when you are scheduled to read. Absences We are all called away on occasion for various reasons and in most cases these absences are known and arranged in advance. Please, let the Parish staff know when you will not be available as far in the future as possible; this will allow them to create the schedule with those who will be available. 6

7 Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion Replacements If you cannot serve at a Mass you have been assigned it is your responsibility to find a replacement. You can procure a phone list from the Parish Office. Decorum and Dress acolytes, altar servers, lectors, and other lay ministers may wear the alb or other suitable vesture or other appropriate and dignified clothing. General Instruction of the Roman Missal, # 339, USCCB The Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion should show reverence for the Most Holy Body and Precious Blood of Jesus, especially by full and active participation in the celebration of Mass. You should use respectful and precise language when discussing the Holy Eucharist (always avoiding terms such as bread or wine when referring to the Sacred Host or Precious Blood). As an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion, you are serving at the table of the Lord and should always dress appropriately; after all it is a special banquet you are attending and serving. This is not an occasion for T-shirts, shorts, blue jeans, tennis shoes, or other casual dress. Arrival The Head Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion should arrive a minimum of 30 minutes before the beginning of Mass so as to be present to make assignments at the altar and to find suitable replacements for anyone scheduled who cannot participate in the Mass. All Extraordinary Ministers of Holy 7

8 Arrival Communion should make every effort to arrive at least 15 minutes prior to the beginning of Mass and check in for their placement and assignment at the altar. Bowing There are two kinds of bows: a bow of the head; and a bow of the body, which is referred to as a profound bow. A bow of the head is made whenever the three names of the Trinity are said together, and when the name of Jesus, Mary, or the saint in whose honor the Mass is celebrated is said. A profound bow, bending the entire body at the waist to where you can touch the knees with the palms of your hand, is made at a few specific parts during the Mass, and whenever you pass in front of an altar. We bow to the altar because the Altar represents Christ so we reverence it with a profound bow. When we reverence the Blessed Sacrament in the tabernacle we are adoring God Himself, since the Lord is truly present in the Blessed Sacrament, so we genuflect. For Sacristans, as you approach the sanctuary to perform your duties, you should perform a profound bow toward the Altar not the tabernacle before entering the sanctuary. Upon exiting the sanctuary, turn, face the Altar and perform a profound bow. 8

9 Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion Duties Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion participate in the Mass in the same manner as the assembly and only approach the altar after the sign of peace. Head Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion Prior to the beginning of Mass the Head Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion is responsible to review the schedule to determine who is scheduled for the Mass, obtain a minister placement map and clipboard, assign ministers to the necessary positions at the altar, and where one or more scheduled ministers fail to appear, locating trained replacements. Masses with and without Deacons Deacons are generally scheduled to serve at specific Masses each week. The schedule will include the Deacon whenever he is scheduled to serve. Should a deacon be unable to serve at a scheduled Mass, an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion must be found to serve in his place. The Deacon should arrange for his replacement, but should the replacement not appear, be prepared to find another. The Deacon will always be the minister of the cup and his normal position is immediately to the right of the presider. 9

10 Duties Please note that Bishops, Priests, and Deacons are Ordinary Ministers of Holy Communion and when present at Mass are required to fulfil their duties as such. Should a Deacon attend a Mass in which he is not listed on the schedule, he is supposed to serve. If he indicates that he will be doing so, please modify the schedule to accommodate him. The Head Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion should perform a profound bow, approach and open the Tabernacle, perform a full genuflection and sign of the cross, remove both the large and small ciboriums, hand them to either the Priest or Deacon. At times you may be instructed to set them on the altar by the Priest. If you are so instructed, place them to the side, off of the corporal; never place them on the corporal unless specifically instructed to do so by the Priest. retrieve the patens from the credence table (the Deacon may retrieve them), hand them to the Priest or Deacon. At times you may be instructed to set them on the altar by the Priest. If you are so instructed, place them to the side, off of the corporal; never place them on the corporal unless specifically instructed to do so by the Priest. move to the end of the line of ministers, when a Deacon is present. 10

11 Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion If no Deacon is present, stand near the end of the altar facing the Priest in order to receive communion and a cup for distribution to the other ministers. Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion should approach the altar, perform a profound bow, and then position themselves behind the Priest and Deacon, facing the congregation, in the approximate position of where they will be serving. Upon receiving Holy Communion, all Extraordinary Ministers should proceed to their assigned places carrying either a cup and purificator or a paten. This is a joyous occasion; after all, the meaning of eucharist is thanksgiving which should be a time of joy and gladness, so try to present a joyous demeanor as you minister to the community. It is perfectly acceptable and encouraged to smile. For the Body of Christ (Host): The Extraordinary Minister will hold the Sacred Host before the communicant and say in a clear voice, The Body of Christ. It is inappropriate to change this declaration in any way, such as adding the person s name. After the communicant replies Amen, the Sacred Host is placed on the palm or tongue. 11

12 Duties For the Blood of Christ (Cup): The Extraordinary Minister will raise the cup, and say in a clear voice, The Blood of Christ. It is inappropriate to change this declaration in any way, such as adding the person s name. After the communicant responds, Amen the minister will hand the communicant the cup. After each communicant receives from the cup, the minister will wipe clean the cup s rim, using the purificator. Then, before presenting the cup to the next person, he/she will turn it slightly. For those who ask for a blessing There are occasions when a communicant may approach but refuse to receive Holy Communion. Normally the communicant will indicate this by either crossing his/her arms over the chest or placing fingers or hand over the mouth. Young children who have not reached seven years of age and have not received first communion may not provide any indication. You should use your best judgment and look to the accompanying adult for guidance. For those who do not receive Holy Communion, the Extraordinary Minister should make the sign of the cross over the communicant and offer a brief blessing such as: May the Lord bless and protect you. God bless and keep you. 12

13 After the distribution of Holy Communion The Extraordinary Minister of the Body of Christ will Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion if there are remaining hosts in the paten o hand the paten to the Deacon who will place any remaining hosts in the ciborium. Wait for the paten to be returned to you, o if there is no Deacon serving, place the remaining hosts in the ciborium, Do not dump the remaining hosts into the ciborium but use your fingers to lift them from the paten. Leave small fragments in the paten and consume them at the credence table. return the paten to the credence table, leave the sanctuary, turn and perform a profound bow, and return to his/her pew. The Extraordinary Minister of the cup will consume any remaining remnant of the Precious Blood from the cup. It is absolutely forbidden to pour any amount of Precious Blood down the sacrarium or sink, return the cup and purificator to the credence table, leave the sanctuary, turn and perform a profound bow, and return to his/her pew. 13

14 Duties The Head Extraordinary Minister should wait at the credence table in order to assist the Priest and/or Deacon. In most cases, either the Priest or Deacon will return the ciboriums to the Tabernacle, but occasionally the Head Extraordinary Minister will be asked to do so. In that case the Head Extraordinary Minister should reverently place the ciboriums into the Tabernacle, perform a full genuflection and sign of the cross, close and lock the Tabernacle door, leave the sanctuary, turn and perform a profound bow, and return to his/her pew. Miscellaneous Should a Sacred Host drop accidentally during the distribution of Holy Communion, either the person who was receiving the Eucharist or the Extraordinary Minister should pick up the Host and consume it immediately. Should the Precious Blood be spilled accidentally, the area should be covered immediately with a purificator. After Mass, the area should be dabbed dry with another purificator, and then rinsed thoroughly with water, using fresh cloths. Both the purificators and cloths should be rinsed thoroughly in the sacrarium, and then laid out to dry, before being laundered as usual. 14

15 Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion If an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion is uncertain how to address a particular situation, he/she should bring the matter to the attention of the Priest or Deacon. After Mass The purification of sacred vessels (patens, chalices, cups) is performed by the Priest, Deacon, or instituted ministers after Mass at the credence table. All patens used during the distribution of Holy Communion must be wiped with a thumb to carefully remove any remnants of the Sacred Body of Christ, A small amount of water is poured into the chalice and the chalice rotated at an angle to let the water wash any remnants of the Precious Blood from the chalice. The water is then poured from the chalice into one of the remaining cups and the cup is rotated at an angle to let the water wash any remnants of the precious blood from the cup, This is repeated for each remaining cup. The water is then consumed by the minister after the last cup is purified. The patens, chalice, and cups are then wiped dry with a purificator. The sacred vessels are then removed from the credence table and taken to the sacristy. The chalice and cups are washed at the sink and returned to the credence table. o Determine who the presider will be for the following Mass and place the appropriate chalice on the credence table. 15

16 Duties o There are three principle chalices used: The tall gold chalice is used by Father Mark The shorter gold chalice is used by Father Honesto The shorter silver chalice is used by visiting priests Return the general patens (silver/pewter) to the credence table Return the large paten to the entrance table. Fresh purificators should be placed on the credence table. Purificators should be placed in the used linen basket in the sacristy. After the 6PM (Sat.) and 5PM (Sun.) Masses The chalice and cups are washed at the sink and stored in the sacristy. Please return them to their assigned locations (the shelves are marked appropriately). Father Mark s chalice has a blue cover; please cover his chalice. Patens should be returned to their assigned shelf in the sacristy. Purificators should be placed in the used linen basket in the sacristy. 16

17 Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion Do this in remembrance of me. 17