Eucharistic Minister
Are you interested in
serving as an Extraordinary Minister of Holy
Communion?
Brittany Park Ministry
An integral part of our
Catholic Christian mission is to bring Sunday
Eucharist to the
elderly who reside at the Brittany Park senior
living facility in Woodinville, Wa. Our
Extraordinary (Eucharistic) Ministers have the
privilege of bringing the Word and Communion
service to the Catholic residents who are unable
to travel and attend Mass.
If you are
being called to this work and would like to be
an Extraordinary (Eucharistic) Minister for
Brittany Park or would like further information,
contact
Janet O'Neil in the parish office.
The following additional information is provided from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.
General
Principles
In every celebration of
the Eucharist, there should be a sufficient
number of ministers of Holy Communion so that it
may be distributed in a reverent and orderly
manner. Bishops, priests and deacons distribute
Holy Communion in virtue of their office as
ordinary ministers of the Body and Blood of the
Lord. (1)
When the size of the
congregation or the incapacity of the bishop,
priest, or deacon requires it, the celebrant may
be assisted by other bishops, priests, or
deacons. If such ordinary ministers of Holy
Communion are not present, "the priest may call
upon extraordinary ministers to assist him,
i.e., duly instituted acolytes or even other
faithful who have been deputed for this purpose.
In case of necessity, the priest may also depute
suitable faithful for this single occasion (GIRM
162)."
Extraordinary
Ministers of Holy Communion should receive
sufficient spiritual, theological, and practical
preparation to fulfill their role with knowledge
and reverence. In all matters they should follow
the guidance of the diocesan bishop (Norms
for the Distribution and Reception of Holy
Communion Under Both Kinds for the Dioceses of
the United States of America, NDRHC, no.
28). When recourse is had to Extraordinary
Minister of Holy Communion, especially in the
distribution of Holy Communion under both kinds,
their number should not be increased beyond what
is required for the orderly and reverent
distribution of the Body and Blood of the Lord.
In all matters such Extraordinary Ministers of
Holy Communion should follow the guidance of the
diocesan bishop (IBID).
All ministers of
Holy Communion should show the greatest
reverence for the Most Holy Eucharist by their
demeanor, their attire, and the manner in which
they handle the consecrated bread or wine.
Should there be any mishap--as when, for
example, the consecrated wine is spilled from
the chalice--then the affected "area . . .
should be washed and the water poured into the
sacrarium [GIRM, 280]." (NDRHC,
29).
Liturgy
of the Eucharist:
·
As the Agnus Dei or Lamb of God is
begun, the Bishop or priest alone, or with the
assistance of the deacon, and if necessary of
concelebrating priests, breaks the eucharistic
bread. Other empty ciboria or patens are then
brought to the altar is this is necessary. The
deacon or priest places the consecrated bread in
several ciboria or patens, if necessary, as
required for the distribution of Holy Communion.
If it is not possible to accomplish this
distribution in a reasonable time, the celebrant
may call upon the assistance of other deacons or
concelebrating priests.
·
If extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion are
required by patoral need, they should not
approach the altar before the priest has
received Communion. After the priest has
concluded his own Communion, he distributes
Communion to the extraordinary ministers,
assisted by the deacon, and then hands the
sacred vessels to them for distribution of Holy
Communion to the people.
·
All receive Holy Communion in the manner
described by the General Instruction to the
Roman Missal, whether priest concelebrants
(cf. GIRM, nos. 159, 242, 243, 246), deacons
(cf. GIRM, nos. 182, 244, 246), or Extraordinary
Ministers of Holy Communion (cf. GIRM, no. 284).
Neither deacons nor lay ministers may ever
receive Holy Communion in the manner of a
concelebrating priest. The practice of
Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion
waiting to receive Holy Communion until after
the distribution of Holy Communion is not in
accord with liturgical law. (NDRHC, 39; GIRM,
160).
·
After all Extraordinary Ministers of Holy
Communion have received the Eucharist, the
bishop or priest celebrant reverently hands
vessels containing the Body or the Blood of the
Lord to the deacons or extraordinary ministers
who will assist with the distribution of Holy
Communion. The deacon may assist the priest in
handing the vessels containing the Body and
Blood of the Lord to the Extraordinary Ministers
of Holy Communion. (NDRHC, 40).
·
The proper and only permissible form for
distributing Holy Communion is to offer the
consecrated bread by saying, "The Body of
Christ" and to offer the consecrated wine by
saying, "The Blood of Christ." No other words or
names should be added; and the formula should
not be edited in any way. (Cf. GIRM, 161;
284-287).
·
If the Eucharistic bread or some particle of it
falls, it should be picked up reverently by the
minister. The consecrated bread may be consumed
or completely dissolved in water before being
poured down the sacrarium.
·
Should there be any mishap, for example, if the
consecrated wine is spilled from the chalice,
the area should be washed and the water poured
into the sacrarium.
·
In those instances when there remains more
consecrated wine than was necessary, if needs
dictate, Extraordinary Ministers of Holy
Communion may consume what remains of the
Precious Blood from their cup of distribution
with the permission of the diocesan bishop. The
sacred vessles are to be purified by the priest,
the deacon or an instituted acolyte. The amount
of wine to be consecrated should be carefully
measured before the celebration so that none
remains afterward. It is strictly forbidden to
pour the Precious Blood into the ground or into
the sacrarium. (NDRHC, 51-55).
· Similarly, "consecrated hosts are to be reserved in a ciborium or vessel in sufficient quantity for the needs of the faithful; they are to be frequently renewed and the old hosts properly consumed" (Code of Canon Law, no. 939). Burying hosts or consecrated Eucharistic bread is strictly forbidden.
