FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Eucharistic Ministers make the communion rite take place in a timely fashion.  This is not a matter of efficiency, but recognition that its meaning cannot be separated from our experience of it in the ritual.  When “going to communion” takes a long time, and we are not sharing a meal with our brothers and sisters, then the communion rite loses its association with the Eucharistic prayer and the breaking of the bread.  The number of Eucharistic ministers is based on the number of communicants at Mass.

The use of so-called 'Extraordinary Ministers of the Eucharist' (also wrongly, but popularly, called "Eucharistic Ministers") - lay persons (including women) distributing Holy Communion - began in the 20th century. A minister of Holy Communion is simply a baptized Catholic who lawfully takes the Eucharist to other Catholics. Canon 910 distinguishes between an ordinary minister of Holy Communion and an extraordinary minister of Holy Communion. Ordinarily, the Church entrusts bishops, priests, and deacons with the ministry of taking Holy Communion to the sick. Thus clergy are ordinary ministers of Holy Communion. When a layperson takes the Eucharist to the sick, he or she acts as an EXTRAORDINARY MINISTERS OF THE HOLY COMMUNION. In other words, he or she acts in an extraordinary capacity because the priests and deacons are unable to meet the needs of all the Catholics in a specific area. A common example is that of a priest who pastors a large flock within a geographically dispersed parish, without any available permanent deacon or assistant pastor to help him.

Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion must be actively participating Catholics, at least 18 years of age and in good standing with the Church. 

The ordinary minister of Holy Communion is a bishop, priest or deacon.  However, other members of the faithful, known as extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion, may be commissioned to assist with the distribution of the Sacrament as needed. In order to be commissioned, you’ll need to take some training sessions, At the end, take and pass an exam.

Regardless of whether the illness causes moral or physical impossibility, the Church is still obliged, insofar as it is possible, to meet the spiritual needs of her faithful. From these needs arise the Church’s ancient pastoral practice of visiting the sick. This practice includes taking the Eucharist to the elderly, the sick and the infirm. It involves sharing in prayer and the word of God during these visits. These eucharistic visits may take place in the home, at the hospital bed, or in any institution that provides basic care and day-to-day living arrangements to the elderly, the sick and the infirm.

A minister of Holy Communion typically encounters three types of situation when taking Communion to the sick. The first is a regular visit to someone suffering from the effects of age, illness or infirmity. The second concerns a visit to someone who is dying. In this situation, the Church refers to the Holy Eucharist as Viaticum. This last word means “food for the journey,” keeping in mind that death is a journey into the afterlife. And the third situation concerns a sick or dying child. A lay minister of Holy Communion should be aware of how to proceed in each situation.

Lying in bed alone without any visitors and all you can do is pray to Jesus for His help, peace and comfort? Suddenly your prayers are answered. Into your room walks a Eucharistic Minister who brings you the best medicine – Jesus Himself – to help you and bring you peace and spiritual comfort. In your heart you were overjoyed and thankful that this person came to visit you and brought you the most precious gift of Jesus in the Eucharist. Or perhaps you couldn’t receive the Eucharist, so the Eucharistic Minister, with Jesus present, offers to say a prayer for your healing and comfort. This could have happened to you, a loved one, a friend, a child or an elderly person. The Eucharistic Minister could be the only visitor the sick may receive.  This is a very challenging and rewarding ministry! 

It is the Body of Christ giving the Body of Christ to the Body of Christ.  We have communion with our living, loving, and nourishing God. This means that there can be no rush.  One can minister communion with reverence and dignity and personal attention and still keep the process moving steadily. Likewise for our non communicants, special care is necessary when composing prayers of blessing over the people who come forward for a blessing.  Eye contact, words of welcome and blessing, and of course the kind and gentle touch of the Body of Christ touching the Body of Christ.