Liturgy

2200 FOR EUCHARISTIC MINISTERS: NOURISHING THE COMMUNITY #

2210 INTRODUCTION #

In 1973 the Church first proclaimed the need for extra¬ordinary ministers of the Eucharist. In his encyclical IMMENSAE CARITATIS (“Immense Love”), Pope Paul VI makes clear
2210.1 why Eucharistic Ministers serve;
2210.2 how Eucharistic Ministers serve;
2210.3 who Eucharistic Ministers are.

The document begins:
“Christ the Lord has left to the Church, His Spouse, a testament of His immense love. This wonderful gift of the Eucharist, which is the greatest gift of all, demands
that such an important mystery should be increasingly better known and its saving power more fully shared…. Greater access to Holy Communion should be made possible ….Provision must be made lest reception become impos¬sible or difficult owing to a lack of a sufficient number of ministers.”
The document goes on to explain that “local ordinaries have the faculty to permit suitable persons…to give the Euch¬arist to other faithful and to take it to the sick who are confined to their homes.”
The document insists that “persons who have been appointed to be extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion are neces-sarily to be duly instructed and should distinguish them-selves by their Christian life, faith and morals. Let them strive to be worthy of this great office; let them cultivate devotion to the Holy Eucharist and show themselves as an example to the other faithful by their piety and reverence for this most holy Sacrament of the altar.”

2220 HISTORY #

Ministers of the Eucharist were common in the early Church. Someone from each family carried the Eucharist from Sunday Mass to the home where family members would then receive each day during the week.

Over the years, the many individual ministerial roles were gradually taken over by the priest, to the point where he was often the only minister — of the readings, the altar, and Communion.

The Second Vatican Council began a renewal of many mini-stries in the Church, emphasizing the priestly ministry given to all at Baptism. Pope Paul VI writes in his en-cyclical EVANGELII NUNTIANDI “the laity can also feel them¬selves called to work with their pastors in the service of
the ecclesial community for its growth and life by exer¬cising a great variety of ministries according to the grace and charisms which the Lord is pleased to give them.”

In accord with the spirit of the Council, Church members now have the opportunity to serve as special ministers of the Eucharist. They stand with the priests and deacons as
those who offer their brothers and sisters the Body of Christ. Theirs is also the privilege to bring the Eucharist from the worshipping community to the sick or to those confined in their homes.

2230 THE EUCHARIST #

At the Last Supper, the Lord Jesus gave Ris Church the Sacrament of His Body and Blood that we might “proclaim the
death of the Lord until He comes.” He entrusted to the Church this unique memorial of His life, death, and resurrections, and asked that we do this in memory of Him.
Our Eucharist is called
“a sacrament of love,
a sign of unity,
a bond of charity,
a paschal meal in which Christ is eaten, the mind filled with grace, and a pledge of future glory given to us.” (St. Thomas Acquinas)
The Eucharist then is the source and summit of our Christian lives and of all Christian worship.
Special ministers of the Eucharist witness to the preeminence of this sacrament. It is the special ministers of the Eucharist who stand in the midst of the worshipping community and proclaim that this is indeed “The Body of Christ;” it is these ministers who call forth the people’s strong “yes” of faith in the presence and power of Jesus Christ.
By attitudes of reverence and prayer around the altar, the special ministers of the Eucharist manifest their devotion to our Savior present under the forms of bread and wine. They reflect in their actions an intimate relationship with God who gives us “our daily bread” and with Christ, of whose
Body and Blood we partake. By their presence before the community at Mass or at a sickbed, the Eucharistic ministers are abiding witnesses of the meaning of the “life-giving bread and saving cup” that they hold in their hands.

2240 RELATIONSHIP TO PASTOR, PASTORAL STAFF AND ‘COMMUNITY #

Extraordinary ministers of the Eucharist relate in particular ways to the parish community, and to the pastor and pastoral staff, ways that involve:

2241 faith witness
2242 selection of new ministers 2243 interview of new ministers 2244 meetings.
2241 Potential special ministers of the Eucharist have special
qualities of faith and active commitment to the parish, their community of faith. Parishioners recognize the potential Eucharistic ministers by their prayerfulness, dedication, and good relationships with others.
2242 The pastor and th(DE5e with whom he works, the pastoral staff, are alert to these qualities and those mentioned in Series 2250. In accord with the pastor’s mission from the Archbishop and with the particular responsibilities of the pastoral staff, the pastor and pastoral staff consult, and then invite parishioners to become candidates for the Eucharistic ministry.
2243 The pastor or pastoral staff member interviews the candy-dates and after mutual agreement, apply to the Chancellor to be registered as a Eucharistic Minister. The candidates then begin preparation for their new ministry. Once selected, registered, prepared and commissioned, the Eucharistic ministers serve the parish under the guidance of the priest or a designated member of the pastoral staff. The pastor
or his designate care for the spiritual welfare of the Eucharistic ministers, particularly through formal meetings held at least twice a year at which the pastor and all Eucharistic ministers are present.
2244 The purpose of the meetings is threefold:
2244.1 to allow for on-going spiritual development of the Eucharistic ministers;
2244.2 to coordinate planning and scheduling, and to discuss areas of difficulty;
2244.3 to demonstrate that the ministers are an important parish resource and deserve significant pastoral time.

2250 STYLE OF MINISTRY #

You who have been chosen ministers of the Eucharist are call¬ed to a most rewarding ministry. You are called to touch and to share one of Christ’s greatest gifts to His Church, His Body and Blood, given for the life and growth of His members.
This ministry takes place in the Eucharistic celebration, surrounded by brothers and sisters, or as Communion to the sick in solitary hospital beds or lonely rooms for shut-ins. In either case you bring Jesus to his people. The more you accompany this action with reverence, care and concern, the more clearly you witness to the presence of Jesus.
As a Eucharistic minister, you are a minister of your parish community, called upon to be a sign of care in the community by bringing people together, helping them feel at ease, pre¬paring them for their encounter in faith with Christ. Should you become a special minister of Communion to the sick, it becomes even more important that you bring to those people the sign of the community present in you. You bring both the Body of Christ as sacramental nourishment, and the Body of Christ which is the community you represent.
You have been chosen because you are a caring person, because of your witnessing to the community, and because you have shown yourself worthy in the eyes of the community to take on this ministerial role. The demanding nature of your ministry calls you to on-gong conversion and spiritual growth. Special
ministers of the Eucharist need time for personal prayer, reflection, and reading of the Scriptures. The more you understand about the Eucharist theologically, liturgically, and scripturally, the better your attitude and presence will be in ministering to the People of God. In this way you present yourself as spiritually prepared before the community. The manner in which you distribute Communion will reflect your spiritual life.
There should be in you a sense of the sacred. Remember that those who receive the Eucharist see you as sign and symbol of the sacrament. Therefore, do not rush or be hasty, but rather reverent and relaxed, comfortable with those you are ministering to. You are one part of a shared ministry, endeavoring to make the experience of the Eucharist an uplifting, joyful, and prayerful experience.

2260 OPPORTUNITIES FOR SERVICE #

As members of the parish community, the Eucharistic ministers serve in two ways:

liturgically, and pastorally.

Liturgical service occurs at Mass or Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament; pastoral service takes place during visits to the sick or confined. In both instances the Eucharistic ministers are there to allow Christ to be present. This presence is enhanced by the ministers’ sense of service, faith, and spirituality. The ministers’ gentleness, patience, and sensitivity are powerful signs of the love of Christ and the care of the Church.

2261 SERVICE AT THE ALTAR #

Eucharistic ministers arrive approximately 5 – 10 minutes fe¬fore Mass. They inform the priest or person coordinating the Mass that they are present.
Seating: There are several places the Eucharistic ministers may sit during Mass. They may be seated prior to Mass near the front of the church with their families, or they may join in the entrance procession. The ministers may then take seats in the congregation or in the sanctuary.
When to approach the altar: Eucharistic ministers come forward after the Sign of Peace. They stand near the altar. When the priest has received Communion, he will offer the Eucharist to the other ministers who then receive. Once the ministers in the sanctuary receive the Blessed Sacrament in both forms, all proceed to their Communion stations.
How to minister the Eucharist: At the Communion station, the ministers stand squarely in place. There is no need to shift from foot to foot. The ministers’ stance and posture make others feel they are comfortable with what they are doing.
As communicants stand before them, they make eye contact, a way of non-verbally communicating concern for the people before them. The ministers’ eyes do not wander, for the most important people in the church are those standing directly in front of them.
In distributing Communion, ministers are very aware of the people who come to them, and when possible, the ministers call them by name. “Caro