Saturday, September 21, 2013

Church Teaching - No Lay Extraordinary Ministers needed where there is an abundance of Priests Present

At recent Bishops Ordinations Ceremonies and also at the Eucharistic Congress among other celebrations lay people were used to distribute Holy Communion in the presence of a large number of Priests and Bishops. This is not correct and should not be done.  It is a liturgical abuse.

In the Vatican Instruction on matters regarding the Holy Eucharist, Redemptionis Sacramentum it states;

157.] If there is usually present a sufficient number of sacred ministers for the distribution of Holy Communion, extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion may not be appointed. Indeed, in such circumstances, those who may have already been appointed to this ministry should not exercise it. The practice of those Priests is reprobated who, even though present at the celebration, abstain from distributing Communion and hand this function over to laypersons.[258]

The above statement said it is reprobated. The definition of reprobated is to strongly condemn or totally unacceptable.    And yet we see it done time and time again.  I find it not only bizarre, but most discouraging to see it happening especially in the presence of Bishops.  We need to speak up on this to protect the sacredness of the Holy Mass and Jesus in the Holy Eucharist.  We have had enough of the liturgical abuses.  It is time to stop. 

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