Upholding the Church's Teaching on Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion will also encourage Vocations to the Priesthood

Today I went to Holy Mass in a city centre Church in Dublin.  There were two Priests present, one of them had a walking stick.  Both were elderly but the main celebrant was able bodied.  At the time of distribution of Holy Communion, two lay extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion came forward.  There was absolutely no need for them as there was not a very large crowd at the Mass at Midday.  In fact one Priest was sufficient.  I was kneeling down at the Priest's side waiting to receive when I noticed one of the extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion finished distributing at his side and came dashing towards us as the Priest continued to distribute.  I got up from the altar rails and moved over to the Priest to receive and did so.  I might add also that I was not the only one to do so as quite a number followed suit.

It is important to remember that the Church's teaching on the distribution of the Holy Eucharist says the following here: Vatican - Redemptionis Sacramentum

[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]


[158.] Indeed, the extraordinary minister of Holy Communion may administer Communion only when the Priest and Deacon are lacking, when the Priest is prevented by weakness or advanced age or some other genuine reason, or when the number of faithful coming to Communion is so great that the very celebration of Mass would be unduly prolonged.[259] This, however, is to be understood in such a way that a brief prolongation, considering the circumstances and culture of the place, is not at all a sufficient reason.

I felt very strongly today that I would never go to a Lay Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion again at Mass in any Church.  By going to an E.M of Holy Communion, I feel that I too would be a participant in this disobedience.  The disobedience is occurring where Extraordinary Ministers are used at every Mass, including early Morning and at all Daily Masses where there is no need for them.  This is clearly going against the Teachings of the Church and giving bad example to young people learning about their faith.  All of this disobedience and lack of reverence towards Jesus in the Eucharist has led to a decrease in Vocations to the Priesthood and undermines the Priesthood itself and the Sacredness of the Vocation as well as the Sacredness of the Holy Mass.  We all have a part to play in renewing our Church and each one of us can do something no matter how small to restore the Priesthood and the Respect due to Christ in the Eucharist and to also make reparation for all the offenses against Jesus in the Most Blessed Sacrament.  

I know there are very good people who do this work in the Church but as it says above, they are 'extraordinary' and should not be used at every Holy Mass as they now are.  There should be no rush to receive Holy Communion and by having one Priest distribute, it gives more time for reflection and thanksgiving and would bear greater fruit for the Church..  Our Church has become over laicized and this is contributing to the lack of Vocations to the Priesthood.  So please let us all reflect more on Who we receive at Holy Communion and become more familiar with the Church's teaching on the Sacraments and the Priesthood. 

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. 

What the Church teaches on Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion - Redemptionis Sacramentum

1. The Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion

[154.] As has already been recalled, “the only minister who can confect the Sacrament of the Eucharist in persona Christi is a validly ordained Priest”.  [254] Hence the name “minister of the Eucharist” belongs properly to the Priest alone. Moreover, also by reason of their sacred Ordination, the ordinary ministers of Holy Communion are the Bishop, the Priest and the Deacon,[255] to whom it belongs therefore to administer Holy Communion to the lay members of Christ’s faithful during the celebration of Mass. In this way their ministerial office in the Church is fully and accurately brought to light, and the sign value of the Sacrament is made complete.

[155.] In addition to the ordinary ministers there is the formally instituted acolyte, who by virtue of his institution is an extraordinary minister of Holy Communion even outside the celebration of Mass. If, moreover, reasons of real necessity prompt it, another lay member of Christ’s faithful may also be delegated by the diocesan Bishop, in accordance with the norm of law,[256] for one occasion or for a specified time, and an appropriate formula of blessing may be used for the occasion. This act of appointment, however, does not necessarily take a liturgical form, nor, if it does take a liturgical form, should it resemble sacred Ordination in any way. Finally, in special cases of an unforeseen nature, permission can be given for a single occasion by the Priest who presides at the celebration of the Eucharist.[257]

[156.] This function is to be understood strictly according to the name by which it is known, that is to say, that of extraordinary minister of Holy Communion, and not “special minister of Holy Communion” nor “extraordinary minister of the Eucharist” nor “special minister of the Eucharist”, by which names the meaning of this function is unnecessarily and improperly broadened.

[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]

[158.] Indeed, the extraordinary minister of Holy Communion may administer Communion only when the Priest and Deacon are lacking, when the Priest is prevented by weakness or advanced age or some other genuine reason, or when the number of faithful coming to Communion is so great that the very celebration of Mass would be unduly prolonged.[259] This, however, is to be understood in such a way that a brief prolongation, considering the circumstances and culture of the place, is not at all a sufficient reason.

[159.] It is never allowed for the extraordinary minister of Holy Communion to delegate anyone else to administer the Eucharist, as for example a parent or spouse or child of the sick person who is the communicant.

[160.] Let the diocesan Bishop give renewed consideration to the practice in recent years regarding this matter, and if circumstances call for it, let him correct it or define it more precisely. Where such extraordinary ministers are appointed in a widespread manner out of true necessity, the diocesan Bishop should issue special norms by which he determines the manner in which this function is to be carried out in accordance with the law, bearing in mind the tradition of the Church.

Above from:

Vatican - Redemptionis Sacramentum (On certain matters to be observed or to be avoided regarding the Most Holy Eucharist)

*I find it very disheartening to see lay people distributing Holy Communion and the Precious Blood of the Lord in the presence of so many Priests and Bishops at an Ordination Ceremony of a new Bishop despite what the Church has already stated.  It is really a suffering to see how our Beloved Lord and Saviour is treated with such indifference in the Holy Mass in these times over and over again.  And somehow it never changes, nobody says anything and if you do say something, you are a moan or just old fashioned.  The Church has said that we the laity had every right to report liturgical abuses when we see them, but to whom do you go when you see so many participating in the Ordination ceremony of a Bishop where the teachings of the Church on certain parts of the Holy Mass are somewhat ignored  ? - Anne

Prayer in Reparation for our sins against the Most Holy Eucharist

In the spring of 1916, a year before Our Lady visited the three children of Fatima, an Angel of God came to them and taught them this prayer:

My God, I believe, I adore, I hope, and I love Thee! I ask pardon for those who do not believe, do not adore, do not hope, and do not love Thee. (3 times)

In the fall of the same year, the Angel prostrated himself before the Sacred Body and Precious Blood of Jesus Christ and taught the three children thus to make reparation to our Eucharistic Lord:

Most Holy Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, I adore Thee profoundly! I offer Thee the most Precious Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus Christ, present in all the Tabernacles of the world, in reparation for the outrages, sacrileges, and indifference by which He is offended. And through the infinite merits of His Most Sacred Heart, and the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I beg of Thee the conversion of poor sinners.