Andrew Brown asks a good question
The question he asks is "Do we really need so many 'Eucharistic Ministers'?" Excerpt:
What’s the point of all these assistants? The Catholic Church does allow for what it calls an extraordinary minister of Holy Communion, in cases when the priest is not available. But there is absolutely no need to have five extra ministers, giving Holy Communion under both kinds, as I saw this morning in an ordinary parish church, two thirds full, with a perfectly capable parish priest.
I can’t help thinking all these ministers are there just to give the more assertive parishioners something to do – so that they feel as though they’re joining in. I should think the priest is often bullied into allowing it, and daren’t refuse. As for ordinary Catholics, most of them probably find the extra helpers irritating, but are too polite to say.
All good points in his article. One priest I knew told me he runs into EMs who seem to feel they have some sort of "right" to distribute communion and they get hurt feelings when they aren't needed.
In my experience a lot of EMs seem distracted by ephemera. One time I was asked a question by a very young man distributing communion immediately after I had received communion. What was he thinking? I just shrugged.
I don't know if I'm "too polite to say" anything as Brown suggests. I just consider that there are too many moral crises in the church and the world to obsess about some of these matters. But liturgical abuses certainly don't help the situation.
2 words: altar rail
ReplyDeleteIn the parishes in which I've lived, the number of assertive parishioners who want to feel as though they're joining in is miniscule compared to the numer of parishioners who want to be out of the parking lot in less than an hour.
ReplyDeleteOne problem which relates to both of these is ignorance of the value of the gift of the Holy Eucharist. How is offering the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ in union with the priest and then, for many, receiving His Most Precious Body and Blood not joining in?
ReplyDeleteIt seems like those who can't wait to get to the parking lot are turning up their nose at the gift, whereas the overzealous Eucharistic Ministers are trying to make it more meaningful by being part of the distribution channel, forgetting that they are first of all recipients of the gift.
I don't think it would make sense to shut down the practice of having EMs. My suggestion is that EMs should undergo serious formation before assuming their duties. These classes would include a lot of church teaching and history of the development of the Eucharist starting with the relevant Scripture passages, among other things.
The Archdiocese of Washington has a half-day workshop for EMHCs. I haven't attended, so I don't know the content.
ReplyDeleteI've served as an EMHC in two parishes. Once in reply to a request for volunteers, and once in reply to a personal request from the pastor. I don't much like it -- it's not great for your spiritual health to be offering the Precious Blood while marveling at the correlation between women who take the Cup and women who wear really thick, heavy lipstick -- and was relieved when I was finally able to resign.
The official rule in the Archdiocese, last I heard, was that EMHC serve three-year terms. That's not observed in my parish, not because the current crop won't budge but because there really isn't much of a subsequent crop. They aren't assertive so much as reliable.
But sure, if Andrew Brown doesn't like Communion offered under both Species, it must only be offered because the people offering it are bullies.
It's not good for my spiritual health to look down a female Eucharistic Minister's loose blouse whilst saying "AMEN". And I'm thinking "Wear a fucking sweater; this isn't Ecuador" when I should be thinking about Jesus.
ReplyDeleteNot to rain on the parade here, but aren't we making an awfully big deal ("liturgical abuse"?) over something that some find merely "irritating"?
ReplyDeleteThe big picture is that people are receiving the sacrament. The rest is just details . . . and humans being human.
Kathleen, I didn't know Catholics anywhere used an altar rail.
ReplyDeleteAt any of the Lutheran churches I have gone to that used assistants, male teachers, who have had some theological training at Lutheran colleges, did it. Also, they usually held the tray of individual cups, while the pastors did the distribution of the wafers and common cup. Now having individual cups is a whole 'nother discussion.
I was corraled into EM duty at a previous parish. Whatever the problems observed during distribution, the atmosphere in the sanctuary after Communion during the cleaning of vessals and disposal of the precious blood (it is consumed by the EMs) is nothing short of scandalous. It was a loud party atmosphere with very little respect for what the duty is. I mostly stayed on to preserve as much dignity in the atmosphere as I could.
ReplyDeleteI would recommend that this duty be limited to (at a minimum) permanent deacons but the low-level and often anti-Church teaching quality of the Permanent Deaconate training makes me pause there.
I say given the dramatic decline in participation in the sacrament of Confession, too many people receive communion as it is and EMs are not living up to their duty.
Steve--interesting when you said "corralled". There was a priest at a former parish who really pressured me into becoming an EM. I'm sure it was because I was discussing my conversion with him and mentioning the books I'd read about the Eucharist. So he knew I wasn't a lightweight.
ReplyDeleteOne was The Hidden Manna which I highly recommend to my readers, whether Catholic or Protestant. But sadly many of those who become EMs wouldn't even be able to understand a lot of it. These folks have a stunted view of church history and barely any interest in theology.
We have 3 permanent deacons in our parish and they are some of the most devout men I've ever met. For the record.
My conclusion? Set the bar higher for EMs. And don't be afraid to piss them off.
Not to rain on the parade here, but aren't we making an awfully big deal ("liturgical abuse"?) over something that some find merely "irritating"?
ReplyDeleteMaybe, but I'd rather be irritated when I'm watering the flowers or, you know, buying shrimp than when I'm receiving holy communion.