Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion

About the Ministry

The ministry of distributing Holy Communion at Mass is a valuable and necessary service to the faithful of our parish. Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion (EMHC) assist the priest and deacon with the distribution of Holy Communion whenever the number of worshipers (or communion under both species – bread and wine) demands that the priest (and deacon, when present) have help to distribute communion in a timely and dignified manner.

However, the position of EMHC is often misunderstood, so a little background may be helpful. The Church teaches that the "ordinary minister" of Holy Communion is the bishop, priest, or deacon, as they represent Christ himself, who feeds us with his Body and Blood. It is only in situations of need that laypeople may be commissioned to assist in this. Please read this excerpt from the document, Norms for the Distribution and Reception of Holy Communion Under Both Kinds in the Dioceses of the United States of America (2001).

Besides this assistance at Mass, some EMHCs also assist with the important task of taking Communion to the sick and homebound, an extremely valuable ministry indeed! These EMHCs bring the love of Christ and his body, the Church, to those who are most in need of his comfort.

Prospective EMHCs must have a deep love for and commitment to Christ in the Eucharist and great humility in acting as his ministers. They must be reliable in fulfilling their commitment to serve at Mass or on sick calls, and they must find properly commissioned substitutes whenever they cannot fulfill their duty. EMHCs must also understand and accept that they act as extraordinary ministers, not ordinary ministers, and they must on occasion humbly give way to an ordained priest or deacon when "surplus" ordained are present at Mass.

If you believe you may be called to be an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion, please email  [email protected] for more information.

Scheduling

Commissioned ministers who wish to serve Lord's Day Mass can pick the Mass time which they prefer and also select second and/or third preferences if they wish. Schedules are prepared to assure that each Mass has the required number of ministers available. Ministers are usually scheduled for the Mass they most prefer to attend. If they have a second and/or third Mass preference, ministers can be scheduled accordingly.

Any planned absences can be scheduled in advance by completing the online form or completing the paper form distributed with the quarterly schedule and delivering it to the ministry head. For any unforeseen absences which arise after the schedule has been prepared, the minister must arrange for a substitute by contacting another member of the ministry who would be willing to fill in.

Training

Ministers are required to attend a training session at least once a year and after the training, they must be approved and commissioned by the Diocese to serve. Commissioning is only valid at the church where the minister received the training.

REQUIREMENTS

In addition to attending a training session and in order to serve, you must be
• A registered OLMC parishioner
• At least 16 years of age and Confirmed
• A practicing Catholic
• Certified annually

Note: Your commissioning only allows you to serve at Our Lady of Mount Carmel or as an EMHC to the sick/homebound.