Extraordinary ministers

The ministers of the Eucharist are bishops and priests, while the ordinary ministers of Holy Communion are bishops, priests and deacons.

Lay people can be extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion only - never of the Eucharist - and distribute it solely when the priest or deacon is prevented either by weakness, 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. A brief prolongation is not at all a sufficient reason to have extraordinary ministers distributing Holy Communion (Redemptionis Sacramentum).

Despite numerous admonitions given by the Universal Church (for instance, Inestimabile donum) we are still noticing in some of our churches extraordinary ministers distributing Holy Communion when they are not needed. They simply present themselves because, to say the least, it is their turn to do so or are called by the presiding priest to finish earlier.

This is at its worse when a priest engages extraordinary ministers to distribute Holy Communion while he himself abstains just to see others doing it. All these are blatant abuses. In some cases, one gets the impression that the priest, not the layman, is the extraordinary minister of Communion.

It is a common recurrence in quite a number of parishes that extraordinary ministers hold their post for many years as if in their parish only they can hold this office. This is frustrating on other parishioners who are capable, suitable and desire to distribute Holy Communion as well. Being an extraordinary minister entails the duty to hold that office for some time and then make room for others to take over. A six-year term is quite enough.

Priests and faithful alike should therefore be reminded that there are sound theological reasons behind the Eucharistic instructions given by the Church and they ought not to be taken lightly.