The Extraordinary as Common

In 1976, my parish introduced the practice of allowing Laity to be Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion (EMHC). This was a year before the practice of Communion in the hand was allowed by the Vatican in 1977. Catholics who had strong First Communion preparation as children had it strongly emphasized to them that touching the Host was an almost unforgivable sin! While I found shocking the introduction of EMHC’s at my parish (it was a fairly conservative parish staffed by Dominican priests), even more shocking was that one of the first EMHC’s in my parish was a woman! Specifically, she was also the 2^nd Grade CCD teacher, which meant she was the primary classroom teacher for those preparing for First Holy Communion! So now I’m asking myself “how is it that certain lay people get to touch the Hosts and distribute it like the priests do?”, and “how do you tell seven-year-old children preparing for First Communion that certain adults are allowed to touch the Hosts, but they can’t?”

Guidelines in documents governing the use of EMHC’s, however, appear to be very generic and tend to be interpreted very broadly by many priests, though in parishes where the Eucharist is offered under both kinds, they’re often seen as a necessity if there is a lack of priests and deacons. As a result, the “extraordinary” is no longer extraordinary, but common. Other factors of course are taken into account, such as the number of communicants, and how many communicants will receive under both kinds. And of course, the priest has the option of offering the Eucharist under both kinds, or under the Form of Bread alone, depending on numerous other circumstances. For example, when I was deployed to Iraq in 2003 back in my Army days, twice I went to a daily Mass celebrated by a priest/chaplain. He offered Eucharist under both kinds; however, he told those wishing to also receive from the chalice to form a line in front of the altar. When he finished distributing the Hosts, he offered the chalice to those waiting before the altar. Because most daily Masses are lightly attended, what this priest/chaplain did was perfect for a daily Mass, no EMHC needed. I never attended a Sunday Mass offered by this priest, so I don’t know if he made use of one or more EMHC’s on Sunday’s.

In the parish I grew up in, EMHC’s also tended to be parishioners already active in the life of the parish. Some EMHC’s felt a calling to this ministry, and others (at the risk of sounding jealous or prejudiced) specifically sought to be EMHC’s to make themselves look good within the parish community! However, I also knew a gentleman many years ago, a very faithful Catholic, active in his parish (as a Mass Usher and Catechist) and other ministries outside his parish, who was asked one time why he wasn’t an EMHC. His response was that he had no desire to be an EMHC, basically saying it’s something he never felt a calling to.

Over the years, I’ve found EMHC’s in general to be extremely reverent in their distribution of the Sacred Species, more so than some priests! But as in other liturgical practices, there unfortunately have been some abuses here as well. Over the years, I’ve witnessed;

-EMHC’s self-communicating at the same time as the priest/celebrant (Hosts being distributed to the EMHC’s by the priest prior to him receiving first).

-EMHC’s approaching the altar after receiving the Host and self-communicating from the chalice on the altar (instead of receiving the chalice from the priest, deacon, or another EMHC).

-EMHC’s blessing small children (usually by tracing the Sign of the Cross on the child’s forehead) who are in line with their parents. Last time I checked, in a liturgical setting,, such as Mass, only a priest or deacon has the authority to confer blessings.

Most EMHC’s carry out their ministry with superb reverence, though occasionally I’ll see an EMHC (and unfortunately, some priests) distributing the Host in a very cavalier and sloppy manner; it reminds me of my Army days and having the cooks plopping my food into my paper plate in the dining facility.

Surprisingly, I’ve never seen a Communicant denied the Host by an EMHC because they insisted on receiving on the tongue (as is their right) instead of the hand, though I’ve heard stories of that happening.

And at least in the case of my parish, the EMHC’s are all faithful Catholics whose daily lives appear to show no evidence of scandal. EMHC’s who are married are in valid and sacramental marriages. And all are aware of the sacred responsibility they’ve been called to in this liturgical ministry.

As for me, I can relate to the gentleman I alluded to earlier, as I also have no desire or calling to be an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion!