Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion

Thank you for visiting our page about Extraordinary Ministers of Communion.

If you are an active EM at St. John the Beloved, click on the following links if you are looking for a Ministry Serving Schedule, or the Ministry Roster, so that you can find a replacement for your scheduled time.

If you are visiting this page just to learn more about the ministry, please read on and follow the links as they seem interesting to you.

This is possibly one of the most beautiful ministries, and one of the most mis-understood. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops provides us with clear and ample information about the intent of the ministry, in the General Instruction on the Roman Missal, In a more concise way, the conference of bishops has tried to help us better understand the nature and role of the ministry by modifying the name. While the name may see a bit unweildy, it gives us some important clues about what we are about.

The word "Extraordinary" indicates that this is a ministry that would not even exist within the Church in normal circumstances. lay people are only invited to assist the priest in distributing Holy Communion in situations where there are an overwhelming number of people present at Mass, and the delay that would occur if the priest were to distribute to everyone is so great that it would cause a hardship to the priest and to the people.

Another aspect of this ministry that is often misunderstood, is the temporary nature of the ministry. The intention of this ministry is that the lay minister is invited to assist the priest on very temporary basis. A priest may invite anyone he chooses to assist him, and the invitation expires at the end of the Mass for which it was made. This is not a ministry that carries any status, when properly understood. Because of this, at St. John the Beloved we do not issue any type of card or other document indicating that a person is "qualified" to serve as an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion. Actually, any person baptized and confirmed in the Catholic Church is qualified, but we serve at the discretion of our priest.

Being qualified and being worthy are two different things. None of us are worthy to perform this ministry. We are literally handling the precious Body and Blood of Christ. That in itself is enough to keep many people from participating in this ministry. But what if the Church needs us to serve? At that point, it becomes a matter of humble obedience. We know we are not worthy, but when called, we come forward in true humility, asking forgiveness for our unworthiness. In doing so, we find a sacred moment, a very unique and powerful opportunity to encounter Christ in a new way, to deepen the experience of our own faith, and to witness the faith of others.

Please take the time to read about this ministry in the G.I.R.M.

If you would like to be trained as an E.M., Please fill out the contact form below, and someone will contact you to set up a time for training.

God Bless you, through ministry.