PedroX Posted November 17, 2003 Share Posted November 17, 2003 Blazer, This quote seems to be backing up Likos' statements and others. For example, how many times to EMs bless when it is not "true neccessity", or distribute when there is "no ordained ministers present"? peace... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jake Huether Posted November 17, 2003 Share Posted November 17, 2003 the GIRM Chapter IV, part 1, 161: “If, however, Communion is given under both kinds, the rite prescribed in nos. 284-287 is followed. 162. The priest may be assisted in the distribution of Communion by other priests who happen to be present. If such priests are not present and there is a very large number of communicants, the priest may call upon extraordinary ministers to assist him, e.g., duly instituted acolytes or even other faithful who have been deputed for this purpose.97 In case of necessity, the priest may depute suitable faithful for this single occasion.98 These ministers should not approach the altar before the priest has received Communion, and they are always to receive from the hands of the priest celebrant the vessel containing either species of the Most Holy Eucharist for distribution to the faithful.” Firstly, “a very large number of communicants” is a relative statement, really. “Large” would then refer to when we have an unusually full church, say, on Christmas or Easter. And the statement “for this single occasion” confirms the unusual size in order to necessitate extraordinary ministers. However, my parish has extraordinary ministers at every scheduled Sunday mass, every Sunday. Yet, this is the least of my concern in regards to our extraordinary ministers. As noted, “these ministers should NOT approach the altar before the priest has received Communion”. In my parish it is common practice for the extraordinary ministers to be at the altar helping the priest to prepare the Body of Christ to be distributed directly after consecration, and it is common for one or more extraordinary ministers to be actually AT the altar while the priest receives Communion! I don't care if it takes 2 hours extra to distribute the Eucharist. What these (sincere?) folks are doing with our LORD is a disgrace. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
God Conquers Posted November 17, 2003 Share Posted November 17, 2003 Wow, our EM's don't even approach the altar until WELL after the priest has taken communion. To comply with that precept is pretty easy and only takes like 2 minutes of patience. To do otherwise is silly and disrespectful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uncle Gus Posted November 17, 2003 Share Posted November 17, 2003 Anyone can bless, this is true, but the blessing of a Priest is something infinitely more beatific, and when someone who cannot receive Communion comes forward for a blessing thinking that it makes no difference, that's where there is a problem. The blessing is meant as a substitute for receiving the Eucharist, in order for the person to share in the Communion as fully as possible. In this situation, a blessing from any old Joe Shmoe does not cut it, only the blessing from the Priest does. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
God Conquers Posted November 17, 2003 Share Posted November 17, 2003 not even the blessing of a Priest can come close to being a substitute to the Eucharist. Compared to the difference between Christ himself and a blessing the diferences between the blessings are irrelevant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PedroX Posted November 17, 2003 Share Posted November 17, 2003 The difference between the blessings is not irrelevant, it is the difference between confessing your sins to a priest, and confessing your sins to your friends. The church is quite clear that the blessings are reserved to ordained priests and deacons. peace... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
God Conquers Posted November 17, 2003 Share Posted November 17, 2003 what blessings? Blessings during Eucharistic? COMPARED TO NOT RECIEVING CHRIST they're difference is negligible. Infinite grace vs. no grace... hmmmmmmm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uncle Gus Posted November 17, 2003 Share Posted November 17, 2003 Sure, by comparison, the difference is neglible. But just consider this, compared to the offering of the Pharisees, the difference between the widow offering one penny and offering two pennies is neglible too. But the point is not the comparison. To say that it makes no difference whether you receive a blessing from the Priest or whether you receive a blessing from an extraordinary minister of Holy Communion is to commit the perfectionist fallacy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
God Conquers Posted November 17, 2003 Share Posted November 17, 2003 I didn't say it made no difference, only in relation to the eucharist. Of course i'd rather have a priest's blessing than some schmo's. I just find this debate particularly annoying. People get so upset over it, not for no reason, because where abuses exist it is necessary to correct them, but when there is something happening that just might not be the "best" situation to have. As humans we have limitations, things can't always be perfect, even if we're working for God. There really aren't enough deacons and priests to give out Holy Communion all the time. It might not be good that EM's give blessings, but it's not wrong either. signed- discombobulated joe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
God Conquers Posted November 17, 2003 Share Posted November 17, 2003 That last post started to sound confused at the end, sorry. I'm not correcting it tho.... to tired to think. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
megrc Posted November 18, 2003 Share Posted November 18, 2003 I'm an EME & I find it to be an enormous privlege. I know that it's really not traditional, but it make sense for larger parishes to use EME's. It makes the flow of communion smoother. I don't know how my church would ever get through communion without them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cmotherofpirl Posted November 18, 2003 Share Posted November 18, 2003 My parish has one priest, and since the Bishop has authorized the Body and Blood of Christ at all the Masses, we use EEMs. The use of EEMs for blessings is controversial. EEM blessings, while it is a nice gesture, carries no more weight than me blessing you. You can of course ask the EEM to pray for you. That is always acceptable. Only as priest can impart a blessing from the Church. So if you would want an actual blessing instead of communion you must get in the Communion line of the priest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PedroX Posted November 18, 2003 Share Posted November 18, 2003 Thank you C'mom, that is the point I was trying to make. I'm not surprised that as usual, you make it better than I do. :D The priest, by nature of the Sacrement of Holy Orders, has more grace, and authority to bless the faithful than any non-ordained member of the faithful. It is a difference, and an important one. peace... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
God Conquers Posted November 18, 2003 Share Posted November 18, 2003 bravo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jake Huether Posted November 18, 2003 Share Posted November 18, 2003 Thank you C'mom, that is the point I was trying to make. I'm not surprised that as usual, you make it better than I do. :D The priest, by nature of the Sacrement of Holy Orders, has more grace, and authority to bless the faithful than any non-ordained member of the faithful. It is a difference, and an important one. peace... I don't know that I'd say he has more grace. He might actually have less grace. We don't know the state of a priests soul. And thank God that that isn't a requisit for what he does at Mass. But what is important is the Authority. He has the Autority to impart a Church blessing. He stands (whether his soul is prepared or not) in the Persona Christi (the Person of Christ), when he says Mass. We don't. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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