Ministers
of Communion
or
Communion
Ministers
The ministry of assisting
with the distribution of Communion was first established by Pope Paul VI in the
instruction Immensae Caritatis, issued in 1973. This document refers to the
need for special ministers at Mass “lest reception of Communion becomes
difficult because of insufficient ministers”. (This refers to the
situation where the distribution of Communion by the one priest celebrant would
take so much time as to put the whole liturgy of the Mass out of balance).
Also, when the ordinary
ministers are unable to take Communion frequently to the sick and aged, special
ministers are needed “so that the faithful may not be deprived of this
sacramental help and consolation”.
Obviously, a Lay led
Liturgy with Communion requires the ministry of a Communion Minister.
The only Ministers of the Eucharist
are ordained bishops and priests.
Lay people who are commissioned
to distribute Communion at Mass, or at a lay led Liturgy, or to take Communion
to the sick, are special Ministers of Communion – not Ministers of the
Eucharist or Eucharistic Ministers. They are special or extraordinary in the
sense of being out the ordinary or standard way of giving Communion. In a
tradition that goes back for centuries (but not the first centuries of the
church) only ordained priests and bishops could minister Communion.
Because the words “special”
and “extraordinary” are ambiguous, it is probably best not to use
them in this context.
What name is given to
Communion in your parish?
The bishop, as chief
pastor of the diocese, is responsible for approving people as Ministers of
Communion. These ministers are carefully selected by the parish priest, usually
after nomination by the congregation to be served.
Firstly, they are required
to undertake preparation consisting of liturgical and spiritual formation as
well as practical training. They are then commissioned, for a particular period
of time, by a public rite of designation celebrated in the community where they
will function.
Ongoing education and
formation should also be offered to Ministers of Communion, and to those
involved in other ministries – especially to those involved in the
Proclamation of the Word. When people accept the call to such ministries they
should understand that they also accept the responsibility to participate in
the ongoing programs of education and formation.
The liturgical ministry of
communion is a very personal and caring ministry, one of unity, faith, respect and
hospitality. Communion Ministers need to be those who respect all people and
have a caring approach inside and outside the liturgy; who are comfortable
making contact with people with eyes, words and hands; who are willing to
forget themselves in order to serve others.