One Bread, One Body
St. Mary’s Parish, Gainesville, Texas
Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion Training
Qualifications
· Faithful who possess good qualities of Christian life and morals
· One who fosters their own devotion to the Eucharist
· Must be registered at St. Mary’s, have received the Sacrament of Confirmation and if married, be married in accordance with Church law.
· Must be certified by the Bishop upon request by the pastor.
· Certification is through St. Mary’s Office. Please contact the office and fill out the proper paperwork to received Certification. Certification is effective for 3 years. After 3 years you must be re-certified.
What is an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion?
· Lay person or religious to assist priest in distributing Holy Communion.
· EOMHC’s are necessary due to limited clergy.
Procedures before Mass
· Please arrive in attire appropriate for serving. You are giving Jesus to those who receive.
Dress accordingly.
· Please sign your name in the book located in the room to the right of the Alter. The Alter Servers dressing room.
During Mass
· After consecration, the Blessed Sacrament is called “the Sacred Body”, and “the Precious Blood.” This is a tenant of our Catholic Faith. Your demeanor should always reflect this belief.
· Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion come to the Sanctuary at the singing of “Lamb of God”. We schedule 5 people for each Mass (if you see there are not 5 people, you are asked to come up and serve.) Before entering the Sanctuary line up in front of the Altar and reverence the Altar with a bow at the waist. Two ministers will go to the left (when facing the Altar) and three to the right. Go into the Sacristy on the right and left of the Altar and use the anti-bacterial hand gel. Return to your position on the Altar. The middle person on the left side of the Altar generally takes communion to the Choir.
· The EMOHC bows his/her head before receiving Communion. Father will distribute the bread and the Deacon will distribute the wine. The first to receive wine will then give to the first Altar Server, the second to receive will give to the second and/or third Altar Server. When Father moves to give Communion to the congregation, go to the appropriate stations on the right and left.
· The cup should be held heart high as the EMOHC says “The Blood of Christ”, and then wipe the cup with the purificator and turn the cup ¼ turn. When your cup has 1 last sip of wine, ask the person receiving to consume the rest. Put your purificator over the cup and take the cup to the Altar. Lay the purificator next to the cup. Step off to the left side of the Altar. When the Deacon takes the Ciborium to the tabernacle, closes it and bows, the EMOHC’s bow and then return to their seats.
· If you attend the 8:15 or 11:15 AM Mass you are asked to help set up for the next Mass. All the vessels need to be washed, dried and returned to the Credence table.
· There are 4 cups and 4 purificator’s on a tray. The cups are to be filled half full before the tray is taken to the Credence Table. Wine is stored below the refrigerator.
· The Chalice must be set up with a purificator, paten, the large host (stored in the refrigerator), the chalice pall and the corporal.
· There is a cruet with water to be used on the Altar.
· There is the Lavabo dish, hand towel and pitcher.
· The wine decanter with a small amount of wine (enough for the priest and deacon) and a Ciborium with 100 * hosts (stored in the refrigerator) are taken to the table in the back of the Church, just as you enter the door. (* You should ask the Deacon if additional hosts are needed for the next Mass.)
Identifying vessels and linens:
· Chalice – This large cup is used at Mass to hold the wine that becomes the Precious Blood.
· Purificator – a linen cloth used at Mass to cleanse the chalice.
· Paten – This is a saucer-like dish that usually sits on top of the chalice and Purificator. It holds the bread that becomes the Body of Christ.
· Pall – this is a stiff white piece of Linen placed over the chalice,
· Corporal – This comes from the Latin ‘corpus’ meaning a ‘body’. It is a square of linen cloth on which the vessels containing the hosts and the chalice are placed at Mass.
· Ciborium – This is a vessel with a lid. It contains the hosts that will be used for Communion. It is also used to reserve the Blessed Sacrament in the tabernacle.
· Decanter – a vessel to hold the wine before consecration.
· Communion Cup – a vessel to hold the Precious Blood to be distributed to the community.
· Cruet – containers that holds water used during communion.
· Lavabo Bowl – Used for washing the priest’s hands.
· Pitcher – Water used to wash the Priest’s hands.
· Finger Towel – Cloth used by the priest to wipe his hands after washing,
during the preparation of the gifts.
· Pyx – a container which contains the consecrated body of Christ taken to the sick.
Accidents:
· If Precious Blood spills, place a purificator on the spill, wipe it and go to the sacristy and obtain another purificator. Return to you place and resume giving the cup.
Prayers for the Extraordinary Minister
Blessed are you, God of all creation!
I thank you for calling me to serve your holy people.
May I see you in them.
May they see you in me.
Grant this through Christ our Lord.
Amen
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God of Love and Mercy.
With reverence and humility
I approach the Eucharist and this ministry.
Grant me the grace
To help others encounter you in this sacrament.
I ask through you son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen
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O You who clothe the lilies,
Who feed the birds of the sky,
And lead the lambs to pasture
And the deer to the waterside,
Who multiplied loaves and fishes,
Who said: “I am the bread of life.
No one who comes to me shall be hungry;
No one who believes in me shall ever thirst.”
Do come to us now and feed our minds and hearts