Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion (EMHCs) serve in a supplemental capacity to assist the priest at Mass in the distribution of Holy Communion. Besides their weekend commitment, extraordinary ministers serve by bringing Holy Communion to those who are homebound or in hospitals and nursing homes. EMHCs may also be asked to assist in leading Communion Services in the absence of a priest or deacon.
EMHCs are trained by the Diocese from May through September.
For information about the process of becoming an EMHC, the diocese has information about what the role is, what the sessions are like, and the steps for applying HERE
“For a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than dwell in the tents of wickedness.” -Psalm 84:10
The ministry of ushers is the oldest lay ministry in the Catholic Church. The ushers of today have descended from a long line of people of God who have gone before them. During the time of Christ, the doorkeepers of the temple numbered in the hundreds and were the forerunners of today's ushers.
The usher help parishioners to find seats, assist with the offertory collection and offertory gift procession and supervise the safety and other needs of the congregation.
This ministry is open to all parishioners 18 and older; men and women; senior citizen, parent and teenager. Ushers are friendly people who welcome all ages and nationalities. Their faith enables them to see Christ's presence in individuals and in the gathered community of believers. Ushers are honest and dependable. They can handle emergency situations with courage and composure. They carry a dignity about themselves even when performing menial tasks.
The role of EMHC is strictly toward the distribution of communion.
"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, i.e., 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."
- General Instruction of the Roman Missal(GIRM), § 162. Emphasis added
“When the necessity of the Church warrants it and when ministers are lacking, lay persons, even if they are not lectors or acolytes, can also supply for certain of their offices, namely, to exercise the ministry of the word, to preside over liturgical prayers, to confer Baptism, and to distribute Holy Communionin accord with the prescriptions of law.”
"A non-ordained member of the faithful, in cases of true necessity, may be deputed by the diocesan bishop, using the appropriate form of blessing for these situations, to act as an extraordinary minister to distribute Holy Communion outside of liturgical celebrations ad actum vel ad tempus (acting or temporarily appointed) or for a more stable period. In exceptional cases or in unforeseen circumstances, the priest presiding at the liturgy may authorize such ad actum... Extraordinary ministers may distribute Holy Communion at eucharistic celebrations only when there are no ordained ministers present or when those ordained ministers present at a liturgical celebration are truly unable to distribute Holy Communion."
As this is generalized instructions, details may vary from one campus to another and the legitimate preferences of one priest and another. More detail will be given during EMHC training with the Diocese, or you can always ask one of the priests if you have questions.
Arrive at least 15-20 minutes early to the Mass you are being deputized for.
At the beginning of Mass, assemble with and process in with the Priest, if that is what has been decided for that Mass.
During the sign of peace, move into the sanctuary, bowing toward the altar before walking up the steps. Wait to the side while the priest consumes the Body and Blood of Christ.
After the priest has given you Holy Communion, he will hand you either the ciborium or the chalice, after which you will slowly walk to the spot you have been assigned to for distributing Communion.
Distribute Communion. If you are distributing the hosts, hold up a host and say "The Body of Christ". Place the host on the hand or tongue as the communicant chooses. (It is the right of the communicant to receive on the hand or the tongue, standing or kneeling, provided it is being done in a reverent manner). If you are distributing the precious Blood, hold up the chalice and say "The Blood of Christ." Please do not add the person's name and do not add any extra words like "This is the Body of Christ".
If someone approaches for a blessing, please point them to the priest or a deacon, but do not extend a blessing, make the sign of the cross, or extend a hand and touch the communicant.
At the end of Communion, place the ciborium or the chalice on the altar to be purified by the priest.
In the absence of enough priests and deacons to do so, EMHCs can be deputized to bring Communion to the sick and homebound, and with prior permission can lead Communion services.
It is important to note that an EMHC does not have the authority to "self-deputize" concerning the Eucharist. Any and every host brought outside of the Church must first be deputized by a priest of the parish first. (For instance, if my wife is sick at home, I should talk to Father before or after Mass and get permission before taking a host home for her.) Communication is key!
We really shouldn't. Only priests, deacons, and bishops are "Eucharistic Ministers"
§1 The ordinary minister of holy communion is a Bishop, a priest or a deacon. §2 The extraordinary minister of holy communion is an acolyte, or another of Christ’s faithful deputed in accordance with can. 230 §3.
- CIC, can. 910 § 1-2
"This function is to be understood strictly according to the name by which it is known, that is to say, that of extraordinary minister of Holy Communion, and not 'special minister of Holy Communion” nor 'extraordinary minister of the Eucharist' nor 'special minister of the Eucharist', by which names the meaning of this function is unnecessarily and improperly broadened."
This might seem pedantic, but it's a really important clarification. Not to mention that this directive was clarified way back in 2006! From the quote above, the Vatican office in charge of liturgy wanted to clear up the fact that EMHCs are not permanent, they are not strictly ministries, and the role is simply to help with the distribution of Communion (not even purifying the vessels, as a question below mentions). By virtue of their ordination, priests, deacons, and bishops are specifically chosen instruments to bring about and communicate the Eucharist, and therefore they are the only ones who should be called "Ministers of the Eucharist" or as is more often said, "Eucharistic Ministers". The laity do not share the ministerial nature concerning the Eucharist that the clergy do, and so the way we describe the role of a layperson who is distributing communion must always be expressed as "extraordinary" (not in the sense of "amazing" but as in "out of the ordinary" because of the non-permanence of the role) and that what they are extraordinary ministers of is Holy Communion (emphasis on "Holy Communion as an action of communion of the body of Christ all being gathered into Christ. To use the phrase "Eucharistic" for the layperson title in this role has been judged to be inappropriately aligned with the unique priestly connection that only the clergy possess. The clergy have an intrinsic connection to bringing about the sacrifice of the Eucharist that should not be confused with what the layperson is doing in distributing that sacrifice. While the whole body of Christ can be rightly understood as the "priesthood of believers" we need to keep the distinctions between the general priesthood of believers and the ministerial priesthood, especially concerning the Eucharist.
As an example of that kind of confusion being a tangible possibility, this is what the Vatican's Congregation for Clergy instructed in 1997 concerning EMHCs:
"To avoid creating confusion, certain practices are to be avoided and eliminated where such have emerged in particular Churches:
extraordinary ministers receiving Holy Communion apart from the other faithful as though concelebrants;
association with the renewal of promises made by priests at the Chrism Mass on Holy Thursday, as well as other categories of faithful who renew religious vows or receive a mandate as extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion"
Old habits die hard, but please try to make sure that when referring to the lay people deputized by the bishop to distribute Communion in extraordinary circumstances, to only refer to them as "extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion."
"[In addition to instituted Acolytes,] If... reasons of real necessity prompt it, another lay member of Christ’s faithful may also be delegated by the diocesan Bishop... for one occasion or for a specified time... [I]n special cases of an unforeseen nature, permission can be given for a single occasion by the Priestwho presides at the celebration of the Eucharist."
If there are so many communicants that without EMHCs, the Mass would be "unduly" or "excessively" prolonged (not just a "brief prolongation")
"...or when the number of faithful coming to Communion is so great that the very celebration of Mass would be unduly prolonged. This, however, is to be understood in such a way that a brief prolongation, considering the circumstances and culture of the place, is not at all a sufficient reason."
"[EMHCs] may also exercise this function at eucharistic celebrations where there are particularly large numbers of the faithful and which would be excessively prolonged because of an insufficient number of ordained ministers to distribute Holy Communion."
EMHCs should not be called on if there are enough clergy to distribute Holy Communion:
"If there is usually present a sufficient number of sacred ministers for the distribution of Holy Communion, extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion may not be appointed. Indeed, in such circumstances, those who may have already been appointed to this ministry should not exercise it."
The Church has specifically asked that the use of EMHCs should not become habitual:
"To avoid creating confusion, certain practices are to be avoided and eliminated where such have emerged in particular Churches... the habitual use of extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion at Mass thus arbitrarily extending the concept of 'a great number of the faithful'."
No. No blessings, sign of cross, or touching during Communion.
For EMHCs, during the distribution of Holy Communion, please do not:
Give any blessings
Make the sign of the cross over communicants
Reach out and touch a communicant (apart from contact made by distributing Communion)
Insert the person's name (such as "John, receive the blood of Christ)
EMHCs and Acolytes are not permitted to give any kind of formal blessings during communion, as it is reserved to priests/deacons. Reaching a hand out and/or touching people and blessing them is not allowed. If someone approaches with arms crossed for a blessing, EMHCs should merely smile and nod and let the person pass by. It is not permitted for EMHCs to make the sign of the cross or otherwise touch the communicants during that time apart from distributing Communion. For blessings, worshippers should be ushered to the processional line with a priest or deacon who can legitimately bestow one.
As was emphasized in the first question, the role of an EMHC is strictly for the distribution of Communion. Extending a hand, touching, or giving a blessing during Communion is never allowed.