Comments on: Should lay eucharistic ministers distribute the eucharist at Masses where a priest is present, or should their ministry be “exceptional”, i.e., only when there is no priest or deacon present? http://bustedhalo.com/questionbox/should-lay-eucharistic-ministers-distribute-the-eucharist-at-masses-where-a-priest-is-present-or-should-their-ministry-be-exceptional-ie-only-when-there-is-no-priest-or-deacon-present an online magazine for spiritual seekers Sun, 27 May 2012 02:50:39 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Fr. Martin http://bustedhalo.com/questionbox/should-lay-eucharistic-ministers-distribute-the-eucharist-at-masses-where-a-priest-is-present-or-should-their-ministry-be-exceptional-ie-only-when-there-is-no-priest-or-deacon-present/comment-page-1#comment-22268 Fr. Martin Wed, 11 Apr 2012 16:43:02 +0000 http://www.bustedhalo.com/beta2008/wp/?p=531#comment-22268 Regarding Angela's comment. The source is "Redemtionis Sacramentum",n. 87, a document from 2004. [87.] The First Communion of children must always be preceded by sacramental confession and absolution.[169] Moreover First Communion should always be administered by a Priest and never outside the celebration of Mass. http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/ccdds/documents/rc_con_ccdds_doc_20040423_redemptionis-sacramentum_en.html The reason, this is my guess, is that the priest is the "ordinary minister" of the Holy Eucharist. The priest is ordained by Christ to bring about the transsubstantiation and to administrate this most holy sacrament. When the Church allows the help of extraordinary Eucharistic ministers, then this is to be seen as an exception resulting from a kind of emergency situation. But at first Holy Communion there should not be given a "misleading" sign, namely, that anyone, also lay ministers, are "ordinary" ministers. Only priests and deacons are. Sometimes these things are not easy to understand and to accept for some people. But theologically well reflected, they make sense. Regarding Angela’s comment. The source is “Redemtionis Sacramentum”,n. 87, a document from 2004.
[87.] The First Communion of children must always be preceded by sacramental confession and absolution.[169] Moreover First Communion should always be administered by a Priest and never outside the celebration of Mass.

http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/ccdds/documents/rc_con_ccdds_doc_20040423_redemptionis-sacramentum_en.html

The reason, this is my guess, is that the priest is the “ordinary minister” of the Holy Eucharist. The priest is ordained by Christ to bring about the transsubstantiation and to administrate this most holy sacrament. When the Church allows the help of extraordinary Eucharistic ministers, then this is to be seen as an exception resulting from a kind of emergency situation. But at first Holy Communion there should not be given a “misleading” sign, namely, that anyone, also lay ministers, are “ordinary” ministers. Only priests and deacons are. Sometimes these things are not easy to understand and to accept for some people. But theologically well reflected, they make sense.

]]> By: Angela http://bustedhalo.com/questionbox/should-lay-eucharistic-ministers-distribute-the-eucharist-at-masses-where-a-priest-is-present-or-should-their-ministry-be-exceptional-ie-only-when-there-is-no-priest-or-deacon-present/comment-page-1#comment-16407 Angela Tue, 19 Jul 2011 13:59:48 +0000 http://www.bustedhalo.com/beta2008/wp/?p=531#comment-16407 You are wrong in this matter: "Moreover First Communion should always be administered by a Priest and never outside the celebration of Mass." <a href="http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/ccdds/documents/rc_con_ccdds_doc_20040423_redemptionis-sacramentum_en.html" rel="nofollow">this</a> comes from the Vatican You are wrong in this matter: “Moreover First Communion should always be administered by a Priest and never outside the celebration of Mass.”

this comes from the Vatican

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