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Paul Martina wrote:

Hi, guys —

We had an incident this Sunday when the priest did not show up for Mass.

We were told that Father's car was not here and no one knew where he was so we were being dismissed. This was interrupted by an Extraordinary Eucharistic Minister who said we would have a Eucharistic service.

I asked if we had a Eucharistic Minister or just Extraordinary Eucharistic Ministers. He replied that we had Extraordinary ministers. I then said we don't have the authority to have a Eucharistic Service and I left. I have been abused by this person for my inappropriate questions and response.

My understanding is that Eucharistic Ministers such as Deacons, Priests and Acolytes are very different than Extraordinary Ordinary Ministers.

  • Am I out of line on this?

Paul

  { When we were told the priest hasn't shown up to say Mass, did I handle this situation correctly? }

Eric replied:

Paul,

I think your terminology may be a bit confused.

A lay person who distributes the consecrated Eucharist is an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion. They are not to be called "Eucharistic ministers", as that title is reserved to priests and bishops, though at this point it's probably a lost cause.

A deacon or priest who distributes consecrated Eucharist is an Ordinary Minister of Holy Communion. Only a priest or bishop may confect the Eucharist. (i.e. consecrate it.) In the absence of a priest, pre-consecrated hosts (consecrated at a previous Mass by a priest or bishop) may be distributed in a Communion service by either a deacon or Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion but such a service is not a Mass.

So it would be legitimate, in the absence of a priest, to hold a Communion Service (the canonical term is "Sunday Assemblies in the Absence of a Priest") where the Word of God is read and Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion or Deacons distribute pre-consecrated hosts from the tabernacle but this should be rare and exceptional (which it sounds like it was in your case).

I do applaud your sensitivity to doing the right thing. I don't blame you for being suspicious, but this sounds perfectly OK as you described it.

Eric

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