EMHC UPDATE

I suppose anyone who has read my earlier post on the subject of Extraordinary (or Extra-ordinary) Ministers of Holy Communion would be aware of my thoughts on the matter.

Sunday past, though, beat all of my previous experiences hands down.

As communion time approached, the priest, having prepared the customary 4 chalicettes and 3 extra ciboria for the distribution of communion (to ± 250 people !!!!!) found himself in a bit of a situation. It seems that there were only three EMHC's who voluntarily went up to the altar to "serve". Well, the common sense options would seem to be 1) give the three ciboria to those three and they, plus the priest could distribute the sacred hosts, skipping the precious blood distribution entirely. or 2) give one ciborium and two chalicettes to the three busybodi... I mean, volunteers and run that way - four people-two species.

But nooooooo. The priest proceeds to call for any EMHC's to come forward to help. So the rest of the congregation sits patiently while three others have to get out of their pews, and amble slowly up to assume their roles. And actually, it was more interesting than that, because there were more than three potential volunteers, which lead to a kind of To Tell The Truth style halfway sitting-standing-alternatating for a bit before it actually settled out who the choice three would be!

This kind of madness will go on until some authority (Rome) says, simply, NO. If there is ANY kind of "except in _____ cases" wiggle room, it will never ever stop. I kind of have the idea that God got it right on Sinai. Being the smart God that he is, he stuck with "thou shalt not". Not "that shall not, except when". Maybe the Powers that Be in the Vatican should look to God in this case. He seems to be a good role model.