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Under what conditions does the Catholic Church explicitly call the laity extraordinary ministers?
**Under what conditions does the Catholic Church explicitly call the laity extraordinary ministers?** Extraordinary ministers are seen in almost every parish. For the most part, they help the parish priest in the distribution of Holy Communion, as well as a few other functions surrounding the admini...
**Under what conditions does the Catholic Church explicitly call the laity extraordinary ministers?**
Extraordinary ministers are seen in almost every parish. For the most part, they help the parish priest in the distribution of Holy Communion, as well as a few other functions surrounding the administration of the Eucharist.
> In every celebration of the Eucharist, there should be a sufficient number of ministers of Holy Communion so that it may be distributed in a reverent and orderly manner. Bishops, priests and deacons distribute Holy Communion in virtue of their office as ordinary ministers of the Body and Blood of the Lord. When the size of the congregation or the incapacity of the bishop, priest, or deacon requires it, the celebrant may be assisted by other bishops, priests, or deacons. If such ordinary ministers of Holy Communion are not present, "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. In case of necessity, the priest may also depute suitable faithful for this single occasion (GIRM 162)." - Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion at Mass
The Catholic Encyclopedia says the following about extraordinary ministers and the sacrament of baptism.
> **Extraordinary minister**
>
> In case of necessity, baptism can be administered lawfully and validly by any person whatsoever who observes the essential conditions, whether this person be a Catholic layman or any other man or woman, heretic or schismatic, infidel or Jew.
>
> The essential conditions are that the person pour water upon the one to be baptized, at the same time pronouncing the words: "I baptize thee in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost." Moreover, he must thereby intend really to baptize the person, or technically, he must intend to perform what the Church performs when administering this sacrament.
>
> The Roman Ritual adds that, even in conferring baptism in cases of necessity, there is an order of preference to be followed as to the minister. This order is: if a priest be present, he is to be preferred to a deacon, a deacon to a subdeacon, a cleric to a layman, and a man to a woman, unless modesty should require (as in cases of childbirth) that no other than the female be the minister, or again, unless the female should understand better the method of baptizing. The Ritual also says that the father or mother should not baptize their own child, except in danger of death when no one else is at hand who could administer the sacrament. Pastors are also directed by the Ritual to teach the faithful, and especially midwives, the proper method of baptizing. When such private baptism is administered, the other ceremonies of the rite are supplied later by a priest, if the recipient of the sacrament survives.
Thus my question: **Does the Catholic Church explicitly call laity *extraordinary ministers* elsewhere in the administration of her sacraments or in her liturgy, other than the two mentioned above?**
Ken Graham
(81444 rep)
Jan 11, 2020, 02:45 PM
• Last activity: Jun 27, 2022, 06:08 PM
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How long are extraordinary ministers allowed to possess the Eucharist?
I was reading the answers to [this question](https://skeptics.stackexchange.com/questions/37351/did-buzz-aldrin-take-communion-of-bread-and-wine-on-his-first-landing-on-the-moo) on Skeptics.SE and relating it back to my own life here on Earth. I see some extraordinary ministers taking the Eucharist...
I was reading the answers to [this question](https://skeptics.stackexchange.com/questions/37351/did-buzz-aldrin-take-communion-of-bread-and-wine-on-his-first-landing-on-the-moo) on Skeptics.SE and relating it back to my own life here on Earth. I see some extraordinary ministers taking the Eucharist to the homebound and they're usually in a rush to get there.
So, what is the maximum amount of time they're allowed to posses the Eucharist and what do they do if they find they cannot deliver the Eucharist?
Peter Turner
(34456 rep)
Feb 22, 2017, 11:49 PM
• Last activity: Jan 7, 2020, 07:59 PM
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What should a seminarian who is commanded to distribute communion do?
What is a seminarian suppose to do if his superior commands him to distribute communion regularly and there is no real necessity for him to distribute communion? Should he be disobedient?
What is a seminarian suppose to do if his superior commands him to distribute communion regularly and there is no real necessity for him to distribute communion? Should he be disobedient?
Thom
(2047 rep)
Oct 12, 2019, 03:06 PM
• Last activity: Oct 13, 2019, 01:18 PM
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Are Extraordinary Ministers of the Eucharistic allowed to break the host?
I'd like to know if Eucharistic Ministers are allowed to break a consecrated host? I witnessed this happening and I didn't think they had the right to do it. I was searching for the answer but some say yes and another no. Is there any official teaching or how do I find out if it's ok in my parish or...
I'd like to know if Eucharistic Ministers are allowed to break a consecrated host?
I witnessed this happening and I didn't think they had the right to do it.
I was searching for the answer but some say yes and another no. Is there any official teaching or how do I find out if it's ok in my parish or diocese?
Grasper
(5573 rep)
Jun 6, 2016, 12:50 PM
• Last activity: Feb 18, 2019, 02:14 PM
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Can Orthodox Church members be extraordinary ministers in the Roman Catholic rite?
It is known that members of the Eastern Orthodox Church who are not formally joined to the Roman Catholic Church can receive Holy Communion and some other mysteries (such as Confession) without any obstacles. Can the same members of the Orthodox Church who consciously receive Holy Communion and do c...
It is known that members of the Eastern Orthodox Church who are not formally joined to the Roman Catholic Church can receive Holy Communion and some other mysteries (such as Confession) without any obstacles.
Can the same members of the Orthodox Church who consciously receive Holy Communion and do confession in the Roman Catholic Church but are not formally joined to the Catholic Church take part in extraordinary ministry? If not, which Canons restrict them from doing so, and why?
Andremoniy
(1388 rep)
Mar 15, 2017, 05:02 PM
• Last activity: Jan 8, 2018, 03:06 PM
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Regarding women participation in extraordinary ministry (Roman-Catholic Church)
I've seen similar questions like these: * https://christianity.stackexchange.com/questions/47220/why-doesnt-the-catholic-church-ordain-women-to-be-deacons * https://christianity.stackexchange.com/questions/43770/why-does-the-roman-catholic-church-allow-girls-to-serve-the-altar but they do not cover...
I've seen similar questions like these:
* https://christianity.stackexchange.com/questions/47220/why-doesnt-the-catholic-church-ordain-women-to-be-deacons
* https://christianity.stackexchange.com/questions/43770/why-does-the-roman-catholic-church-allow-girls-to-serve-the-altar
but they do not cover what I want to ask here.
I've recently moved to Ireland from Russia, where I was attending a Catholic Church for some time. So I have never seen women there serving on the altar (I've heard about *girls*-ministrants who handle
lights, giving the censer and so on - this is quite traditional, even in the Orthodox Church girls serve on the altar sometimes).
But, to be honest, I was quite shocked by seeing the local Irish Catholic tradition: women here mainly, without any liturgical vestements, are taking Communion on the altar from the Ciborium and then hand out Communion alongside the priests in the Church during mass.
It looks quite shocking and resembles the Protestant church more than something traditional (These women do not have any kind of vestements, but are dressed in regular clothes with make-up and perfume).
I've recently discussed this problem with my Russian Catholic friends and they said that this is some kind of malpractice, that Second Vatican Council wasn't intended to provide such a kind of extraordinary ministry where the use of laymen (here laywomen?) distributing Sacraments becomes regular practice.
What can you tell me about it? Is it really an abuse of Canon?
Andremoniy
(1388 rep)
Mar 14, 2017, 06:20 PM
• Last activity: Mar 15, 2017, 04:01 AM
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