After you are trained and commissioned you fill out a Liturgical Minister Information Form and indicate your Mass preferences. This form is turned in to the Parish Office and your information is entered into a database. Schedules are generated by a computer program and printed out for the members.
If you cannot serve at your scheduled time please call the Parish Office in advance of your scheduled date/mass and the secretary will look for a substitute.
Whether you are scheduled to be a minister or not, each Sunday we would hope that your dress would reflect your appreciation and respect for the celebration of the Eucharist. We would hope that everyone – not just our Liturgical Ministers - realizes this. However, we especially ask that all Ministers to dress appropriately in order to model proper attire. What you wear should be neat, modest, and appropriate signifying the honor of the ministry you perform. Shorts of any kind, short skirts or jeans that are not “dress jeans” are never acceptable. Generally it is our policy that, unless you are dressed appropriately, you should not volunteer to be a substitute. Occasionally we have to make exceptions to this requirement.
Try to arrive no later than 10-12 minutes before Mass is to begin. Please remember to wash your hands or use the antibacterial gel that is usually at the sink.
Note: If you are scheduled, but for some reason you are delayed, please let us know.
As the priest finishes the Fraction Rite, and the Lamb of God is sung, please come forward. At first you will line up on the side of the sanctuary near the credence table.
After the priest drinks from the cup (as the cup is being placed back upon the altar) come up the steps.
As the priest comes to you, make the usual sign of reverence (a bow) and then receive the Body or the Blood of Christ. Although you are at the altar to perform a ministry, remember to take a moment in prayer to be aware of this great gift of union with Christ.
It is a holy, joyful and beautiful ministry to serve as a minister of Holy Communion! As you distribute communion, wait for each person to bow and then try to achieve eye contact. Say “The Body of Christ” or “The Blood of Christ” while holding up the host or cup. Look directly at each person. The exchange between the Minister of Holy Communion and the communicant involves interpersonal contact – both verbal and nonverbal. Be aware that this is a significant interchange. As you say “The Body of Christ” or “The Blood of Christ” know that it is a statement of deep faith. Be present to your brother or sister in Christ as they respond in faith. Your attentiveness here matters deeply – by your actions and attitudes you have the privilege, the opportunity and the responsibility to share in the preaching, teaching and leading aspects of the church.
Position the host or the cup in an inviting manner. Allow time for them to bow and to respond “Amen”. Do not feel that you need to rush in any way. If the communicant does not respond, “Amen” you might say, “Amen” on their behalf.
It is sometimes difficult to determine if children have made their First Communion or not. We instruct the parents of this age child to have them come forward with arms crossed if they are not receiving communion. If you are unsure, just ask the child, or the parents, if the child has made their First Communion. It is permissible for you to bless a child by putting your hand on their head or shoulder saying “God Bless You”, but do not make the Sign of the Cross.
Post-communion
When there are no more communicants in your line look to see if there is still a long line somewhere else and go there, even if this means walking around to the other side of the sanctuary. When your ciborium is empty, or if your line is finished and you are not needed elsewhere, please proceed to the Credence Table.
At the Credence table
If you are a minister of the Body of Christ and have finished, come to the Credence Table and place your communion dish on the corporal which is on the table. If the trays or other items have been inadvertently placed on top of the corporal please move them to the side. The Priest or Deacon will consolidate the hosts by putting the remaining hosts from your dish into the one large dish.
NOTE: Normally only the Priest or Deacon should consolidate the hosts into the one large dish, and this is only done at the Credence Table over a corporal. Lay ministers should not consolidate hosts into one dish.
All Ministers of Communion: After you place your sacred vessel on the Credence Table, remove your cross and put it in the basket there - if you place the cross inside the basket and drape the ribbon or cord over the outside edge the cords will not become tangled.
Distributing Communion to our Music Ministers
Each music group in our parish has their own way of making sure the music minister receive communion in a timely manner. As a new minister please observe how this is done for the different music groups.
Try not to delay the consolidation of hosts. Once the Priest is at the Credence table all remaining hosts should be taken to the table to be consolidated. If the choir has not yet received communion then go to the table first and tell the Priest the number of hosts needed for the choir. You can then take that communion dish with that number of hosts and stand at the ready until the music ministers come to you for communion. In this way we do not delay the Deacon or Priest from taking the remaining hosts to the Tabernacle.
Please do not enter the music area and do not try to distribute communion to our music ministers while they are singing or playing. The music ministers will come to you. Please wait until they are ready. The only exception to this would be if the one playing the piano or organ indicates to you that they wish to receive as they are playing. Normally this is discouraged.
If you are distributing the Body of Christ to the music ministers please stand back far enough so that they can easily pass in front of you.
Sometimes the music will continue until the Priest and Deacon are seated. The Eucharistic Ministers waiting to give communion to the choir may feel uncomfortable that they are still standing there. Not to worry. The music ministers are instructed as to how long to play. They will come to you when they are ready to receive.
It is part of your ministry after Mass is over to help cleanse the vessels. If you are not sure what to do just go back to the work sacristy after Mass, offer your help and someone will be happy to teach you. Communion dishes should remain on the Credence Table until the priest comes to purify the vessels. After he is finished you may offer to help him carry the vessels to the sacristy.
Again we ask that you always be aware of what you are doing and be as reverent as possible. Thank you for serving your parish in this ministry.
Vesting Sacristy - The room off of the gathering area where the priests, deacons and servers vest for mass.
Sanctuary - The area in our church that is up several steps where the altar, ambo and presider chairs are located.
Work Sacristy - The room behind the Eucharistic Shrine where communion vessels are purified, washed and stored.
Paten or Communion Dish - A dish where the hosts are placed for distribution.
Credence Table - A work table at the back of the sanctuary platform where items used during the liturgy are kept.
Purificator - The white cloth used to clean or wipe the cup during the distribution of the Blood of Christ.
Sacrarium - A special sink in the work sacristy where remains rinse directly into the ground.