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Post by pianistclare on Feb 23, 2017 3:14:35 GMT
Sounds lovely. Welcome friend!!!
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Post by tawny on Feb 24, 2017 21:58:13 GMT
The nave of my parish church is in the shape of a half circle and there is a handicapped style ramp on each side parallel to the back wall leading to the rear of the raise sanctuary. The EMHCs approach during the Lamb of God (yes, I know, contrary to what the GIRM specifies) using whichever ramp is closest and stand in a line parallel to the back wall at the rear of the sanctuary. This is done without any commotion or drama. I think the congregation is paying more attention at this time to the fractioning rite and the deacon transferring the consecrated hosts from the large "bowl" (not a traditional ciborium) to the smaller ones uses by the EMHCs, while singing as many refrains of the Lamb of God as necessary until he is finished. (This can be quite a few if it's the eldest of our deacons at the heaviest attended Mass ) Our EMHCs do not wear any special clothes or insignia and are reminded at the quarterly Evening of Recollection for Ministers to dress appropriately as in no t-shirts, short skirts, etc. Welcome, love your avatar.
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otjm
New Member
Posts: 17
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Post by otjm on Mar 4, 2017 7:09:45 GMT
Our church is in the half-round. EMHC's have a small (1 1/2" x 1 1/2") enameled cross they wear; half are on one side of the sanctuary and the other half on the other side. They approach when Father lifts the Cup to consume. There is no fanfare, nor commotion. Apparently the memo went out about clothing, as people are dressed modestly. Given that it is Oregon, jeans are not unusual, but always clean; and I can't remember more than maybe one or two parishioners wearing a suit to Mass - the world has become casual out here, and it is not an issue that is going to come up.
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Post by AgnusDei on Apr 13, 2021 1:11:39 GMT
If Jesus himself popped in at mass SOMEONE would complain about his sandals. Usually no issue with this where I attend. Dominus vobiscum
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Post by pianistclare on Apr 13, 2021 1:50:35 GMT
Wondering why this popped up in my feed, the thread is very old. I've since resumed working at the parish before the one I referenced above, and it's quite different here (thank the Lord). first, since the pandemic has hit, we have no need of EMHC's. the Deacons and the priest do it. the hand sanitizer is at a minimum. Not distracting, and when and IF we need a layperson, they approach during the Lamb of God and kneel beside the altar awaiting their assignment. As a side note, only the Ordained clergy are Eucharistic ministers. The others are indeed Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion. Hence the term, EMHC. Which is right and proper.
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Post by AgnusDei on Apr 13, 2021 10:39:09 GMT
We have a few that are utilized for larger groups. Three for Easter along with the priest. (Easter was pushed to bursting IMO, and too many. “Distancing” went out the window). There were no regular seats available. People even borrowed chairs from the side chapel to use in the entryway. I used one of the side chairs, and moved it against the wall by a window. Walk up, bow, steal a chair. They had six, and only one being used by the priest. Knelt on the hard floor when needed. Dominus vobiscum
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Post by pianistclare on Apr 13, 2021 13:30:52 GMT
Our Ushers are there to monitor the distancing. We did have over 80 people in the parish Hall for the Spanish Mass at Easter. With every other pew blocked, we still had 331 people gathered. Was crazy. We can fit more in a single pew becuase the families are large, and do not need to sit apart. We're pretty sure restrictions will be lifted in this Archdiocese soon though. Getting ready to put back the hymnals, take down all the barriers, and get back to normal.
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Post by AgnusDei on Apr 14, 2021 10:21:26 GMT
I would have been happy to stand in the back, or pull the steps over to the fountain, BUT the priest called out, “My name, there’s a seat over here”. Another lady took it ahead of me. She was closer. I was the only one who would be standing then. Priest and I looked at each other for a moment at a distance. Then the walk to the altar, bow, bow to the priest, THEN steal the chair. He had a big smile, same as MANY people as I went to the window with my treasure. (We do not have a fancy “celebrant chair” just standard ones. That one I would not take anyway.) Dominus vobiscum Dont know how many we had. Regular seats, entryway, and live streamed to the basement too. No idea how many were down there. (I don’t feel the basement is “close enough” for me. I’ll stand, sit on the floor, or steal a seat.)
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Post by homeschooldad on Apr 14, 2021 18:29:30 GMT
While I am pleased to see EMHCs behave as reverently as possible, when they go up to the altar, it's really not an issue for me, as I never receive from EMHCs, and only rarely if ever receive the Precious Blood. I change aisles if I have to, to receive from a priest or deacon --- in my present parish, that is hardly ever necessary, but in my previous parish, you could never know if you would be able to do that, the priest would randomize the aisle he'd serve, and would even change aisles at random as well, so I just didn't receive unless I knew I could change aisles unobtrusively. One time an usher laid his hand on my shoulder to guide me to an EMHC aisle --- talk about invading personal space! --- and I just looked at him, as if to say, "please remove your hand from me right now". He complied. I finally decided I didn't need that nonsense, and that was one reason I switched parishes. I do not wish to receive the Body of Christ from the hands of a layperson, as this was not traditional practice prior to around 1980, and while I have no per se objections to receiving the Precious Blood, either from a priest, deacon, or layperson, I rarely do so, for hygienic reasons. It will probably be a long time, if ever, before communion under both kinds comes back. Doesn't bother me a bit.
As a practical matter, once I am able to return to Mass, it looks as though I will be able to assist at the Traditional Latin Mass exclusively (at least for Sunday Mass), so it won't be an issue anymore. My motto is "just the Host, on the tongue, from a priest, or not at all".
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Post by pianistclare on Apr 14, 2021 19:01:46 GMT
Well, I am always playing the organ, so the priests ALWAYS send someone up to give me communion. If the clergy see nothing "less" about this, I don't think I should gripe. Many times the presider has forgotten about my presence in the choir loft, and also the choir, at times, we are happy to receive form anyone.
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Post by AgnusDei on Apr 14, 2021 19:20:33 GMT
Well, I am always playing the organ, so the priests ALWAYS send someone up to give me communion. If the clergy see nothing "less" about this, I don't think I should gripe. Many times the presider has forgotten about my presence in the choir loft, and also the choir, at times, we are happy to receive form anyone. Youd be missed immediately if you werent there. LOL Dominus vobiscum
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Post by pianistclare on Apr 14, 2021 19:23:25 GMT
Yes. Fr gave me the weekend off...first time ever. Some people were dismayed. Oh well. He told them it was "well deserved". Went to mass with the Canonist that married us. Was a beautiful Mass, refreshing in a way. Every priest is different although the Mass is eternally the same. Great homily. Just different.
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Post by homeschooldad on Apr 15, 2021 1:20:58 GMT
Well, I am always playing the organ, so the priests ALWAYS send someone up to give me communion. If the clergy see nothing "less" about this, I don't think I should gripe. Many times the presider has forgotten about my presence in the choir loft, and also the choir, at times, we are happy to receive form anyone. Not being critical, just wondering, how were such situations handled before there was such a thing as EMHCs?
I know that EMHCs and communion in the hand were both introduced at about the same time, around 1979 or 1980, shortly after our very conservative bishop retired. There was some pushback, but ultimately, the "experts" explained why these things were a good idea, and people generally fell into line. I also recall that prior to this, a layperson touching the Host was absolutely taboo, and people had a genuine fear of desecrating the Sacred Species. Nobody took it trivially. Again, this was a very conservative diocese, on the fringes of the Midwest.
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Post by pianistclare on Apr 15, 2021 1:46:06 GMT
Clericalism is a real thing. In Ireland, my husband was chewed out for picking up a dropped host as a child. All that is gone now. People have begun to realize that Christ does not remove Himself from the Sacred host depending on the person handling it. Remember, the Apostles all received in the hand. There is no place in Passover rubrics, or Jewish history where the head of the house feeds the people at table. In the past we were receiving AFTER Mass, which is wrong, and unfortunate. We are just as much participating and praying the Mass as everyone else. To make us receive after the community had left was cruel and unnecessary. Priests are much more compassionate these days. To say that today were are treating the Eucharist trivially is to do a great injury to holy priests.
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Post by stjosephprayforus on Apr 15, 2021 6:41:51 GMT
The answer to all these oddities, innovations, liturgical abuses and excesses is simple. Either do away with the novus ordo completely and restore the latin mass as the ordinary (something I don't personally advocate for but would happily settle for if the alternative is to stay the present course). Or, faithfully and FULLY implement the changes called for by the Second Vatican Council (which would essentially be the Latin Mass, but in the vernacular). Bring back altar rails and patens and a single priest can commune an entire parish by himself in the same time (or even less) than usually happens with a diocesan priest, deacon and small army of EMHC.
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