Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion

Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion are responsible for distributing the Eucharist at Liturgies. Attendance at an orientation workshop is required. Those who serve at Sunday Mass are usually scheduled once every three to four weeks, but the schedule is created around your availability.  

Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion also visit Sunrise Senior Living, Montgomery Village Health Care Center (MVHCC), and Shady Grove Hospital. 

If you would like to bring Holy Communion to the sick and homebound, please let us know by filling out the form on this page.

Brothers and Sisters,

From the first days of the Church’s celebration of the Eucharist, Holy Communion consisted in the reception of both species (Body and Blood) in fulfillment of the Lord’s command to “take and eat...take and drink.” For just as Christ offered his whole self, body and blood, as a sacrifice for our sins, so too is our reception of his Body and Blood under both species an especially fitting participation in his memorial.

For this reason, I would like to reinstitute the distribution of the Precious Blood at Blessed Sacrament in the not-too-distant future. Everyone is reminded that “under each species alone, i.e., eitherthe Body or the Blood, the whole Christ is sacramentally present and we receive all the fruit of Eucharistic grace.” [CCC, 1390] So, reception of the cup is optional, but it should be made available to those who wish to experience a fuller sign of the Eucharistic banquet.

In order to distribute the cup at Mass we need to revitalize our corps of Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion (EMHC). If you are devoted to the Eucharist and are a practicing Catholic, meaning you live a life in accord with the precepts of Christ and the
 Church, then please come forward to participate in this ministry. You will be performing a valuable service to the community and your Eucharistic life will be enhanced. As an EMHC you may be called upon to help distribute Holy Communion a couple of times per month at your customary Mass. Others may wish to assist with taking Holy Communion to our homebound parishioners.

All those who desire to serve as an EMHC should plan on attending a training/orientation session. The session is conducted in the church and lasts about 90 minutes. 

Please consider joining the corps of EMHC at Blessed Sacrament. Your ministry will enhance the worship experience at our parish, and provide you with the fruits that derive from devoted service.

God bless you,
Fr. Gary

Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion

As baptized Catholics, we are called to be a "priestly people."  We do not simply "attend" Mass, but rather participate in the Mass by joining with the celebrant to give thanks to God and offer the sacrifice.  The document Lumen Gentium of the Second Vatican Council stated "the faithful indeed, by virtue of their royal priesthood, share in the offering of the Eucharist."  The baptized faithful are set apart for service as well.  Assisting priests and deacons in administering Holy Communion at Mass and bringing the sacrament to the sick and homebound as an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion is one form of service to the Church, the people of God.

At Mass, during the Liturgy of the Eucharist, extraordinary ministers assist in the smooth distribution of Holy Communion.  They do this only in the latter part of the Mass, but they participate throughout as a member of the priestly people.

Extraordinary ministers also bring the sacrament to those who are sick and homebound as part of our parish homebound ministry.  In this way, those who are unable to participate in Sunday Mass with the entire assembly can still share in the communion of sacrament and friendship.

Extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion should have a deep love for the Eucharist and a desire to serve.  A training session is required.