A Challenge for Eucharistic Ministers, both Ordinary (Bishops, Priests and Deacons) and Extraordinary (delegated lay people) – by Deacon Marty McIndoe

We as Catholics know that the Eucharist is a very special gift that God has given to us for our spiritual growth. Jesus was very clear (read John Chapter 6) that we are called to eat His body and drink His blood so that we might have abundant life now and forevermore. We also know that the normal way for us to receive Him in the Eucharist is to attend mass at least one time per week on Sunday (or Saturday evening vigil). Unfortunately for many Catholics this is impossible due to advanced age or sickness. All of our parishes have a number of people that are not able to attend mass. They can watch it on TV, but they can’t receive the precious gift of the Eucharist unless we bring it to them. It is so important for us to reach out to them in their need for the Eucharist. We as ministers of the Eucharist should see this as part of our ministry. For those who are not Ministers of the Eucharist, I would suggest you seek out the Lord in prayer to see if He is calling you to do that. If so, talk to your local parish priest. None of us are worthy to be so close to the Most Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist, BUT God calls us anyway.

I bring the Holy Eucharist to the homes of about a dozen people every week after our 10:30 am Sunday mass. Most of these are people who used to attend mass regularly but now can’t due to old age or health impairments. They now watch the mass first on TV or Social media and are anxious to receive when I come to them. Every week they are excited to receive and so very thankful for being able to receive. I have one 96 year old woman that starts clapping for joy when she hears my knock on the door (her caretaker tells me this). As excited and happy as the people are who I bring the Eucharist to, I think that I get even more excited. It is a very reverent thing that we do in bringing the Eucharist to them, but it is also a very exciting and rewarding thing that we do. I do have a couple of people who are dealing with some form of dementia, but as soon as we begin praying with the sign of the cross, they know exactly what they are doing. It seems that the prayers and the Eucharist breaks through their dementia.

Besides bringing the Holy Eucharist to the home bound, I always bring a copy of the weekly bulletin and try to share with them something about the homily. All of my people watch the mass on TV and have heard a homily, but I like to share what was said in our local parish. They seem to have a need to continue their connection to the local parish. The bulletin and the sharing on the homily help to do this. I also try to share anything that is going on in the parish. The home bound seem to really love this. After they receive and the prayers are done, I try to take time to sit and talk with them. I have found that many of the people I bring communion to do not have a lot of visitors. They need personal contact and we can help provide that.

It is so easy to for both Ordinary and Extraordinary Ministers of the Eucharist to JUST see the mass as their ministry. My challenge to all is that you expand your Eucharistic ministry to include visitation to those who can not attend mass. For those of you who are Extraordinary Ministers of the Eucharist you will hopefully find that visiting the home bound and bringing the Eucharist to them is a ministry that is very very important and rewarding. There is no doubt that EM’s are a big help in the Church at mass every Sunday. However, many have not used their ministry in reaching out to those who can not go to church. Not only are the home bound missing out in receiving the Lord in the Eucharist, but those who are able to bring the Eucharist are missing out in a very important ministry. It is a much needed, and very rewarding ministry.

I would thus challenge all ministers of the Eucharist to visit the home bound on a regular basis. You will definitely reap the rewards of your ministry by doing that. For those of you who are not Eucharistic Ministers I would encourage you to pray about becoming one and then go visit your parish priest to talk to him about it. If you do become an Eucharistic Minister, then make sure that you remember to serve the home bound members of your parish. The Eucharist is a very special gift that God has given to us. It is an honor to be part of His plan to bring His Body and Blood to His people.