Eucharistic Ministers
Procedures for Eucharistic Ministers
Loving God, fill me with humility as I prepare to share the mystery of your loving presence.
I have tried to ready myself by taking time to feel your loving presence at work within me.
Help my actions at the alter, I ask, to invite others to find you in themselves.
Let me concentrate on each one who comes up to me that they may know how important they are to you.
Let me be a source of your coming alive in the hearts of all those receiving Holy Communion today.
May your Holy Spirit fill me even as I help to bring you to others.
Amen.
I have tried to ready myself by taking time to feel your loving presence at work within me.
Help my actions at the alter, I ask, to invite others to find you in themselves.
Let me concentrate on each one who comes up to me that they may know how important they are to you.
Let me be a source of your coming alive in the hearts of all those receiving Holy Communion today.
May your Holy Spirit fill me even as I help to bring you to others.
Amen.
In Preparation for Mass
- Use Ministry Scheduler to maintain your availability, if you know you will be out of town, please try to find a substitute.
Upon Arrival at Mass
- Arrive 15 minutes before the start of Mass and sign in. The sign in sheet will be in the sacristy. Please check-in with the Mass Coordinator, or the Priest or Deacon. Let them know you are the assigned Eucharistic Minister.
- After checking-in, you may go to your pew. Please look around the congregation and watch for anyone who may have a difficult time approaching the altar for Communion. (Folks in a wheelchair, or walker, etc.) Please go to them and introduce yourself as a Eucharistic Minister. Ask if they will come up for Communion or would prefer that Communion be brought to them in their pew. Make those arrangements.
- Note: If Father Grassi is the celebrant, he may ask you to return the ciborium to the tabernacle, and help with cleaning. Try to work this out before Mass begins.
Communion Preparation
- At the Sign of Peace, extend “Peace" to your family and neighbors in the congregation and then quickly move to the altar.
- As you approach the altar, go first to the credence table and sanitize your hands. Please make sure everyone in the congregation can see you as you sanitize your hands. Once you have sanitized your hands, try not to contaminate them, do not shake hands with other ministers. (We are trying to reassure the community that it is safe to receive communion.)
- Stand behind the priest and wait for communion. Once you have received communion, re-sanitize your hands and then go to your assigned communion station and distribute the Body of Christ.
Communion Distribution
- Try to avoid any contact with the people coming up for communion. Also avoid contact with children or adults coming up for a blessing. One suggestion is to raise your hand over the persons head and say “God bless you”. If you are uncomfortable with this, please discuss it with Father Francis or Deacon Pat, they may have other suggestions.
After Communion
- Return the vessels to the altar and then you may return to your pew. The Priest will take care of cleaning and returning the ciborium to the tabernacle.
After Mass
- Please help return the vessels to the sacristy.
These procedures may be updated as the Archdiocese reviews their restrictions.
Would you like to serve as a Eucharistic Minister at St. Josaphat? Contact:
Jim Maciejewski
