Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Priest sits as lay people distribute Communion

by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf
 
From a reader:
What say you on the subject of a healthy middle-aged priest sitting out the distribution of Communion to the faithful? When asked why, the priest said he didn’t want to hurt the feelings of the extra (sixth) EMHC who arrived late to distribute Communion.
What do I say?  I think the priest made a bad decision.

This seems a good example of how some priests think they have to give their role to a lay person in order to make them feel as if they are “involved”.  This is the worst form of clericalism.

In many cases all Extraordinary Ministers of Communion are “extra” and should not be employed.
But to sit while lay people distribute?   Perhaps if the priest is injured, crippled, elderly.  Healthy?  No way.
It seems to me that the priest ought to rethink his approach to EMHCs.

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