Saint Frances Cabrini Parish

Extraordinary Ministers of the Eucharist

Contact Information
Angel Mazza: 724-601-0604

When the size of the congregation or the incapacity of the bishop, priest, or deacon requires it, the celebrant may be assisted by other bishops, priests, or deacons. If such ordinary ministers of Holy Communion are not present, the priest may call upon extraordinary ministers to assist him, i.e., duly instituted acolytes or even other faithful who have been deputed for this purpose.
The recent General Instructions of the Roman Missal guides us in our liturgical ministry so that we may, with the universal Church, we may celebrate the Holy Eucharist. The following are some of the instructions that pertain to Extraordinary Ministers of Communion:

Men and women who are 18 years of age or older may be appointed. They should be mature in faith and be known to other parishioners as good Christians.

Selection of candidates should be as objective as possible, seeking an appropriate reflection of the variety and unity of the local parish community, eg. where there is variety in the parish, the ministry should not be confined to one age group, sex, race or social class.

The selection may happen in a number of ways: selection by pastoral staff and parish liturgy committee, nomination by the parish council, or through nomination by the parish at large with approval by the pastor.

The pastor must send the names of candidates to the Director of the diocesan Department for Worship, who, in the name of the Bishop, gives approval and grants the faculty.

The faculty becomes effective at the time of the celebration of the liturgical rite of commissioning (Book of Blessings, Chapter 63). Unless previously withdrawn, it remains in effect until the date of expiration. This date is the same for all extraordinary ministers in a given parish.

Gestures of the Mass

Each one of us has a part in the liturgy, whether we be ordained or non-ordained. These are not individual actions. The liturgy is the public worship of the People of God offered to the Father through His Son Jesus Christ in the unity of the Holy Spirit. Our priestly actions - both common and ministerial - work in tandem to offer the perfect sacrifice of Jesus Christ to the Father.
Standing is a sign of respect and honor, so we stand as the celebrant, who represents Christ, enters and leaves the assembly. We stand until the end of the Opening Prayer (or Collect); for the singing of the Alleluia before the Gospel reading; while the Gospel itself is proclaimed; during the Profession of Faith and the General Intercessions; from the invitation, Pray, brethren, that our sacrifice…, before the Prayer over the Gifts; from the end of the Great Amen after the Agnus Dei; for the Closing Prayer (Post-Communion) until the end of Mass.
Kneeling signifies penance and the awareness of our sins, homage and reverence to Our Lord, and adoration of the One God. It is for this reason that the bishops of the United States have prescribed the posture of kneeling for the entire Eucharistic Prayer: that is, from the end of the Sanctus until after the Amen of the Eucharistic Prayer, except when prevented on occasion by reasons of health, lack of space, the large number of people present, or some other good reason. Those who do not kneel ought to make a profound bow when the priest genuflects after each consecration.
Sitting is the posture of meditation and listening, so the congregation sits for the readings that precede the Gospel, for the homily and the Preparation of the Gifts, and they may also sit for a period of meditation following Communion.
Sign of the Cross is the gesture we begin Mass and with which, in the form of a blessing, the Mass concludes. Because it was by His death on the cross that Christ redeemed the world, we trace the sign of the cross on our foreheads, lips and hearts at the beginning of the Gospel. These are the only times we use the Sign of the Cross during Mass.
Striking our breasts, during the Confiteor at the words through my own fault, can strengthen my awareness that my sin is my fault.
A bow of the head should be made when the three Divine Persons are named, at the name of Jesus, of the Blessed Virgin Mary and of the Saint in whose honor the Mass is celebrated. In the Creed we are to bow at the words which commemorate the Incarnation: by the power of the Holy Spirit he was born of the Virgin Mary and became man. When receiving Holy Communion, we are asked to make a bow of the head before the Sacrament (both Body and Blood) as a gesture of reverence. This gesture signifies our profound respect and gratitude to Christ who shared our human condition in order to save us from sin and restore us to friendship with God.
As we stand, kneel, sit, bow and sign ourselves in common action, we give witness that we are indeed the Mystical Body of Christ, united in body, mind and spirit. In this unity we are renewed and strengthened so that we may continue to be the light of the world and the salt of the earth, the disciples of Jesus Christ until the day the Bridegroom comes and we enter into our eternal reward.

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