Sitting here stunned! Are you saying that women should be allowed to distribute Communion only if extraordinary circumstances were present? My friend said that in other countries, no women serve....the whole thing came up because her church in Chicago needs people to take Holy Communion to the sick and housebound but only men are chosen-here in the NW women do this all the time.
We're not really "one" anymore, are we? "Holy", I pray so, "catholic"-maybe not-"universal"?
I'm saying that any layman (man or woman) is allowed to distribute Communion only if extraordinary circumstances are present.
This has been repeatedly noted by the Curia, but is routinely ignored, especially in the U.S.
Most recently, it was strongly reiterated in Redemptionis Sacramentum.
[88.] The faithful should normally receive sacramental Communion of the Eucharist during Mass itself, at the moment laid down by the rite of celebration, that is to say, just after the Priest celebrant's Communion.[172] It is the Priest celebrant's responsibility to minister Communion, perhaps assisted by other Priests or Deacons; and he should not resume the Mass until after the Communion of the faithful is concluded. Only when there is a necessity may extraordinary ministers assist the Priest celebrant in accordance with the norm of law.[173]
[151.] Only out of true necessity is there to be recourse to the assistance of extraordinary ministers in the celebration of the Liturgy. Such recourse is not intended for the sake of a fuller participation of the laity but rather, by its very nature, is supplementary and provisional.[252] Furthermore, when recourse is had out of necessity to the functions of extraordinary ministers, special urgent prayers of intercession should be multiplied that the Lord may soon send a Priest for the service of the community and raise up an abundance of vocations to sacred Orders.[253]
[158.] Indeed, the extraordinary minister of Holy Communion may administer Communion only when the Priest and Deacon are lacking, when the Priest is prevented by weakness or advanced age or some other genuine reason, or when the number of faithful coming to Communion is so great that the very celebration of Mass would be unduly prolonged.[259] This, however, is to be understood in such a way that a brief prolongation, considering the circumstances and culture of the place, is not at all a sufficient reason.