When Lay Ministers Take Holy Communion to the Sick

Catholic Exchange.com ^ | 12-02-05 | P)ete Vere

[Salvation]

For your information and continued discussion--

[Salvation]

Excellent information here.

[Salvation]

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[FormerLib]

Just to note, in the Orthodox Church, a priest will always perform this function. This has an added benefit of allowing the communicant to receive confession prior to taking the Eucharist.

[Salvation]

I believe that if those lay ministers taking Communion receive the message that the sick person would like to go to Confession, that they immediately notify the priest.

Also the priest is notified if the patient is near death and asks to receive the Annointing of the Sick (what we used to called Extreme Unction.)

[FormerLib]

...the Annointing of the Sick (what we used to called Extreme Unction.)

The Orthodox have always used the term "Annointing of the Sick". I was aware of the difference in terminology but wasn't aware that the Roman Catholic Church had changed theirs.

[murphE]

I was aware of the difference in terminology but wasn't aware that the Roman Catholic Church had changed theirs.

Not only was the terminology changed, the whole sacrament was. If I had a loved one in danger of death, I would insist on Extreme Unction, I expect them to do the same for me when I am dying.

[wideawake]

Extreme Unction is, in Latin, unctio in extremis.

A translation of that Latin phrase into modern English vernacular is "anointing of those close to death."

In extremis generally means "in dire circumstances."

[syriacus]

My 90 year-old mother gladly receives Communion nearly every week from a wonderful woman who is a Eucharistic minister.

[x5452]

Do Catholic Churches have Antidoron?

http://www.orthodoxwiki.org/Antidoron

[Dionysiusdecordealcis]

The whole sacrament was not changed. You can't insist on "extreme unction" without at the same time insisting on the sacrament of anointing. The only real difference is that it can be administered in event of any grave illness, potentially mortal surgery etc. But that's not a change in the sacrament. The "old" Extreme Unction could have been administered in event of grave illness. What was changed was the customary definition of grave illness and the customs surrounding when to summon a priest for last rites. When and how the sacrament can be and customarily is administered has changed but the "sacrament" itself has not been changed. And, indeed, the custom of restricting it to the very last minute itself represents a slow development over time. It wasn't always customary to administer it as restrictively as it was in the "good old days"; some of the restrictiveness was lifted.

It is, however, being abused and is being administered routinely and in non-grave illnesses. That's wrong and bishops should put an end to it. But that's not what was prescribed by the changes in discipline. Nothing has changed doctrinally, only rules and regulations, matters of discipline have changed, and the new discipline is being misused and abused. The translations for the rite can certainly be improved etc. but simply to say that a new sacrament was introduced and you are going to ask for the old one reflects a misunderstanding of what was changed. Do you really think the Church can change her sacraments???

[SoothingDave]

Do Catholic Churches have Antidoron?

Antidoron (from Greek, meaning "instead of the gifts") is the remaining bread from a loaf of prosphora after the Lamb has been removed for the Holy Eucharist. It is blessed immediately after the epiclesis during the Divine Liturgy and is given by the priest to the faithful after the service.

Prosphora (Greek for "offering") is bread prepared for use in the Divine Liturgy. A portion of it, known as the lamb (or amnon) is cut out during the proskomedia which is consecrated during the Divine Liturgy to be the Eucharist, while the rest is cut up for the antidoron, the blessed bread distributed at the end of the liturgy.

Catholics use unleavend bread. There is no analog to cutting the center "Lamb" out of the bread. Our Eucharistic bread is in the form of flat disks and all is consecrated during the Eucharistic prayer.

SD

[x5452]

Do any of the Catholic churches use actual bread rather than the disks?

[SoothingDave]

Do any of the Catholic churches use actual bread rather than the disks?

I can only speak about the Latin rite, though I understand that the Eastern rites can use leavened bread.

For the Latin rite, only flour and water are allowed to be used to make the bread. If a Latin rite Church used a different bread would certainly be illicit and would very likely invalidate the sacrament.

SD

[x5452]

http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/01562b.htm

[x5452]

Found this too:
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/01349d.htm

[Petrosius]

Not to start a fight but the unleavened hosts used by Catholics is actual bread just as the unleavened bread used by Jews at Passover is actual bread.

[OpusatFR]

I love this opportunity to ask all Extraordinary Ministers to think about one point:

Y'all are wonderful people and it is a blessing to receive the Eucharist when ill and infirm, but I have ask you to remember that lots of the medications and especially big doses of pain medication cause the mouth to dry out badly.

I had one person give me an entire host which I almost couldn't manage because there was no saliva left...the host got stuck..and stuck and stuck....

Is it possible for only a small piece to be given? Or is it permissible to drink some water to get it down?

It's a minor point, but for those who are inpatient from time to time it's one of those facts of life. ( -;

[Petrosius]

The answer to both question is yes. I would be hesitant, however, to having the extraordinary minister of Communion, rather than a priest, break the host.

[SoothingDave]

Is it possible for only a small piece to be given?

Yes, of course. The smallest piece discernable as bread contains the Fullness of the Sacrament.

Or is it permissible to drink some water to get it down?

I would think you could drink some water first to get rid of the dryness, and then take the Host.

Of course, nothing in the Faith requires you to choke to death, so if you need a drink, take one. I think if possible one should drink first, then take Communion, rather than "washing it down" and co-mingling the sacred and the orindary.

SD