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Eliyahu is correct. Permission for the use of EEMs has only been given to assist the priest in cases of true necessity (physical infirmity or large crowds). This permission does NOT apply to taking the Divine Eucharist to the sick as the priest always remains the ordinary Eucharist Minister.

To confirm what Jim thought and what Eliyahu stated, the Bethany Ministry outreach does not include the distribution of the Eucharist. It appears, however, to be a fine outreach to those who cannot participate in the daily life of a parish.

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Axios,

I have seen deacons distribute the Divine Eucharist at Orthodox liturgies on several occasions when the crowds justified it. I also talked with someone today who stated that he has been at Orthodox Divine Liturgies where deacons and subdeacons have distributed the Eucharist. These were not, I believe, regular Sunday Divine Liturgies.

Admin

Jim said:

I agree with you, Jim. I posted close to this sentiment on another subject. Although I may come across as "paranoid" sometimes about these things, I wholeheartedly believe there is a "slippery slope". Hopefully we as a Church will avoid it.

Remember, just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they're not out to get ya'....

Glenn

The Admin is correct. I myself have seen deacons in several canonical Orthodox jurisdictions distribute the Holy Mysteries.

Dear Brothers and Sisters:

I believe that your concerns are well-founded. In my own experience, we have been required to have a theological component to our training prior to the actual training in liturgical practice.

I was given permission to do this after I, myself, was examined as to my own orthodoxy. I use an outline based on Nicholas Cabasilas and the classical byzantine understanding of what the Divine Liturgy is and what we are participating in.

I have had some very loud arguments from some people about their lack of belief in the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist. I have had some people come forward who have no prayer life but think that this might be "something nice to do." I usually give no quarter.

For myself, I at first refused to participate in this ministry. Our pastor then sent his assistant to specifically ask me why I had refused. I told him that, for me, this was not a matter of doing something--what I would be doing--but a matter of knowing Who I was touching. I told him that I believe that only those who are in major orders should be doing this type of sacred activity. He told me that that is what the pastor told him I would say and that is the reason he wanted me to serve and to serve as an example.

I have never been comfortable with this type of ministry, but as our clergy numbers have declined and our parish has grown--three priests for 600 families fourteen years ago to 1 for 800--it is increasingly difficult to walk away.

I will ask for all of your prayers, however, since I have told our newest pastor that I will be discontinuing all ministry. I tried to walk away in November because of the attitude of many of the current people who perform this ministry. It seems that we all have a tendency to move to the lowest common denominator if allowed. Some in my parish have adopted some rather negative attitudes from friends in other parishes without the type of training we have. They have come to see it all as unnecessary.

My attitude has been that the manner in which we treat Our Lord when He comes to us humbly in the sacrament is the way He will treat us when we fall into His Hands at the end of our lives. Not something to comfort those who dismiss this Precious Gift with a casual attitude.

BOB

Bob:

You brought back memories for me when I used to do the Sick and Homebound ministry. There were times I could barely get the words out when I would hold Him in my hand and prepare to give Him to someone. Thank you.

Glenn

FWIW, in the OCA, deacons are not permitted to distribute communion unless they are given specific permission from the bishop, and then only for that parish. (When I was a deacon for four years, I was not given permission to distribute, even though it was asked.) This is done only in the case of a large number of communicants.

Today we probably had about 110 communicants - I distributed alone.

Exhausted,

Fr. Thomas

Thank you Father. I am not sure your post and my pastor's statement are in conflcit with the Administrator and Diak. In Catholicism, priests and deacons are ordinary distributors, others are extraordinary (right?). In Orthodoxy, only the priest is the ordinary distributor (to use the Catholic terminology). Anyone else distributing, including the deacon, would be extraordinary. The fact that the Administrator and Diak have witnessed deacons distributing does not mean that they are ordinary distributors.

In other words, if one reads each post carefully, we are all in agreement.

Axios

Axios, it depends on the particular law of the church in question. The particular law for the Ukrainian Catholic Church in the USA, Article 315, states that the ordinary distributor of the Divine Gifts is the priest, and the deacon is the extraordinary distributor.

In an emergency, i.e. if a priest cannot attend to the distribution of the Divine Gifts, and no deacon is present, a layman can distribute only with specific written permission from the Eparch.

In my own case after being set aside as a subdeacon I was requested by the hierarchy to assist in distrubuting the presanctified Holy Gifts in some parishes that were either temporarily priestless due to retirement, or the priest couldn't come because of a distance issue, etc... I did not request to be a distributor of the Holy Gifts., but was asked specifically to do this.

Fr. Thomas:

I hear your exhaustion.

Many years ago I attended a Latin parish in the Philadelphia area where the priest usually distributed 700 communions each Sunday evening by himself.

BOB

Diak,

Yes. So in Orthodoxy, the priest is the ordinary distributor. In Catholicism, different canons apply to the various particular Catholic Churches.

You know I am very ecumencial and love my Catholic brothers and sisters. However, can you forgive me if I take some amusement in your Ukrainain Catholic canon that says "In an emergency...a layman can distribute only with specific written permission from the Eparch."

Without the benefit of either Thomistic or Jesuit training, it seems to me that in an emergency, the Eparch would not be available to give specific written permission. At best, he might give general permission in advance of any potential emergency-- but specific?. You Catholics do remain a puzzlement to me at times.

Axios