I have called you by name, you are mine. ~ Isaiah 43:1 How many of us have actually heard God’s call and responded to it? Well those who do, are invited to serve God in whatever way they can. Spreading the Good News, helping the needy and assisting in Church works are some of the ways through which we can serve God.
These days, becoming a Eucharistic minister is also one path of service. According to Catholicism, the duty of distributing the Holy Eucharist to the people during the Mass was reserved only to the parish priest. This is because the priests have undergone training to distribute the consecrated bread and wine, believed to be the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ. But as the number of faithful began to increase, especially during special occasions like Christmas, Good Friday or Easter, it was not possible for the parish priests to distribute the communion to everyone. Hence, certain lay people were chosen to distribute Communion. These individuals are called Eucharistic ministers. Read further to know more about how to become a Eucharistic minister.
Who Can Be Called a Eucharistic Minister Under the Code of Canon Law (taken from the Latin Codex Iuris Canonici or CIC), a Eucharistic minister is, ‘ an acolyte, or another of Christ’s faithful deputed, in certain circumstances, to distribute Holy Communion ‘. Hence a Eucharistic minister is needed to assist the parish priest to distribute the Holy Communion, when the church is too crowded or for taking the Eucharist to the homebound and sick. Eucharistic ministers are also called Extra Ordinary Ministers of the Holy Communion. A few people from the Lay community are chosen according to certain criteria, given training and then appointed as Eucharistic ministers.
These individuals function when the priest may require assistance during the Mass to serve the Eucharist. After receiving the Eucharistic minister blessing, the individual can practice the duties of the Eucharistic minister full fledged. Let us take a look at the guidelines for how to become a Eucharistic minister. Eucharistic Minister Guidelines Becoming a Eucharistic minister need not be a great task, you just need to have pure faith. Donning the role of a Eucharistic minister is one way of serving the Church and God. Here are some Eucharistic minister requirements, that will qualify a person for distributing the Holy Eucharist. Eucharistic ministers are also appointed in other denominations of Christianity.
Just follow these rules for how to become a Eucharistic minister A lay person can become a Eucharistic minister by following certain guidelines laid down by the Church and should undergo Eucharistic minister training. For becoming a Eucharistic minister, you need to be a regular Mass goer and the sacraments should be taken regularly. Receive the Holy Communion whenever you can. Practice the sacrament of Confession and other necessary sacraments as required by the Church before you receive the duties. The Church will provide training for the purpose of appointing ministers. Make sure you are a member of the Church and if you have a membership, see that it is up to date. You must have great reverence towards the Church and its role in society. This must be portrayed in your demeanor and manner in which you serve the Communion. Arrive early for the Mass and before you enter the Sacristy, prepare reverently for your solemn duty. Before the procession, join the priest in the prayers. During the procession, distribute the consecrated Bread and Wine reverently to the faithful, just as a priest would do. Once the distribution is over, make sure the unused bread and wine is stored properly. In case there is an unused Sacrament, it must be kept in the Tabernacle. Purify the sacred vessels, so that they may be used during the next distribution. This was all about how to become a Eucharistic minister. So if you have heard The Call, answer it and serve the Lord in your own humble way wholeheartedly. God bless!