Parishoners requesting Holy Communion for the Sick or homebound, please call the Parish Office
410-643-6220

Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion assist the Priest in distributing the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ during Mass. Some Extraordinary Ministers bring Communion to the sick and homebound. The Diocese requires new ministers to attend a Parish training session for certification. All Confirmed Catholics are eligible to be Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion.

Procedures for Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion (Updated 3/9/2025) 
1.) Please arrive 15 minutes prior to Mass.  Take your seat in the assembly. 
2.) After the priest/deacon receive The Precious Blood, EMs should proceed to ramp, sanitize your hands with the materials on the left-hand side of first ramp/window, and enter the sanctuary. If a deacon is not present, proceed forward after the priest has received The Precious Blood.  Once you receive your ciborium or cup, hold it at all times unless you need to sanitize during the distribution of Eucharist. The first four extraordinary ministers to come up the ramp will be the four who distribute the Precious Blood. If a Deacon is present there will only be three extraordinary ministers distributing the Precious Blood, and three additional extraordinary ministers will distribute the Precious Body. See below figures.
3.) After all the ministers have received the Precious Body and Precious Blood, they should proceed to their stations. Station #1 is the side aisle in front of The Holy Family statue, station #2 is the center aisle on the side with the ambo, station #3 is the center aisle on the side with the Celebrant's chair, Station #4 is in front of the St. Christopher statue. The first EM coming down the ramp is to proceed to station #4, the second EM to proceed to station #2, and the 3rd EM to proceed to station #1.    See below figures.
4.) The EMs with a ciborium at station #1 and station #4 are to distribute the Precious Body to any disabled attendees in the front row of your area, then proceed to your station and distribute Communion to the congregation. The EM at station #2 or station #3 are to go to the back of the church and distribute the Precious Body to any disabled attendees, then proceed back to the front of the church to your station and distribute Communion to the congregation.  After the final communicant from the assembly has received, provide your ciborium to the Priest or Deacon at the center aisle and return to your pew.
5.) The EMs with the cups (Precious Blood) are to situate yourselves in front of the speakers.    See below figures.  Present the cup to each person who comes to you by holding it up saying, "The Blood of Christ," hand the cup to the recipient for consumption. When they return the cup to you, wipe the rim of the cup with the purificator before offering it to the next communicant. When all have received, proceed over to the Baptismal font and discretely finish any remaining Precious Blood or please offer the cup to another EM with a cup to consume what remains. After consumption, Two EMs are to take the cup and purificator from the other two EMs and take the cup and purificator to the credence table (the table used for the vessels prior to the Liturgy of the Eucharist).  Stack the purificators next to the cups and NOT inside the cups.
6.) As the communicant approaches the sacrament, they bow. You make the proclamation: "The Body of Christ" or "The Blood of Christ" to which they respond: "Amen." 
7.) If your line on one of side aisles (station #1 or station #4) is complete, assist with distributing to the center aisle on your side of the church. Stand at the end of the 1st pew, center aisle. Display the host/chalice as ready to provide Communion to get the attention of those in the receiving line that you are there to assist. 
8.) Try not to make contact between your hands and the hand/tongue of the communicant. Sanitize as needed between communicants.

Notes: 
1.) Accidents during distribution of the Precious Body: In the event that the Body of Christ falls on the ground, you should pick Him up and hold Him in your hand (underneath the ciborium). Then, give the communicant a new host. Place the fallen host in the bowel that is at the sanitize station next to the ambo or choir and advise the priest or deacon after Communion that you placed the fallen host in the bowel so it can be taken care of after Mass. 
2.) Accidents during distribution of the Precious Blood: In the event that the Precious Blood spills on the ground, place the purificator over it and it will be properly taken care of after Mass with the Deacon, Priest, or Sacristan.
3.) EMs are not permitted to give a formal blessing (using of hands and make the Sign of the Cross) to those that come up in the receiving line. What is permitted is to NOT use your hands and make a statement such as "God Bless You". 
4.) “Intinction” (the practice of dipping the consecrated host into the Precious Blood and then receiving the “intincted” host in Holy Communion) is NOT permitted. If an individual receiving the Precious Blood is starting to perform intinction, place your hand over the Chalice and advise that this parish does NOT participate in intinction.    
5.) The Precious Blood is NOT to be distributed to those in the back of the church.  Only the Body of Christ will be distributed.
6.) A Deacon will be participating every Saturday, 5:00 PM and Sunday 10:30 AM Mass and thus only 6 Ems will be scheduled in MSP.   In the event that a Deacon will not be able to attend, an EM Sub request will be added to the MSP program for availability for that EM position.
7.) Father Gabage does NOT have a preference at station #2 or station #3. He will take either station.

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Schedule