St. Jude Parish Eucharistic Minister Guidelines
Thank you so very much for serving as a Eucharistic Minister at St. Jude’s!
Each time you serve it is of the utmost importance that you first prepare yourselves by praying and asking the Lord to be with you as you perform this ministry-- one of the most important of all ministries.
Always be reverent and attentive.
Please dress appropriately.
When a visiting priest is present, never take anything for granted, but always be helpful and flexible.
Meet in the sacristy 15 minutes prior to Mass. If you are not here at that time, a substitute will be found for you and you will asked to take a seat. You are always responsible for getting your own sub if you are not able to meet your assigned time. If you are not feeling well, let either the deacon or one of the other ministers know, and they will get a sub for you.
There is a signup sheet in the sacristy. The numbers 1, 3 and 5 are the ministers of the consecrated hosts, and 2, 4, 6, & 7 are cup ministers. Please alternate weekly between those positions.
Always just take a look at the credence table in the sanctuary and “gifts” table near the back of the church to make sure all needed items are there. Also, please check the tabernacle to see that the key is in it.
One very important change: You will no longer enter in the procession at the beginning of Mass. Instructions that all parishes are to follow on the proper procedure at Mass are very clear that the procession should only include servers, deacon, and priest. Instead, please locate a seat, or have your family save a seat for you with them, that will allow you to come up to the sanctuary at the proper time from as short a distance as possible. Seats are reserved for you to the right of the lectern.
AFTER THE SIGN OF PEACE IS COMPLETED. AS THE “LAMB OF GOD” IS BEGUN, come up into the sanctuary and line up behind the priest. The “Number 1” position is the person nearest the tabernacle with the other positions following. As the person in the “Number 1” position reaches the sanctuary, that person should go to the tabernacle and remove the ciborium from it, placing it on the corporal on the left side of the altar. [NOTE: If any of you should end up in a different position than what you signed up for, it is ok, just remain where you are. It becomes distracting when too much shuffling is done.] One cup minister should pick up the purificators to be used by the cup ministers and hand them out to those ministers who then can place them on their left wrist to indicate that they will be cup ministers.
For those who are host ministers, remember you look the communicant in the eyes as you say clearly, “The Body of Christ.” After a response of “Amen” place the consecrated host in their hand or on their tongue.
Those who are ministers of the cup should, as they look the communicant in the eyes, say clearly, “The Blood of Christ,” and after a response of “Amen” you then hand the person the cup. Remember to use the purificator in the proper way to wipe the cup firmly after each person has finished. Wipe the cup firmly in the spot where the person has just received, and use a different spot on the purificator to wipe after the next communicant.
The priest, assisted by an usher, will go to the back of the church to give Communion to those unable to come up to the altar. As each minister finishes, they should immediately take their cup to the credence table or their ciborium and place it on the corporal on the left side of the altar. Do not stand in place waiting for the priest to take communion to the disabled.
Cup ministers should, standing near the credence table, consume the remainder of the Precious Blood and place your cup covered with the purificator on the credence table.
The minister in the “Number 1” position will put the ciborium back into the tabernacle after all the consecrated hosts are combined by the deacon-- or by the priest in the deacon’s absence-- into one container.
Return to your seats as you complete the above.
Eucharistic ministers are not in the procession out of the church.
After the final hymn is complete, ministers will need to clean up and set up for the next Mass. Purification of the vessels should be immediately after the final hymn by pre-designated ministers in the area off the sacristy where there is a sacrarium (sink made especially for this purpose that drains into the ground). Please include the priest’s chalice as you purify the rest of the vessels. EXTREMELY IMPORTANT: Proper reverence should always be shown as the vessels are purified. Prayerful silence should be maintained. Warm, but not hot water should be used as the cups are rinsed. Purificators should be used to dry the vessels. Vessels should be thoroughly dried. Purificators should always then be placed in the appropriate place to dry. When wiping or drying the priest’s chalice, please do not hold the base and turn the cup, as it will unscrew the cup assembly. Also, please try to keep from immersing the wooden part of the priest’s cup in water.
SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR PURIFICATION OF CUPS (not priest’s chalice)
After Mass, those previously designated to clean-up will purify (wash) the cups using the special wash basins in the room behind the sacristy. Any remaining consecrated wine must be consumed prior to purification. A washbasin is provided in the sacristy: It is for the purification of the cups. This water should be disposed of by pouring it down the special sink that has a cover called the (sacrarium) in the sacristy. This sink does not empty into the sewer but into the ground.
After first purifying the cups and ciboria, they should then be washed in warm soapy water. The cups can then be thoroughly rinsed under the faucet and dried. The soapy water can be poured down the same sink.
There are large hosts and purificators in the credence table. The wine decanter and ciborium-- only-- are placed in the back on the gift table (no water). The purificators are also in the credence table. Place 4 purificators, the 4 cups, and the two ciboria on the credence table. There is no need to wash the water bowl until after the 11:00a.m. Mass.
IMPORTANT NOTE: If any consecrated wine is spilled on the floor at any time, cover that spot immediately with your purificator and make sure that no one walks on that spot. You will have to get another purificator before proceeding. At the end of Mass stand nearby to prevent anyone from stepping on that area until it is purified by soaking up all that you can and by rinsing with water until water is clear.
If you drop a host, simply pick it up and if it has not been contaminated by dirt or dust, give it back to the person. If it has been contaminated or is dirty (a very rare happening) it would need to be given to the priest after Mass for proper reverent disposal by him.
Never take it upon yourself to deny communion to anyone. Please notify the priest as soon as possible after Mass about any question or difficulty you may have had. The pastor will then address any problem areas in private with the individual.
Some people are unable to receive communion – a young child or maybe an RCIA member who is not a Catholic. Those people wishing to do so may approach the minister with hands crossed across the chest. This signifies to the minister that the person will not be receiving communion. When you see this, you should raise the right hand-- without a host in your fingers-- and without touching the person, simply say “May God Bless You” as one might bless one’s own child.
Always gently shake both the purificators and the corporals over the sacrarium to free any loose crumbs that may be there, and then rinse them down the sacrarium. Check the corporals for any wine stains. Corporals may be reused at the next Mass if no stains are on them.