Welcome! The Eucharistic Ministry is an excellent opportunity to fulfill your baptismal call of service to one another. Our liturgies should utilize the talents and gifts that God has given this community to the fullest extent. Whether participation is through “behind the scenes” preparation and planning or through a public role of service within the Mass, parishioner contributions help our liturgies to be truly life-giving celebrations. Please prayerfully consider joining one of these ministries.

About Eucharistic Minister Ministry 
“It is a gift to be a Eucharistic Minister – to share the Body and Blood of Christ with another,” said one Eucharistic Minister reflecting on her experience at OLMC. The moment of communion is one that should be  seized by both the minister and the communicant.  This moment is unique because  it is both  personal  and much bigger than the two people.

Those called to this ministry have, or soon acquire the grace in movement and reverence in touch.  Reverence in touch is especially important for Eucharistic Ministers since their whole work involves taking in hand the vessels of the Body of Christ and of the Blood of Christ and sharing them with everyone.

The eyes of the minister should meet the eyes of the communicant.  The minister says words of the formula “the Body of Christ” directly to the person.  When placing the consecrated host into the hand of the communicant there should be a slight and brief touch.  The same is true of the cup, eye contact, the words “the Blood of Christ” and touching!  All are in communion with the person of our Lord.  “What does it mean when the Body of Christ comes forward to receive the Body of Christ?”  It is the Body of Christ giving the Body of Christ to the Body of Christ.  We have communion with our living, loving, and nourishing God. This means that there can be no rush.  One can minister communion with reverence and dignity and personal attention and still keep the process moving steadily.

Likewise for our non communicants, special care is necessary when composing prayers of blessing over the people who come forward for a blessing.  Eye contact,
words of welcome and blessing, and of course the kind and gentle touch of the Body of Christ touching the Body of Christ.

Why Eucharistic Ministry? 
Eucharistic Ministers make the communion rite take place in a timely fashion.  This is not a matter of efficiency, but recognition that its meaning cannot be separated from our experience of it in the ritual.  When “going to communion” takes a long time, and we are not sharing a meal with our brothers and sisters, then the communion rite loses its association with the Eucharistic prayer and the breaking of the bread.  The number of Eucharistic ministers is based on the number of communicants at Mass.

By virtue of our baptism in Christ some of us are called to serve as ministers at Mass.   A Minister of the Eucharist needs to be a good example of a person living their faith and striving to grow in holiness. Adults, men and women, assist the priest with the distribution of Holy Communion at Mass. Those involved in this ministry must at least be in their senior year of high school. There is no upper age limit.  Prerequisites: Must a practicing Catholic, attending Mass regularly, and have a devotion to the Eucharist. Those ministers who are married must be married according to the laws of the Catholic Church. Some ministers also volunteer to take Holy Communion to the sick and shut-ins on Sundays. Training is provided on a regular basis.

Lectors
​The members of OLMC assist the clergy in the celebration of the Eucharist by reading the appointed passages of Holy Scripture during the celebration. Lectors volunteer to proclaim the readings of the Mass. They help to spread the message of the readings and the lessons the congregation take away with them. Lectors proclaim the Word of the Lord during the Liturgy. A lector should have a passion for Scripture, an ability to interpret and understand Scripture, and sufficient public speaking skills to proclaim the Word to the assembly. Training in the specifics of the ministry is provided throughout the year. Lectors are assigned on a rotating schedule.

Host/Cup Bearer
The Host/Cup Bearer is the one who administers the Chalice during the celebration of the Holy Eucharist. While there is a purely functional aspect to the ministry of the Host/Cup Bearer, there is a spiritual and sacred aspect, as well. The functional aspect has to do with the role of providing a means by which communicants can receive the wine. The spiritual and sacred aspect involves the belief that the wine has taken on the real presence of Jesus Christ as the blood of Christ. Neither aspect of this ministry should be neglected.  CURRENTLY DUE TO COVID-19 NO CUP BEARS ARE BEING UTILIZED

Ushers 
Ushers are the first encounter by parishioners when they enter the worship environment.  Ushers greet, answer questions, seat, recruit gift bearers, take up collections, and organize communion processions.  This ministry is available to all parishioners, including our youth.  Ushering teams carry out the duty of ushering at the OLMC parish masses, services, as well as at funerals and special holiday services. 

If you believe that God is calling you to serve the Church in this ministry, please contact:

OLMC Parish Office
(361)643-7533
Email Parish Office