On January 29, 1973, the instruction “Immensae caritatis” was issued by Pope Paul VI. With this instruction, the diocesan bishop was given permission to designate lay men and women to distribute the Eucharist as Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion. It stated that “…this faculty may be used whenever there is no priest, deacon or instituted acolyte present, or when the ordinary minister is prevented from administering Communion because of other pastoral obligations, ill health, or advanced age, or when the number of the faithful is so great that, unless Extraordinary Ministers assist in the distribution, the celebration would be unduly prolonged.”

Extraordinary Ministers for the distribution of Holy Communion are properly formed, instructed and commissioned lay persons.

Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion are called to a very special Ministry. Their function is to distribute Holy Communion, either within Mass or by taking it to a sick person. Jesus calls each of us to visit the sick: “I was sick and you visited me” (Matthew 25:31-46). Bringing Holy Communion to the sick, those who cannot be present at Sunday Mass is both a corporal and spiritual work of mercy. In this service, an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion (EMHC), ministers to the whole person – body, mind, and soul.

The EMHC becomes a vital link between the parish community and the member who is sick or homebound. The visit to the sick and homebound after Sunday Mass, to link between the Parish Liturgical celebration and the parishioner is maintained. The EMHCs do not replace the ministry of the priest to the people, but rather extend and expand it so that all will have more regular contact with Christ in Holy Communion.

God has blessed our parish with 74 Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion. They serve as Ambassadors of Christ (2 Corinthians 5:20) by taking the Body of our Lord to the sick every Weekend. They are instruments of evangelization by their actions of love, kindness, and Service to the sick.

Criteria  to offer Services to be an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion

He/she should be a Catholic living in harmony with the teachings of the Church and be able to receive the Eucharist. He/she should be of sufficient age and maturity to perform the duties of an EMHC at Mass or to the sick and homebound. He/she should be compassionate, empathetic, ready to reach out to the sick and homebound. He/she should be sensitive to the sick and housebound person’s needs including the spiritual and emotional and also be committed to distribute Holy Communion in the Church.

 

To Register the sick and housebound for Holy Communion

 

One needs to fill in a form available in the parish office with details such as name of the sick, address, and contact nos., and drop it in the box kept in the Parish Office. The form is collected and handed over to the concerned Zonal coordinator, who in turn appoints the EMHC to take Holy Communion to the sick.

Priest In-charge: Fr. Sunil D'souza OP

Lay Co-ordinator: Merwyn Mascarenhas

Main  Co-ordinator: Merwyn  Mascarenhas 

Assistant Main Co-ordinator: Stanley Mendes and Faye Pinto

Zonal Co-ordinators:

Baudi -Salome Dsouza, Merwyn  Mascarenhas

Somwar Bazaar -  Tara Pinto, Sharel Lobo

JBC - Theresa Carrasco, Stanley  Mendes

Tank Colony - Gregory  Pereira,  Faye   Pinto, Deborah Herbert

Lourdes Colony - Randolph  Dias, Jude  Dsilva

Mithchowki - Letitia  Goveas, Avril  Sampey

Evershine Nagar - Maxwell Murzello, Santana Coutinho