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Special Ministers of the Eucharist

In our parish there are fourteen Special Ministers of the Eucharist. These are ordinary members of our Parish Community who have made a commitment to assist the priest and people of St. Vincent’s parish in the distribution of Holy Communion.

To become a Eucharistic Minister, you should be willing to undertake this office for the service and growth of the Church. You should be resolved to administer the Holy Eucharist with the utmost care and reverence, to strive earnestly to live the Christian life, to grow in holiness, to love your neighbour, to give good example, and to take your faith seriously. You may be asked by the Parish Priest to be a Minister of the Eucharist, or alternatively, after giving the matter due consideration, you could approach the Parish Priest yourself and say you are willing to assist in this ministry. There have been several invitations in the newsletter for parishioners to come forward and offer their services in this way.

The Rite of Commissioning Special Ministers of the Eucharist usually takes place during a parish Mass. The Parish Priest commissions the new Ministers, but it is the Bishop of Shrewsbury who grants the Ministers the faculty of distributing Communion.

Three Ministers assist at the Sunday Morning Mass. One distributes the consecrated Hosts and two distribute the consecrated Wine. On Wednesday and Friday morning, one or two Ministers go forward to help as required. A rota is prepared for the Sunday Mass. No rota is prepared for the weekday Masses.

Special Ministers of the Eucharist also take the Blessed Sacrament to the sick and housebound at home and to those in our local Nursing Homes when needed. Not all Ministers feel able to do this for various reasons, but those who do generally feel it is a very special and worthwhile experience.

In St. Vincent’s Parish, our priest cannot be with us to celebrate the Eucharist every weekday. However, there is the opportunity every Monday morning for our community to gather together to celebrate the Word of God and to receive Holy Communion. A Reader leads the Liturgy of the Word at these celebrations and a Special Minister of the Eucharist leads the prayers and distributes the Holy Communion. It is understood that not everyone feels able to do this, but currently we have several Eucharistic Ministers who are willing to do so.
After being commissioned, the Special Ministers of the Eucharist undertake to attend one of the Days of Prayer organised for them by the Diocese, and at the Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Maundy Thursday, they must renew their commitment before the priest and people of this Parish.

Readers

During the three-year cycle of Sunday Readings (Year A, B, and C), the whole of the Bible is read aloud. The Readers try to read clearly and reverently so that the congregation listens attentively and hears God’s message. Sometimes a different voice, a different inflection, or a different emphasis may make even a familiar passage speak to the listeners in a new way, or may have special relevance at certain times in our lives. We have two Readers at Sunday Mass; one who reads the First Reading and the Psalm (if it is not sung), and the other reads the Second Reading and Prayers of Intercession. There is a rota of readers for the Sunday Mass and Holydays of Obligation at St. Vincent’s, and we welcome new volunteers for whom advice, practice, or training can be arranged if required.

Altar Servers

We are a small group who serve at the Sunday Mass each week. Once trained, our role is to assist the priest during Mass. We decide amongst ourselves which task we are carrying out, making sure that everyone has a turn.

If you would like to become an Altar Server and have made your First Communion, please talk to Celia Allen or Jane Roberts