SAINT MARY OF THE ANGELS: What's going on?

At Saint Mary of the Angels, Wellington, at two consecutive weekday Masses recently there were two Priests concelebrating.

At the 'Lamb of God' although the congregation was not large, the usual gaggle of 'Ministers of the Eucharist' assembled beside the altar, and having received Holy Communion proceeded to minister the Sacrament while one of the Priests sat down, presumably to make his thanksgiving.

Point One: the only 'Minister of the Eucharist' is the Priest. Lay ministers are 'Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion'. Why 'Extraordinary'? Because they're required only when a congregation is so large that it's not possible for Communion to administered only by the Priest(s) without unduly delaying the end of Mass. Sadly - but logically - that's rarely the case.

Point One, a): 'Only out of true necessity is there to be recourse to the assistance of extraordinary ministers in the celebration of the Liturgy ... If there is usually present a sufficient number of sacred Ministers' (Priests or Deacons) 'for distribution of Holy Communion, extraordinary ministers may not be appointed. Indeed, in such circumstances those who have already been appointed to this ministry should not exercise it' (Redemptionis Sacramentum). I didn't know Redemptionis Sacramentum said that, but I resigned some time ago from this ministry for that very reason: we're not needed (also to avoid giving Holy Communion to non-Catholics, but that's another story).

Point Two: 'The practice of those Priests is reprobated who, even though present at the celebration,
abstain from distributing Holy Communion and hand this function over to lay persons' (Redemptionis Sacramentum). 'Reprobated' means 'disapproved of, censured, condemned. Of God: reject of condemn (a person); exclude from salvation' (Shorter Oxford).

Point Two, a): I approached the Priest in question after the second Mass I attended, to ask why he allowed lay people to administer Holy Communion in his stead. Either he's deaf (I whispered, "Excuse me, Father", but from close quarters), or he's opposed to people 'talking' after Mass (see above). He didn't acknowledge my presence.

Maybe he doesn't know the mind of the Church on this subject. Or maybe he's one of those who ridicule the Magisterium of the Church as manifested in Redemptionis Sacramentum.

But I've had enough of priests thumbing their noses at this document, approved in 2004 by Pope St John Paul II, and allowing or encouraging these abuses of the Body and Soul of Jesus Christ our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament. No wonder congregations aren't large enough to justify the assistance of Extraordinary Ministers.


A footnote: Rather than carpark notices saying "Cars may be clamped or towed", how about "Mass and churchgoers welcome; other cars may be clamped or towed"? Friendlier.