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GUIDELINES FOR EUCHARISTIC MINISTERS
PRIOR TO THE BEGINNING OF MASS:
Arrive 15 minutes before Mass on your assigned day. There are crosses available for Eucharistic
Ministers to wear during Mass. They are hanging on pegs inside the closet door in the Vesting Sacristy.
Prior to Mass, greet people in the vestibule of the church. Try to greet them by name and make them
feel welcome in our church. During this time, determine which of the Ministers participating in today’s Mass
will offer the Body of Christ.
About five minutes before the Mass begins, all Ministers participating in the Mass will join Father in a
brief prayer asking for God’s guidance.
ENTRANCE PROCESSION:
Join the liturgical procession behind the altar servers, immediately in front of the Lectors. When the
procession reaches the stairs in front of the altar, you will reverence the altar with a profound bow. Wait in
front of the altar until the Priest approaches the altar and venerates it with a kiss. (It is not necessary for you
to bow again.) This will signal your dismissal to join your families to celebrate the Mass with them. It is most
important for you to be a prayerful member of the assembly. You will serve as a model of what full, active
participation should be.
DISTRIBUTION OF THE SACRED BODY & BLOOD OF CHRIST:
At the “Sign of Peace”, offer a handshake or kiss (if appropriate) to one or two other worshippers
near you. Recall the meaning and purpose of the gesture as a preparation for Holy Communion. Once
Father returns to the altar, you should immediately approach the altar with reverence; bow, and walk to the
Credence Table at the left side of the altar. It should not be necessary to stand on the step behind the
altar. (After the “Lamb of God” sanitize your hands before handling the Body & Blood of Christ.)
If you are assigned as a minister of the Blood of Christ, drape a purificator over your arm so that you
will be ready when Father offers you the chalice.
Father will place the Body of Christ in your cupped hands. After you consume it, make the Sign of
the Cross and respond with a faithful “Amen”. Father will then present you with a cup of the precious
Blood. Receive the Blood of Christ and respond with “Amen”. Wipe the side of the cup and give it a quarter
turn before presenting it to the next person.
When all have received the ciborium or the cup for distribution, proceed to your place at the foot of
the altar, reverently. Remember who it is that you carry! While distributing, keep your eyes on Christ and
on the person receiving. Try to make a brief (not prolonged) eye contact with the recipient before you offer
the Host or cup.
Reverently announce: “The Body of Christ!” or “The Blood of Christ!” to the recipient. Do it with
love and faith in your heart, face, and voice. When you present the cup of Precious Blood, hold it in your
right hand. The purificator should be in your left. If the individual reaches for the cup with one hand, inform
him/her to use both hands. Carefully receive the cup back, wipe the lip of the cup with the purificator, and
give the cup a quarter turn. You may find it necessary to adjust the purificator, or even to turn it inside out,
to keep deposited lipstick off the cup.
If you are presenting “The Body of Christ”, you should be prepared to offer a blessing to those who
are not prepared to receive the Host. You may hold your hand over the head of the recipient (without
touching them) and say something similar to “May God’s Blessing be with you” or “May God Bless you, in
the name of the Father, the Son, & the Holy Spirit”.
If you still have some of the Precious Blood in your chalice, when you have completed distribution to
those in your line, assist the Eucharistic Minister on the other side of the Church. Once your Chalice has
been emptied, return to the altar & wait for Father. You might have to finish consuming the Precious Blood,
if there is still some remaining in your Chalice, after all present have received communion. Do this just
before you place the Chalice on the altar, not while you are walking to the altar.
Return the ciboria and chalices to the altar where the priest or deacon will consolidate the left-over
sacred hosts and rinse the cups. You will then dry the Chalice and place it with the purificator on the
Credence Table. It is very important that you never attempt to dry the chalice until after Father has purified
it with water at the altar.
All of the Ministers will descend the sanctuary steps together near the handrail; bow, and return to
their seats once the cups have been wiped dry.
THE END OF THE MASS:
Eucharistic Ministers will join the procession out of the church at the end of Mass, in the same order
as when entering. Be sure to return the cross necklace before leaving church!
After Mass, it is helpful for the Eucharistic Ministers to remain to assist the sacristans in purifying the
vessels and preparing them for the next Mass, or for storage.
On the days you do not have a Mass assignment; it would be helpful for you to inquire upon arrival
at Mass to see if any vacancies need to be filled.
Remember, it is your responsibility to make arrangements for a replacement if you are unable to
serve on the day you are scheduled.
PRIOR TO THE BEGINNING OF MASS:
Arrive 15 minutes before Mass on your assigned day. There are crosses available for Eucharistic
Ministers to wear during Mass. They are hanging on pegs inside the closet door in the Vesting Sacristy.
Prior to Mass, greet people in the vestibule of the church. Try to greet them by name and make them
feel welcome in our church. During this time, determine which of the Ministers participating in today’s Mass
will offer the Body of Christ.
About five minutes before the Mass begins, all Ministers participating in the Mass will join Father in a
brief prayer asking for God’s guidance.
ENTRANCE PROCESSION:
Join the liturgical procession behind the altar servers, immediately in front of the Lectors. When the
procession reaches the stairs in front of the altar, you will reverence the altar with a profound bow. Wait in
front of the altar until the Priest approaches the altar and venerates it with a kiss. (It is not necessary for you
to bow again.) This will signal your dismissal to join your families to celebrate the Mass with them. It is most
important for you to be a prayerful member of the assembly. You will serve as a model of what full, active
participation should be.
DISTRIBUTION OF THE SACRED BODY & BLOOD OF CHRIST:
At the “Sign of Peace”, offer a handshake or kiss (if appropriate) to one or two other worshippers
near you. Recall the meaning and purpose of the gesture as a preparation for Holy Communion. Once
Father returns to the altar, you should immediately approach the altar with reverence; bow, and walk to the
Credence Table at the left side of the altar. It should not be necessary to stand on the step behind the
altar. (After the “Lamb of God” sanitize your hands before handling the Body & Blood of Christ.)
If you are assigned as a minister of the Blood of Christ, drape a purificator over your arm so that you
will be ready when Father offers you the chalice.
Father will place the Body of Christ in your cupped hands. After you consume it, make the Sign of
the Cross and respond with a faithful “Amen”. Father will then present you with a cup of the precious
Blood. Receive the Blood of Christ and respond with “Amen”. Wipe the side of the cup and give it a quarter
turn before presenting it to the next person.
When all have received the ciborium or the cup for distribution, proceed to your place at the foot of
the altar, reverently. Remember who it is that you carry! While distributing, keep your eyes on Christ and
on the person receiving. Try to make a brief (not prolonged) eye contact with the recipient before you offer
the Host or cup.
Reverently announce: “The Body of Christ!” or “The Blood of Christ!” to the recipient. Do it with
love and faith in your heart, face, and voice. When you present the cup of Precious Blood, hold it in your
right hand. The purificator should be in your left. If the individual reaches for the cup with one hand, inform
him/her to use both hands. Carefully receive the cup back, wipe the lip of the cup with the purificator, and
give the cup a quarter turn. You may find it necessary to adjust the purificator, or even to turn it inside out,
to keep deposited lipstick off the cup.
If you are presenting “The Body of Christ”, you should be prepared to offer a blessing to those who
are not prepared to receive the Host. You may hold your hand over the head of the recipient (without
touching them) and say something similar to “May God’s Blessing be with you” or “May God Bless you, in
the name of the Father, the Son, & the Holy Spirit”.
If you still have some of the Precious Blood in your chalice, when you have completed distribution to
those in your line, assist the Eucharistic Minister on the other side of the Church. Once your Chalice has
been emptied, return to the altar & wait for Father. You might have to finish consuming the Precious Blood,
if there is still some remaining in your Chalice, after all present have received communion. Do this just
before you place the Chalice on the altar, not while you are walking to the altar.
Return the ciboria and chalices to the altar where the priest or deacon will consolidate the left-over
sacred hosts and rinse the cups. You will then dry the Chalice and place it with the purificator on the
Credence Table. It is very important that you never attempt to dry the chalice until after Father has purified
it with water at the altar.
All of the Ministers will descend the sanctuary steps together near the handrail; bow, and return to
their seats once the cups have been wiped dry.
THE END OF THE MASS:
Eucharistic Ministers will join the procession out of the church at the end of Mass, in the same order
as when entering. Be sure to return the cross necklace before leaving church!
After Mass, it is helpful for the Eucharistic Ministers to remain to assist the sacristans in purifying the
vessels and preparing them for the next Mass, or for storage.
On the days you do not have a Mass assignment; it would be helpful for you to inquire upon arrival
at Mass to see if any vacancies need to be filled.
Remember, it is your responsibility to make arrangements for a replacement if you are unable to
serve on the day you are scheduled.