Eucharistic Ministers: Setting the Table

Each morning I walk a short distance to take a yoga class in my neighborhood. In the fall/winter the street is still dark: delivery trucks unload fruits and vegetables for a local grocery store, the owner of the coffee shop is just unlocking the door, and city employees are dragging recycling bins across the sidewalk. I also pass by several people within alcoves they use as shelter to sleep during the night. Often they have containers of left-overs from the nearby restaurants that have been opened and picked through: french fries, half a chicken breast, a pizza crust. I call to mind the meal my husband has made for us the night before. I wonder how such hunger can exist in our beautiful city; I know that Jesus calls me to feed the spiritually and physically hungry. ‘Feed my lambs, tend my sheep , feed my sheep’ I hear Jesus say. 

Part of our baptismal call is to participate in the creative action of God, and the liturgy is one of the places where we practice how to do that. Last weekend the role of the Greeter at liturgy was elevated - this essential part of our call to welcome the stranger. Today, the words of two of our Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion (Eucharistic Ministers) are sharing a slice of their experience. After you read what Carmella and Theresa have to share, take a few seconds to recall an important meal you shared with someone you love: and now reflect on a time when you have witnessed hunger on the streets of our city.

When I serve as a Eucharistic Minister, I am awestruck by the encounter. I see one hundred different expressions: hope, worry, expectation, need, sadness, happiness, openness. And I see one hundred different hands outstretched to receive the consecrated Body of Christ: some young, some arthritic - all emblematic of our shared reaching out for Jesus. This ministry continues to soften my heart and to open my eyes to my own hunger, to the spiritual hunger all around us, and to the physical hunger in our city.

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Maggie Warner, director of pastoral ministries

"The words of two of our Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion (Eucharistic Ministers) are sharing a slice of their experience. After you read what Carmella and Theresa have to share, take a few seconds to recall an important meal you shared with someone you love: and now reflect on a time when you have witnessed hunger on the streets of our city."

The beauty of this ministry is its flexibility. The time commitment is manageable and can be tailored to fit my schedule. Whether I am able to serve once a week or once a month, every act of service feels like a meaningful contribution to my parish family. The training is straightforward and provides all the necessary guidance, ensuring that I feel prepared and confident. Serving in this role has deepened my faith and strengthened my sense of belonging. The act of sharing communion fosters a special bond with each person I encounter. It’s a beautiful expression of my own faith journey. I invite you to consider joining this incredible ministry. We need your gifts and your presence. If you feel called to serve, please sign up for an upcoming training session. Your contribution will not only enrich your own faith journey but will also bless our entire parish community. It’s a beautiful way to give back and be an integral part of our shared worship.

- Theresa Dilley

Serving as a Eucharistic Minister at St. Ignatius is a profound privilege that has significantly enriched my experience of the liturgy. This ministry allows me to participate more deeply in the Mass, moving beyond passive observation to active service. Holding the consecrated host and sharing it with my fellow parishioners is a humbling and spiritual experience, connecting me directly to the Body of Christ and to the community gathered around the altar. It’s a tangible way for me to live out the call to serve others.

- Carmella Pettit