“The Body of Christ!” Those four words are such a profound proclamation that the weight of their worth cannot be overstated. When the Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion proclaim these words to each one of us as they distribute Communion, they are, in fact, proclaiming the central mystery of our faith — that the Eucharist is Jesus Christ, Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity! With our simple “amen,” we are proclaiming that we agree!
It is a seemingly simple task to distribute Communion. But given the weight of its worth, it is a task that both Lupe Diaz and Ginger McBride — the coordinators of Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion at Annunciation and Ascension, respectively — feel incredibly privileged to carry out.
“Every time I say, ‘the Body of Christ,’ I look into the eyes of each person, and I see such holy people,” Lupe says. “I feel blessed to be able to do it, and I’ll continue to do it for as long as I am standing!”
Lupe has served as an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion for about five years, and it is a ministry that he not only feels honored to carry out, but one for which he is sure his mother is proud. Laughing as he fondly recalls his mother’s desire for him to become a priest, Lupe says that as he carries out this ministry, he feels incredibly blessed.
“She loved the Church,” he says. “She wanted me to be a priest, and even though that was not my calling, I know she is smiling down at me as I distribute Communion. I am helping Fr. Tony. He cannot distribute it all — it would take too long! So, while I’m not a priest as my mother hoped, I figure this is the next best thing!”
Ginger became an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion many years ago when she and her husband lived in Alaska. She initially volunteered to serve because there was a need, and when the couple moved to Hawaii in 2006, she knew she wanted to continue serving in this way.
“I knew I wanted to keep serving, so I immediately volunteered to be an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion, and they put me right in,” Ginger says. “It is such a wonderful way to serve, being a vehicle to bring Christ to people.”
In addition, Ginger says that serving has fostered a greater personal devotion to the Eucharist and that has been a tremendous blessing.
If you are interested in serving as an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion, please contact the parish office to set up a time to meet with our pastor regarding protocols for serving in this special ministry. After that, Fr. Tony will provide training prior to serving.
For more information about serving as a Eucharistic Minister, call the parish office at 808-887-1220.