Parishes Report Extraordinary Minister Shortage

DAVENPORT, IOWA -- While Catholics across the country pray for an end to the religious vocations crisis, many parishes are now reporting a sharp decline in extraordinary ministers, the lay volunteers who distribute Communion to parishioners.

"It has gotten so bad we only have two Eucharistic ministers for every one parishioner," said Nelda Roarke, an extraordinary minister at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Davenport, Iowa. "I can remember the days when we had more people up here with the priest than we had people in the pews," Roarke said. "It looks like those days may be gone."

Gina Louvain, an extraordinary minister at Queen of Mercy Catholic Church in Birmingham, Alabama, said she thinks people at her parish are just losing their commitment to service. "I guess people are just more interested in praying in their pews or contemplating Christ or something, whatever that means," she said.

"I've heard that at one parish the priest actually distributes Communion by himself now," said Louvain.

In an attempt to counter the shortage, Roarke is hosting a spiritual retreat for current extraordinary ministers, as well as for those who feel God may be calling them to the job. "People need to know about the rich spiritual heritage Eucharistic ministers have," Roarke said. "Why, I believe Sts. Peter and Andrew helped Jesus distribute bread and wine to the other disciples at the Last Supper. Well, at least that is what I am telling people, anyway."

She has also designed buttons for extraordinary ministers to wear that state, "I'm Extraordinary." "I think the Garamond font will really grab people," Roarke said. "The first thing parishioners will notice when they go up to receive Communion is this button. It will remind them whose presence they are in."

Benny Fiedler, who serves as an extraordinary minister at St. John the Baptist Church in El Paso, Texas, said he hopes people will heed the call and start volunteering again.

"Sometimes Catholics just don't realize what they have," he said. "Back when Catholics used to believe these hosts were actually Jesus' body, nobody but the priest would be allowed to touch them. But now that we have advanced in our wisdom and knowledge, we are allowed to do almost as much as the priests do."

[Maureen Martin is the pen name of a Catholic satirist who encourages readers not to look to her posts for actual facts and information. You can visit her blog at: catholicnews.org. This gem of an article was also picked up by the February/March 2006 issue of Crisis magazine and printend on it's page entitled, 'The Catholic Enquirer.']