Dear friends in Christ, you are now to carry the body of our Lord from this Eucharistic assembly to those who are unable to be here with us. Give them our greetings and our love, read today’s scripture with them, pray with them and minister to them this most precious sacrament.
At the conclusion of Mass, the celebrant calls the Communion to the Sick Ministers to the altar and addresses them with these or similar words. Sending forth of ministers forms part of the blessing and dismissal rites. We are all sent forth at the end of Mass to be the Body of Christ in the world and we, as a community, send forth those ministers to serve in a particular way.
It has been the Church’s ancient custom to take Communion to those who are unable to join us for the celebration of the Eucharist. Members of our community may be housebound due to ill-health or advanced age, while others are in hospital or reside in aged care facilities. Their absence may be short-lived and before long they will be back with us at Mass, while others will not. Whatever their circumstances, they remain part of our Eucharistic assembly. It is most fitting that each week Ministers of Communion to the Sick take them Communion as a sign of the support and concern shown by the Christian community to its members. They pray together, read scripture, share Eucharist, all while establishing rapport as members of the one community.
This practice has long been a tradition across the Parishes of Camberwell, Balwyn Deepdene and Surrey Hills Wattle Park. Together with our priests, parishioners regularly take Communion to members of our community in private homes, hospitals and aged care facilities. There are visits to individuals and Liturgy of the Word with Communion for groups. Mass and Anointing is regularly celebrated by Fr Brendan and Fr Trac at aged care facilities in our parishes and ministers assist at these celebrations.
With the pyx in hand containing the consecrated bread, ministers take the greeting and care of the community, and the grace and blessings of God to the sick and housebound. If you would like to find out more about becoming a Minister of Communion to the Sick and taking Communion from Sunday Mass for individual home visits or from Wednesday weekday Mass to those in hospital or aged care facilities, please contact the Parish Office.
19 Brenbeal Street, Balwyn VIC 3103
Telephone: 03 9816 9291
Email: [email protected]
Office Hours:
Tue - Fri 9:00am – 5:00pm