The Words of our Savior, two millennia of Church teachings, the blood of martyrs, and the testimony of a cloud of witnesses and saints tell us that the greatest Treasure we have ever received from God is the Blessed Sacrament. The Eucharist is the extraordinary Sacrament of Sacraments (cf. Summa Theologiae, III, 73, 3c), because the whole Christ Himself, true God and true Man (CCC #464), is “truly, really, and substantially present” (Council of Trent: DS 1651) in His body and blood (humanity), soul, and divinity, under the outward material appearances (also called accidents, i.e., shape, color, taste, etc) of bread and wine. The Second Vatican Council calls the Eucharist “the source and summit of Christian life” (Lumen gentium, 11) to signify its pivotal role in our salvation (i.e., “the Bread of Life”).

For this reason, it is not surprising that in every age, a serious decline in catechesis and the resulting loss in the utmost reverence toward the Blessed Sacrament was always accompanied by diminished holiness of the Church’s members, weakening participation in liturgy and ministry, less fruits of spiritual life, and the loss of authentic and effective witness to the Gospel in the world.
As a faith community, we still have much to do to further our knowledge and appreciation of the Blessed Sacrament, turn to Christ in living faith through the Eucharist, act with reverence in the holy Presence more consistently, and encounter Jesus more deeply in the Sacrifice of the Mass and in sincere adoration.

Besides gaps in our understanding and appreciation of Who the Blessed Sacrament is, a highly individualistic thinking that drives Western society today can also seep into the Church and affect our behavior. Once in a while, we might experience an attitude which gives the impression that someone feels a bit “entitled” to receive or give the Eucharist to others and thinks that the Church must be there to make sure that it happens. This is unfortunate, because not only is the Blessed Sacrament a completely free gift from God for our salvation, and so we have no innate “right” to receive or possess it, but, properly speaking, the Eucharist is the property of the Church, as Cardinal Henri de Lubac SJ famously said: “the Church makes the Eucharist and the Eucharist makes the Church” (cf. St. John Paul, II, Ecclessia de Eucharistia, Ch 3, 26).

So, in some cases, an attitude adjustment may be necessary, even before we set out to deepen our Eucharistic spirituality. This adjustment may need to include a profound awareness of the meaning of “eukharistia” – the Greek word for thanksgiving – from which the Blessed Sacrament receives its name. If the source and summit of Christian life is the very act of Thanksgiving through the Eucharistic Sacrifice, we, first and foremost, need to approach our entire Catholic life with a posture of sincere and humble gratitude for what we have been chosen by God to receive and hold. This humble gratitude then paves the way for a more conscious and reverent treatment of the Blessed Sacrament whether we are receiving it at Mass or when we are assisting the clergy during Holy Communion as extraordinary ministers.
A heightened awareness and appreciation of the extraordinary Gift we have from Christ, which cost His life on the Cross, forms a solid foundation for understanding and internalizing those laws and regulations of the Church that aim to protect and uphold the immense dignity of the Blessed Sacrament in every circumstance and ministry.

How do we express the greatest reverence and adoration that is due to Jesus Christ in the Blessed Sacrament? When we enter a church where the Eucharist is reserved, we look for the Tabernacle light and genuflect in a recollected manner; when we walk in front of the Tabernacle, we bow or genuflect to acknowledge Who is present; when the Eucharist is exposed, we behave as we should in front of the King of Kings; we receive the Eucharist with a profound bow and very carefully, as we remember how thankful we need to be; at Communion, we consume the Host right away – that is, we never carry it away, put it anywhere or give it to anyone (unless we are authorized specifically by the Church to do so).
Among the many Eucharistic ministries, there is a particular ministry that deserves more attention in our Parish. The Communion to the Homebound Ministry may not be as visible or known as it should be, especially now when more parishioners are infirm due to the pandemic. This Eucharistic ministry is unique, in that, apart from the clergy, its specially trained and commissioned members are the only ones who are normally authorized by diocesan and local parish rules to remove and take the Blessed Sacrament beyond the premises of the parish church.
Considering what we have reviewed above, it is not surprising that the Church puts strong safeguards around who and when can take “custody of” or “transport” the Blessed Sacrament. 

This is precisely why Sacred Heart dedicates an entire ministry to taking Communion to the homebound (those in private homes, nursing homes or other healthcare facilities) and instructs parishioners, including Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion, to work through this great ministry in every type of need when the Eucharist is taken outside of the church.

What do these trained and commissioned ministers learn and get permission to do? They learn the proper, Church-approved ways of obtaining, carefully containing, reverently transporting, and appropriately giving the Eucharist within a prescribed liturgy and under defined circumstances. They also learn how to overcome many potential barriers and address unexpected situations that often come up in this ministry while remaining in the bounds of Church Law, ensuring the dignity of the Blessed Sacrament at all times, and safely minister to those in variously challenging situations. This work of love is not at all simple or self-explanatory, and thus, proper preparation is mandated by the Church.

What should be done then if someone needs to receive Communion outside of the Parish? Please contact the parish office. This is the proper way to arrange Communion for the homebound and this is what our priests are asking parishioners to do as they encounter such need, whether the homebound person is a family member or a friend.
Article contributed by Deacon Zsolt Nagykaldi