Liturgy of the Eucharist

Ministers

People involved in the Liturgy of the Eucharist are the Priest himself, and the 'Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion' who are the people who distribute Eucharist or blessings to parishioners

What People Do

Photos

Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion distributing Communion

Priest distributing Communion

How this relates to our life in 2017

In the celebration of the Eucharist, Catholics receive a small wafer in their left hand from the Eucharistic minister or Priest. They then use their right hand to bring the wafer to their mouth. Before they reach the minister to receive Communion, it is customary for them to bow while the person before is receiving communion. Once parishioners have received the wafer bread or the “body of Christ”, they move to the side and make the sign of the cross. They then have the option to receive a sip of wine which symbolises the “blood of Christ”. They take the chalice from the minister and take a sip, then hand it back to the minister. The minister wipes the edge of the cup and passes it to the next person. After a person has received the bread and/or wine they return to their seat and sit or kneel to pray and thank God.

If a person does not want to receive the Eucharist that day, or if they are of another religion and visiting a Catholic Church, they may cross their arms over their chest to receive a blessing from the Priest or Eucharistic minister.

We experience Eucharist in our everyday life in ways such as sharing a meal. We come together and gather as a family or a community to be with each others presence and enjoy the meal. Like Jesus and his disciples, when we gather together, we are one big family

Prayer

Song/Hymn

What Happens After

Lord, Father all-powerful, and ever-living God, I thank Thee, for even though I am a sinner, Thy unprofitable servant, not because of my worth, but in the kindness of Thy mercy, Thou hast fed me with the precious Body and Blood of Thy Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. I pray that this holy communion may not bring me condemnation and punishment but forgiveness and salvation. May it be a helmet of faith and a shield of good will. May it purify me from evil ways and put an end to my evil passions. May it bring me charity and patience, humility and obedience, and growth in power to do good. May it be my strong defense against all my enemies, visible and invisible, and the perfect calming of all my evil impulses, bodily and spiritual. May it unite me more closely to Thee, the one true God and lead me safely through death to everlasting happiness with Thee. And I pray that Thou willest lead me, a sinner to the banquet where Thou with Thy Son and Holy Spirit, art true and perfect light, total fulfillment, everlasting joy, gladness without end, and perfect happiness to Thy saints. Grant this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

After the Liturgy of the Communion the Service moves onto the Concluding Rites.

Symbols

The bread which transubstantiates into the essence of Jesus’s body, this is in form of a host which is a wafer that is eaten during the Eucharist in mass.

(Refrain)

2. Many the gifts,


Many the works,


One in the Lord of all.



(Refrain)

3. Grain for the fields,


Scattered and grown,


Gathered to one, for all.

(Refrain)

The wine which also transubstantiates into Jesus’s blood and is given in chalice, which is drank from. Although the wine is normally used on special occasions only such as, Easter, Christmas and other important events that the Catholic church celebrates.

One Bread, One Body

Refrain
:

One bread, one body,


One Lord of all,


One cup of blessing which we bless.


And we, though many,

Throughout the earth,


We are one body in this one Lord.



1. Gentile or Jew,


Servant or free,


Woman or man, no more.

Liturgy of the Eucharist