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Ministry of Holy Communion to the Sick and Homebound
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- Consecrated hosts should be placed in a pyx and then in a burse which is worn around the neck, close to one’s heart—at ALL times. Have respect and reverence for the presence of Christ. If you don’t have a burse, we will provide one for you OR you can purchase one at a Catholic bookstore.
- When transporting the Eucharist to the sick, avoid all activity not in keeping with the reverence due to the Blessed Sacrament. Care must be taken to take Holy Communion directly from Mass to the person who will receive Jesus.
- Follow the prayers outlined in the Communion of the Sick booklet. Use one of the shorter Gospel readings OR if the person is alert, and time permits, read the Gospel for the day.
- You cannot transfer the consecrated host to another person for distribution; you must perform this action yourself by saying (after the appropriate prayers), “The Body of Christ”. There should be no variations.Give a small portion of the host to a person who has difficulty swallowing. Wait for the person to swallow the host; offer water if necessary. Be prepared with a cloth or tissue if the person may have problems. The remaining portion of that host must be consumed by you as a minister of Communion. Remember that the Divine Presence in the Blessed Sacrament is the same regardless of the size of the portion of the host.
- Those who are advanced in age or suffer from infirmity, as well as those who take care of them, can receive the Most Holy Eucharist even if they have eaten recently. Fasting rules do not apply.
- If a host is dropped, pick it up and consume it. If the host drops from the person’s mouth or they are unable to swallow it, care should be taken to wrap it in a tissue. When home, dissolve the host in a glass of water and then properly dispose of it outside, on a plant. Do not pour it down the drain.
- Return hosts not consumed to the Church or rectory. Do not take the Blessed Sacrament home or leave your pyx with a consecrated host on the bedside table of the person you are visiting. You alone are responsible for the host taken and you must ensure the host is consumed or returned.
NOTE: The Eucharist should only be taken to the elderly, the sick and the infirm.