Homebound Eucharistic Minister DOs and DON’Ts

DO

• Take prayer cards, prayer books, rosaries and bulletins to homebound.
• Wash your hands prior to distributing communion.
• Put Eucharist in a pyx, nothing else.
• Spend some time visiting with your homebound parishioner and allow them time to prepare to receive the Body of Christ. We are ambassadors of the church.
• For homebound assignments for a longer time, feel free to use the weekly gospel reading in lieu of the Blue prayer book.
• Lock the tabernacle and sacristy and return to office.
• Consume all remaining hosts.
• Bring the host back to the church if you should encounter a situation where you do not feel comfortable consuming a host that may be contaminated, put it in a baggie.
• Find a substitute if you are unable to fulfill your obligation.

DO NOT

• Pick up a host the night before you need them.
• Take hosts with you to breakfast, lunch, shopping etc.; go to your assignment as soon as possible.
• Remove hosts from the tabernacle in the main church during mass. Go either before or after the mass in order to not disturb the congregation.
• Use holy water. Please note that this section in the Blue Book is reserved for priests and deacons.
• Provide any advice or assistance to your homebound person other than bringing communion (and being friendly.) Remember, that we are acting as representatives of Spirit of Christ and we cannot do anything that may have implications later. We are there to bring communion.

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Phone: 303-422-9173