Distributing Holy Communion

 

Catholics are a little bit quirky.

One of our quirks is that we believe that the host (wafer) and water-and-wine are transformed into Christ's real body and blood during the Mass (Catholic service) and by consuming them we become one with Christ.

The Protestant Reformation occurred during the Renaissance and the revival of science. Science is based on observations. If you cannot observe it, it is not real.

While most Protestant denominations still practice communion, they believe it is symbolic and that Christ's saying "Do this in memory of me" refers to the practice rather than the transformation into actual body and blood. 

Catholics, on the other hand, see actual transformation as the only way to make sense of Christ's discourses in John 4:13-14 and John 6:48-53.

Covid

With Covid-19 restrictions and the fear it created, many Catholics...especially older ones...are not receiving Communion.

Given the amount of anxiety floating around and the reminder that someday we will all die, the last thing they need is to feel any degree of separation from Jesus.

The Catholic Church has a mechanism to dispense Communion to shut-ins. The problem is two-fold: There are not enough Eucharistic Ministers and shut-ins fear the Eucharistic Minister could be spreading Covid.

About those people who recovered from Covid...

There has been a huge amount of scrutiny on people who "caught Covid twice". But even if recovered Covid patients are not bulletproof, they are still the very best choice for Eucharistic Ministers to deliver Communion IF they are fully recovered.

Understanding that being a Eucharistic Ministers have a large burden, it involves time and much driving, what I can do is drive them around and provide lunch.

The trick will be to identify them and recruit them.

Those people who are nominally immune to Covid are also extremely valuable for other tasks as well, especially ones that might involve going into the homes of elderly people.