[Magdalen] physically distanced communion

[Roger Stokes]

Ginga,

That surprises me. Given that our RC brothers and sisters have the 
practice of laypeople taking communion to those unable to be in church, 
and being officially sent out to perform that ministry towards the end 
of the mass, the idea of duly authorised laypeople taking the elements 
to the shut-in members of the congregation should not be anathema to 
him. In this diocese the requirement is that those exercising this 
ministry should be specifically authorised by the bishop to do so. It 
may be that your new Priest in Charge was concerned that this ministry 
was not being carried out with proper respect for the consecrated 
elements. We may no longer expect that a vested server precede the 
priest bearing the Blesses Sacrament but the Eucharistic Prayer does 
include the suffrage that the elements may for us be the Body and Blood 
of Christ and, as such, it needs to be treated with respect. In the 
current situation this is more challenging than it was when I was in 
parish ministry but I am glad that your proest is reaching out to you at 
this time.

Roger

On 23/12/2020 19:17, Ginga Wilder wrote:
> My priest called this afternoon to ask if I would like him to bring
> communion to me tomorrow between services.  Yes!  I have so missed
> receiving.
>
> He quietly ended lay Eucharistic visitors when he became priest-in-charge.
> I've never asked why, because I know it has to do with is 'Anglo-Catholic'
> centering...he served for nearly 20 years at Holy Communion, Charleston -
> the High Church in the Lowcountry - before coming to Good Shepherd.
>
> Anyway, I am grateful that I will have Christmas communion.