An open letter to the ‘Birkenstock Lady’ EHMC at my parish

UPDATE: 8/20/07

Let me offer some background on this particular EMHC.

She arrives to mass every Sunday well after the first reading. She sits in the middle section with her particular group of aging hippies and chats through out the entire mass. On more then one occasion myself and other members of the congregation have had to tell her to be quit. The uncharitbale truth is a loathe her and all she represents. If she doesn’t want to be judged by her actions then she should behave accordingly. There has to be some accountability for the way we publicly behave. We can’t use the “judge not” rule to justify ugly behavior, especially in mass.

I intentionally left out the background from my original post last week because I feel it has no bearing on the fact. She is still an EMHC who receives on the tongue who by her own contradictory actions distributes the Host with her own hands. I wanted to call attention to that fact, and that fact only.

If I seem uncharitable, well, on this subject I am. There is nothing extraordinary about a lay woman ‘playing priest’ every Sunday. If you are called to the ministry to distribute the Body of Christ to the sick and home bound, then God bless you! This is not what this post was about. It was about a women who goes through extraordinary means to make her self noticed and receive on the tongue, then distributes with her own hands.

Dearest Ms. Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion;

Can you please explain to me why you receive the Eucharist on the tongue from our priest every Sunday? This action of your is quite puzzling to me. Do you do it because you know deep down inside this is the most reverent expression of receiving Our Lord? Do you do it because you do not want your hands to defile the Blessed Sacrament?

I am left dumb struck at your actions. Why you make such an effort and show out of receiving the Eucharist on the tongue in front of the congregation, then immediately contradict your sentiments by administering the Eucharist yourself with your very own hands- hands you don’t even use for yourself. I would love to hear the rationale behind your actions.

Hugs & Kisses-
CC

PS- That was me, last Sunday, who audibly guffawed at your showy attempts at piety.