By Gretchen Keiser

Several hundred lay people have been newly trained to serve as Eucharistic ministers at the Mass since, beginning this Sunday, Communion will normally be offered under the form of both bread and wine at weekend Masses throughout the archdiocese.

Father John Walsh, who is responsible for coordinating the training of Eucharistic ministers in the archdiocese, found over 300 people gathered for a Saturday training workshop at the Cathedral of Christ the King in Atlanta, May 25. This was four to five times the number who have come to the quarterly workshops in the past.

Over 100 came from St. John the Evangelist Church in Hapeville, alone. Others were from Corpus Christi in Stone Mountain, St. Pius X in Conyers, Holy Cross in Atlanta, Sts. Peter and Paul in Decatur, and St. Clement’s in Calhoun, among others, Father Walsh said.

The archdiocesan decision to offer Communion regularly under both forms at Sunday Mass will be drawing hundreds of lay people into this integral form of service every weekend. For example, Father Walsh, who is an assistant pastor at St. Jude’s parish in Sandy Springs, estimated that St. Jude’s alone would be asking 80 to 90 Eucharistic ministers to serve every weekend, covering eight masses.

The guidelines suggest that for every minister of the plate, there be two ministers of the cup.

“We have 100 plus (Eucharistic ministers) at St. Jude’s now,” said Father Walsh. “We probably need to double that amount.” Since the institution of Communion under both species takes place on Corpus Christi Sunday, June 9, it is also at the time when people begin to leave parishes for summer vacation. So extra people will be needed to fill in.

There appears to be real enthusiasm among those who are beginning to serve as Eucharistic ministers. The 300 people at the workshop were “very enthusiastic and had very good spirit,” Father Walsh said.

The workshop included a discussion of the history of ministry, presented by Father Walsh; a discussion of spirituality for ministers, presented by Sister Sally White, G.N.S.H., a teacher at St. Pius X High School; and a presentation on theology of ministry by Father Dave Kukielski, assistant pastor at Holy Family Church in Marietta. An afternoon session on ministry to the sick was optional for Eucharistic ministers, but over 100 people stayed for that portion Father Walsh said. Father Don Ziemba, S.J., who is studying clinical psychology at Emory University, and Sister Joan Daly, G.N.S.H., who coordinates an extensive ministry to the sick program at Corpus Christi parish, presented the afternoon sessions.

Father Michael Woods, pastor of St. John the Evangelist in Hapeville, said that he received a “tremendous response” to his call to the parish for people to come forward for service as Eucharistic ministers.

He asked people to submit their names and then screened the list. In addition to meeting a minimum age requirement and being in good standing with the church, those who came forward had to be able to attend the training session, Father Woods said. He attributed the large response to the parish renewal program which has been underway at St. John’s and which has encouraged and invited participation in parish life.

The parish has had a “fairly large” program of Eucharistic ministers. But it must expand it in order to have enough to serve at all the weekend Masses, he said. Probably 80 ministers will be used at the six weekend Masses.

In addition to the numbers who responded, Father Woods noted that those who volunteered came forward with a deep sense of awareness about serving as ministers of the Eucharist.

“It’s seen as a very holy service,” he said. “Those who did volunteer, volunteered with a certain amount of humility about giving that kind of service. It is recognized that it’s a very holy service.”