Procedures & Checklist

• Senior Living Eucharistic Ministry (SLEM) services are performed in teams of at least two ministers. Ministry Training and Mentoring Program:
• Complete the Saginaw Diocese “Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion” (EHMC) training;
• Observe one (1) Rite for Distributing Holy Communion Outside of Mass Within a Celebration of the Word performed by an experienced Ministry Team;
• Participate on one (1) Rite with and experienced Ministry team;
• The training and observance may be conducted concurrently (complete the observation and participation while awaiting for the Diocese EMHC training class.
• During the Communion Service:  (1) Non-Catholics can not receive Holy Communion; a blessing can be given to those who can not receive.
• Before the SLEM service, ask the Community/Activities Director to identify Catholics and non-Catholics.
• If non-Catholics ask to receive Holy Communion, do not provide it during the SLEM service.  Instead, do some "fact-finding" after the service:  (1) Does the person believe that the Eucharist is the Body and Blood, soul and divinity of Jesus Christ, the Son of God?  (2) Ask the Community Director if the person is practicing Catholic or Christian. (3) Did the person want Holy Communion before seeing others receive?  (4) Does someone else conduct services from that persons own faith tradition?  (5)  Get approval from the person's family, this can be requested to the Community Director.
• Any other questions regarding a person's belief in Jesus Christ and the Eucharist can be discussed with a parish priest.
• Sacred Hosts not taken (Resident spit out the Sacred Host unable to swallow it):  Must be picked up and collected in a linen and returned to a priest to dispose.  Proper disposition of the host:  (1) Dissolve completely in water, then poured down the sacristies sacrarium (a special sink with the drain going directly into the ground, not down the sewer). (2) If a sacrarium is not available, the liquid (dissolved Sacred Host) should be poured over the ground in an area that will not be walked on (such as behind a flowerbed, or the base of a statue, or similar place).
• Note:  St Dominic Parish told its SLEM Ministers that they may take such a Sacred Host home and dispose of it in the above manner.

These practices have been developed through experience and serve to assist Ministry Teams in their performance of the Rite, and in preparing to support the residents of the Communities we serve.

• Contact Senior Living Community director/point of contact a few days (3-4 days) prior to service: (1) remind Director (or point of contact) of service. (2) verify service details (number of Catholics, time, room/location, specifics for the community, etc) (3) check for Community changes.
• Contact Ministry Teammate a few days (3-4 days) prior to service: (1) Remind each other of service. (2) Discuss plans for picking up Hosts. (3) Discuss service details (music, reading assignments, Gospel reflection, etc) (4) Find trained substitute if Teammate is not available. (5) Contact Ministry Chairman if assistance is needed.
• Coordination with Parish to pick up Hosts: (1) Know your Parish procedures for getting Hosts. (2) Who to contact (primary and back-up contacts). (3) Phone number for contact(s). (4) Location of Sacristy / how to get into Sacristy. (5) Location of Hosts. (6) Office hours (hours to pick up Hosts).
• Communion Distribution during service: (1) non-Catholics may not receive Holy Communion. (2) giving a blessing to non-Catholics residents is appropriate. (3) a small piece of Host is sufficient. (4) residents may need water to take Hosts. (5) one Minister deliver Hosts, one assists (water cups, watch for dropped Hosts, watch that Host is swallowed). (6) bring just what you need…a few Hosts broken into smaller pieces is better than extra Hosts. (7) work with the Community Director to identify Catholics and those who can/cannot swallow.