Eucharistic Ministers server Christ present in the assembly by ministering His body and blood to their sisters and brothers. The most visible members of this ministry are those who server on a rotating basis at the daily and Sunday celebrations of the Eucharist. They also serve the unity of the worshiping community by taking communion to those members who are prevented by sickness, old age or other causes from taking part in the assembly, visiting homes, hospitals and nursing homes. Personal time is also spent in prayer and spiritual preparation. Eucharistic Ministers are commissioned by the Bishop upon the recommendation of their Pastor and the completion of Diocesan and local training courses.

Time Commitment:   To serve at the Masses to which you are assigned, approximately twice a month.

From the Spring 2007 Edition of Clippings Magazine

by: Linda May

Several years ago, when Sister Eileen asked me if I would be interested in becoming a Minister of the Eucharist, I assumed that "EM" stood for "Eucharistic Minister". I learned, during the training sessions, that "EM" actually stands for "Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion." This title is given because we are not the ordinary ministers. Priests and Deacons are the "ordinary" ministers.

This "extraordinary" ministry has been available to the laity since Vatican II. Here, at Our Lady Queen of Martyrs, we currently have about 140 active ministers, serving in various capacities. We’re all familiar with the seven who go up to the sanctuary and assist the priest each Sunday. Four are ministers of the cup and three are ministers of the bread. Each week, one of the ministers is the "captain" who assists the priest in distributing communion to the ministers.

In addition to these functions, ministers also bring the Eucharistic bread to the elderly home bound and to those home bound because of accident or illness. We currently have about forty ministers making visits to over twenty home bound parishioners.

Our ministers also make weekly visits to the Carillon Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Huntington, Huntington Hospital and the Veteran’s Administration Hospital in Northport.

Training for this ministry is provided by the Diocese of Rockville Centre and consists of two half-day workshops. These are held twice a year, usually in the spring and fall, at various Diocesan High Schools in Nassau and Suffolk.

Further specialized training is provided here at OLQM, where situations and traditions unique to our parish are addressed. Sister Eileen’s office coordinates the scheduling of liturgical eucharistic ministers for Sundays and Holy Days.

Marilyn Borghard’s office at the Parish Outreach oversees the Eucharistic distribution and scheduling of ministers in the hospitals, nursing homes and to the home bound.

If you would like to schedule a home or hospital eucharistic visit, please contact Marilyn at the Parish Outreach, parishoutreach@olqmparish.org or 631-754–9045. If you are interested in more information about this valuable ministry, please speak to Sister Eileen or Marilyn Borghard.