Extraordinary Ministers and purification

Cardinal Arinze recently wrote to Bishop Skylstad to say that extraordinary ministers of holy Communion will no longer be permitted to assist in the purification of the sacred vessels at Masses in the United States.

Read the full article: Extraordinary ministers of Eucharist barred from purifying vessels.

(H/T American Papist)

This letter is of relevance to England and Wales because currently the Bishops give permission for extraordinary ministers to purify the vessels after Holy Communion. The permission is conditional upon any further instruction from Rome. Since Bishop Skylstad said that Cardinal Arinze asked Pope Benedict about the matter during a June 9 audience, "and received a response in the negative", it would not seem to be necessary for a further instruction to be issued for England and Wales.

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