Q. 1. What is a Catholic minister?

A. 1. The Catholic Church is not in the habit of using the word "minister" for the ordained who administers the Sacraments. Such a person is referred to as the "priest" or "deacon."

Deacons, Priests and Bishops are ordained clergy in the Catholic Church. They are the ordinary ministers of Holy Communion.

In recent years, there some parishes that have used the term "minister" in a variety of usages. In their situation, it refers to the person, whether lay or ordained, who is commissioned to perform some act on behalf of the Church. Such usage is not recommended because of the confusion that it creates. The faithful must be able to identify a priest apart from the laypersons.

When laypersons assist with the distribution of the Holy Communion, they are referred to as "extraordinary minister of Holy Communion," never as ministers.