Extraordinary minister of Holy Communion

The term "extraordinary" distinguishes such a person from the ordinary minister of Holy Communion, namely a bishop, priest or deacon.

The 1983 code permits that "[w]here the needs of the Church require and ministers are not available, lay people, even though they are not lectors or acolytes, can supply certain of their functions, that is, exercise the ministry of the word, preside over liturgical prayers, confer baptism and distribute Holy Communion, in accordance with the provisions of the law.

[4] Ten years before publication of the 1983 Code of Canon Law, some of these expressions were used in the instruction of the Sacred Congregation of the Sacraments Immensae caritatis of 29 January 1973.

[2][8] The local bishop, pastor, or priest celebrant may depute other lay Catholics for the temporary function of extraordinary minister of Holy Communion, either for a single occasion or for a specified period of time, if there are reasons of real necessity.

[14][15] In early 2023, claims regarding Freemasons distributing Holy Communion in some parishes prompted the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines to restate its stance on "the unacceptability of Masonry, given its serious errors".