Dear Charles:

The old copy I have of the Administration of Communion to the Sick by an Extraordinary Minister refers to the distribution of the Eucharist to "the sick person and the other communicants". This instruction is from the rite itself, I can't find my copy of the more complete instruction on this.

It would appear that other people in the room, if they are Catholic and properly disposed, may receive the Eucharist also technically. However, since the Extraordinary Minister is likely to have only enough of the Eucharist for the sick people he is visiting, others' participating is not likely to be possible.

Canon Law does allow a person to receive the Eucharist twice in one day, but one of those times must be in the Liturgy of the Mass.

Thus, what I can gather at the moment (will have check more thoroughly later) others besides the sick person and those caring for the person may receive.

The only reference I can find about "those who care for the sick" at the moment is in Canon Law 919.3 where it permits those who care for the sick, as well as the sick person, to receive the Eucharist even if they have not fasted for one hour.

As for your deacon brother-in-law, again I am somewhat surprised if anyone, even a priest, is visiting specific people to carry more of the Blessed Sacrament than what is needed for the sick people. Of course, a priest visiting a nursing home, for example, may be celebrating a Mass for everyone.

In my opinion, in visiting a individual sick person, whether in a hospital, nursing home, or the persons home a priest, deacon, or extraordinary minister who invites the visitors present to receive should preface that invitation with something, "those of you who are Catholic and properly disposed are invited to partake of the Eucharist, too."

As an Extraordinary Minister I would certainly ask the person if they they need the Sacrament of Confession before administering the Eucharist to them. If they do need confess then I would tell them that I will arrange a priest to come see them, and not administer the Sacrament to them, unless they are in danger of death. When in danger of death and there is not time for a priest to arrive, the sick person can say an Act of Perfect Contrition and then receive the Sacrament. Of course, if danger passes and they do not die, then they need to Confess as soon as possible to a priest (CIC 916).

When bringing Communion to the Sick, the proper rubrics need to be followed. There is a long form and short form. Unless the person is about to die in a matter of minutes, or to go into surgery in a few minutes where he may not survive, or situations like that, the proper rituals should be followed and there is no reason to not follow them. To merely say an Our Father and nothing more, when the circumstances to not warrant just a brief introduction, is just plain laziness and lack of respect for our Lord and for the sick person who has right to have Communion administered properly. Such a Extraordinary Minister who does this ought to be re-educated or fired.

As to why these things are taken so lightly? Well, we live in evil times that has little respect for anyone, let alone God. Unfortunately that lack of respect and lack of the sense of the sacred is pandemic even among Catholics, and even many priests.

God Bless,
Bro. Ignatius Mary