Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion are laypeople who assist in the distribution of the Eucharist during Mass and in bringing Communion to the sick and homebound. Their role is to ensure that the faithful can receive the Body and Blood of Christ in a reverent and orderly manner. They serve under the guidance of the clergy and are expected to approach their ministry with deep faith, humility, and respect for the sacred nature of the Eucharist.

They are called "extraordinary" ministers because the ordinary ministers of Holy Communion are bishops, priests, and deacons. The Church permits the use of extraordinary ministers only when there is a genuine pastoral need, such as a large congregation or the inability of the ordained ministers to distribute Communion alone. Their service is seen as an extraordinary function rather than an ordinary part of liturgical ministry, emphasizing the special role of the ordained clergy as the primary distributors of the Eucharist.

• General Principles (USCCB)
• Guidelines from the Diocese of San Jose.