St. Isidore's of Stow

Some of you may have noticed that starting the weekend of January 24-25, the communion vessels are being purified at the altar right after communion instead of after mass in the sanctuary.
The universal law of the church concerning the purification of the chalices and communion plates has always specified that this was to be done by a priest or deacon. The purification could be done during mass or after mass.
In 2002 the US bishops asked for, and received, an indult (permission) to allow Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion (EMs) to help with this purification. In 2006, Pope Benedict refused to extend this indult.
At St. Isidore's we have complied with that change since 2006 but apparently not all parishes were doing so.
As a result, the new Guidelines for Eucharist Ministers for the Archdiocese of Boston, which have just been approved and should become particular law for this Archdiocese in the next month or two, contain a directive that the purification is to be done only after communion, before mass continues.
Once the vessels are purified there is no longer a need for an EM to remain in the sacristy with the blessed sacrament, and the vessels may be cleaned and dried by the EMs or sacristans.