At mass this morning

[GrahamAPhone]

at mass, after the priest consecrated the host and all, he goes and gives the deacon communion (on the hand) BEFORE receiving himself then returns and him and the deacon receive at the same time… is this allowed, i am fairly certain you only do that when con-celebrating right?

 

[buffalo]

No. The Priest takes Communion solely and then distributes.

 

[curlycool89]

I’ve seen this happen often actually. The priest will distribute (in the hand) to EMHC/alter servers and then receive communion himself (those who are “holding” a host receive after the priest). This was how it was done in a parish I was an alter server in about a dozen years ago.

The parish I’m in now doesn’t though. The priest receives both species before any distribution is done.

 

[benedictgal]

This is an illicit practice. According to the CDWDS:

In all the Rites of the Church, an order is found which has been handed on for approaching Holy Communion: first, the Bishop or the Priest celebrant communicates, and then the other ministers according to their hierarchical rank, and finally, the people. The Priest communicates first, not because of any human superiority, but on account of the nature and dignity of his ministry. For, the Priest acts in the person of Christ on account of the integrity of the sacrament and because he presides over the assembled people: “So, as Priests join themselves with the action of Christ the High Priest, they daily offer themselves wholly to God, and as they are nourished by the Body of Christ, they partake of love from the heart of him who gives himself as food to the faithful” (Presbyterium ordinis, no.13).

In the edition of the Missale Romanum promulgated by the Servant of God, Pope Paul VI, the communion of the faithful follows immediately upon the communion of the Priest, establishing it in this way as a unique action, different from the form in the edition of the Missale Romanum which appeared in 1962, in which the communion of the Priest is separated from the communion of the faithful through the recitation of the Confiteor and of the prayers, the Misereatur, Indulgentiam, Agnus Dei and the Domine, non sum dignus.

The governing liturgical norm states: “A Priest must communicate at the altar at the moment laid down by the Missal each time he celebrates Holy Mass, and the concelebrants must communicate before they proceed with the distribution of Holy Communion. The Priest celebrant or a concelebrant is never to wait until the people’s Communion is concluded before receiving Communion himself” (Redemptionis Sacramentum, no. 97).

Even though this speaks of the reception of Holy Communion by the faithful, this is still relevent because not even the deacon should communicate along with the celebrant.

 

[dnu]

Perhaps it was un-intentional? If it was a one time occurrence, maybe it was simply an accident…you know, mind did one thing, body did another…Priests are people too

 

[Frbrendan]

at mass, after the priest consecrated the host and all, he goes and gives the deacon communion (on the hand) BEFORE receiving himself then returns and him and the deacon receive at the same time… is this allowed, i am fairly certain you only do that when con-celebrating right?

In the Byzantine Tradition, the celebrating priest calls the deacon to the Table, and, after the deacon asks for it, gives him the precious Body in his hand. If there are other celebrants, they then come to the Table and receive the Body in their hands as they come forward. Finally, the celebrating priest takes up his portion of the Body, and they all consume it at the same time. Then the celebrating priest consumes the Precious and Life-giving Blood of our Lord, God and Savior Jesus Christ. Then the deacon, and then other concelebrants. Finally, the deacon calls the faithful forward so that they may receive the Eucharist.

Maybe the priest is bi-ritual, and just does it this way.

[edited]

 

[dnu]

What Father Brendan said too

 

[GrahamAPhone]

In the Byzantine Tradition, the celebrating priest calls the deacon to the Table, and, after the deacon asks for it, gives him the precious Body in his hand. If there are other celebrants, they then come to the Table and receive the Body in their hands as they come forward. Finally, the celebrating priest takes up his portion of the Body, and they all consume it at the same time. Then the celebrating priest consumes the Precious and Life-giving Blood of our Lord, God and Savior Jesus Christ. Then the deacon, and then other concelebrants. Finally, the deacon calls the faithful forward so that they may receive the Eucharist.

Maybe the priest is bi-ritual, and just does it this way.

[edited]

I know he’s not bi-ritual, but it may have been an accident, though i’ll watch for it to see if it happens agian.
thanks for everyones imput

 

[Mel_Stones]

I’ve seen this happen often actually. The priest will distribute (in the hand) to EMHC/alter servers and then receive communion himself (those who are “holding” a host receive after the priest). This was how it was done in a parish I was an alter server in about a dozen years ago.

The parish I’m in now doesn’t though. The priest receives both species before any distribution is done.

This is what my current priest does except that we (EMHC, servers) are suppose to consume at the same time as Father. It makes me uncomfortable because it is undue handling of the Host, doesn’t follow the GIRM, we pray “Lord, I am not worthy to receive you . . .” after we have received, and it is a terrible habit (not immediately consuming) to get the altar servers into. I have discussed it with Father a few times but he hasn’t relented. I think part of it is not wanting to be the “high and mighty priest” but I can’t imagine anyone is thinking that when the priest receives first separately. Besides the priest is presiding over the Mass. This makes me want to discuss it with Father again but I don’t want to annoy the poor guy.

 

[marleelynn]

I’ve seen this happen often actually. The priest will distribute (in the hand) to EMHC/alter servers and then receive communion himself (those who are “holding” a host receive after the priest). This was how it was done in a parish I was an alter server in about a dozen years ago.

The parish I’m in now doesn’t though. The priest receives both species before any distribution is done.

the former parish I attended gave to the EM’s, lector, and servers first. None of the other churches I know do that. the priest receives first then distributes

 

[benedictgal]

the former parish I attended gave to the EM’s, lector, and servers first. None of the other churches I know do that. the priest receives first then distributes

The priest at your former parish is incorrect. He must receive first and then the EMHCs come forward. He gives them Holy Communion and then distributes the vessels to them.

 

[benedictgal]

This is what my current priest does except that we (EMHC, servers) are suppose to consume at the same time as Father. It makes me uncomfortable because it is undue handling of the Host, doesn’t follow the GIRM, we pray “Lord, I am not worthy to receive you . . .” after we have received, and it is a terrible habit (not immediately consuming) to get the altar servers into. I have discussed it with Father a few times but he hasn’t relented. I think part of it is not wanting to be the “high and mighty priest” but I can’t imagine anyone is thinking that when the priest receives first separately. Besides the priest is presiding over the Mass. This makes me want to discuss it with Father again but I don’t want to annoy the poor guy.

It is not a matter of “nagging” the priest. What he is doing is wrong. Write him a charitable letter. If he continues to ignore this, then you need to bring this to the attention of the bishop. This is a serious abuse. He cannot alter, on his own authority, the norms of the liturgy.

 

[Mel_Stones]

It is not a matter of “nagging” the priest. What he is doing is wrong. Write him a charitable letter. If he continues to ignore this, then you need to bring this to the attention of the bishop. This is a serious abuse. He cannot alter, on his own authority, the norms of the liturgy.

Perhaps I will write him a well-worded charitable letter. That wouldn’t be easy at all for me - the writing part would be easy, the waiting for his response would be near torture to my paranoid mind (he is a very gentle, even tempered, charitable man - I really am just paranoid in my fear). But you’re right, it is serious. He hasn’t always done this. He’s been with us for almost two years now but I can’t clearly remember when he made this change - I’m pretty sure he didn’t do it as of last Easter so it hasn’t been a full year. I’ll be visiting with him tomorrow so perhaps I’ll bring it up again . . . .

 

[John_Lilburne]

From the 2002 General Instruction of the Roman Missal (GIRM) approved for the USA, which can be accessed from romanrite.com/girm.html :
“182. After the priest’s Communion, the deacon receives Communion under both kinds from
the priest himself and then assists the priest in distributing Communion to the people.”