Can the priest sit down when he has finished distributing the Eucharist and

[Jamz]

the extraordinary ministers of holy communion continue to distribute the eucharist? At my parish, the EMHC wait until the choir has finished playing and then the choir comes forward to receive after the priest and other EMHC have already sat down.

I could be wrong, but I thought the priest was to be the LAST one distributing the Eucharist? Could you please give me a link to a rubrik (sp?) to help me out. Thanks!

 

[Tedster]

From the 2002 GIRM:

**Mass without a Deacon:

1. When the distribution of Communion is finished, the priest himself immediately and completely consumes at the altar any consecrated wine that happens to remain; as for any consecrated hosts that are left, he either consumes them at the altar or carries them to the place designated for the reservation of the Eucharist.

Upon returning to the altar, the priest collects any fragments that may remain. Then, standing at the altar or at the credence table, he purifies the paten or ciborium over the chalice then purifies the chalice, saying quietly, Quod ore sumpsimus (Lord, may I receive), and dries the chalice with a purificator. If the vessels are purified at the altar, they are carried to the credence table by a minister. Nevertheless, it is also permitted, especially if there are several vessels to be purified, to leave them suitably covered on a corporal, either at the altar or at the credence table, and to purify them immediately after Mass following the dismissal of the people.

Mass with a Deacon:

1. 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. If Communion is given under both kinds, the deacon himself administers the chalice to the communicants; and, when the distribution is completed, he immediately and reverently consumes at the altar all of the Blood of Christ that remains, assisted if necessary by other deacons and priests.

1. When the distribution of Communion is completed, the deacon returns to the altar with the priest and collects the fragments, if any remain, and then carries the chalice and other sacred vessels to the credence table, where he purifies them and arranges them in the usual way while the priest returns to the chair. It is also permissible to leave the vessels that need to be purified, suitably covered, at the credence table on a corporal and to purify them immediately after Mass following the dismissal of the people.**

It is clear that the priest should be the last minister seated (except for the deacon) until the Eucharist is formally removed to the Tabernacle.

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

Jamz:

the extraordinary ministers of holy communion continue to distribute the eucharist? At my parish, the EMHC wait until the choir has finished playing and then the choir comes forward to receive after the priest and other EMHC have already sat down.

I could be wrong, but I thought the priest was to be the LAST one distributing the Eucharist? Could you please give me a link to a rubrik (sp?) to help me out. Thanks!

Well the priest should wait at the altar for the remaining Blood of Christ to be brought to the altar for him to consume. Unless there is a great excessive amount. Then the Deacon and EMHC’s can assist him. Otherwise he should be the last one standing. If he finishes well before others maybe there needs to be a reduction in the number of EMHC.

 

[John_Lilburne]

Jamz:

I could be wrong, but I thought the priest was to be the LAST one distributing the Eucharist? Could you please give me a link to a rubrik (sp?) to help me out. Thanks!

There is not a rubric that the priest must distribute the last host. But I agree with the concern here. The priest is available. He is not doing anything to save time – to avoid the danger of unduly prolonging the Mass. So it seems to me that there is a breach of the 2004 Instruction Redemptionis Sacramentum:

“[158.] Indeed, the extraordinary minister of Holy Communion may administer Communion only when the Priest and Deacon are lacking, when the Priest is prevented by weakness or advanced age or some other genuine reason, or when the number of faithful coming to Communion is so great that the very celebration of Mass would be unduly prolonged.
[Footnote 259: Cf. S. Congregation for the Discipline of the Sacraments, Instruction, Immensae caritatis, n. 1: AAS 65 (1973) pp. 264-271, here pp. 265-266;
Pontifical Commission for the Authentic Interpretation of the Code of Canon Law, Responsio ad propositum dubium, 1 June 1988: AAS 80 (1988) p. 1373;
Congregation for the Clergy et al., Instruction, Ecclesiae de mysterio, Practical Provisions, art. 8 § 2: AAS 89 (1997) p. 871.]”

I think the priest could justify having an EMHC distribute communion, when he does not, if he were prevented by weakness, advanced age or if he were saving time by cleansing vessels. But there is no requirement for him to ensure he is the last one distributing Communion.

I guess it depends on how predictable the situation is. Perhaps the EMHC was saving time by being the first to realise that the choir had not received Communion. It may have been faster for them to go, rather than alert the priest, for him to go.

 

[MusicMan]

I would remind you all, though, that the priest is human, and the rigors of the priesthood can wear on them. If this was the last Mass of the weekend (and the priest has had a full slate of five Masses that weekend), and he wasn’t feeling well, it is entirely probable that he just needed to SIT DOWN to rest. I am noticing this more and more in dioceses that are having a shortage of priests, where one is pastor for more than one parish.

There have been Sundays where my pastor has sat during entire distribution of Communion. It was the final Mass of the weekend for him, he was tired, and he wasn’t feeling well… it has been brought to my attention recently that my priest has some health problems. Most of the parishoners didn’t ask if Father was being lazy or if he was committing an abuse… most of them asked if Father was “OK.”

If this is a regular occurance at your parish, you may wish to ask why it’s happening, but if it’s a once in a great while thing, you may want to chalk it up to the priest being under-the-weather and tired.