Communion Service question

[Cathryn]

Is the fraction invocation (Agnus Dei or Lamb of God) during Communion Service allowed.

I have the authorized rite for a Communion Service which does not have the invocation in it. May a deacon add it to the Communion Service anyway even though it is not in the authorized text? May he also use the Collect prayers of the day from the Roman Missal, rather then the prayers in the authorized text for Communion Services?

 

[Phemie]

Is the fraction invocation (Agnus Dei or Lamb of God) during Communion Service allowed.

I have the authorized rite for a Communion Service which does not have the invocation in it. May a deacon add it to the Communion Service anyway even though it is not in the authorized text? May he also use the Collect prayers of the day from the Roman Missal, rather then the prayers in the authorized text for Communion Services?

Although there is the “Behold the Lamb of God…” there is no “Lamb of God…have mercy on us,” precisely because that litany only accompnies the fraction rite.

 

[Lapey]

Is the fraction invocation (Agnus Dei or Lamb of God) during Communion Service allowed.

I have the authorized rite for a Communion Service which does not have the invocation in it. May a deacon add it to the Communion Service anyway even though it is not in the authorized text? May he also use the Collect prayers of the day from the Roman Missal, rather then the prayers in the authorized text for Communion Services?

Is the fraction invocation (Agnus Dei or Lamb of God) during Communion Service allowed.

I have the authorized rite for a Communion Service which does not have the invocation in it. May a deacon add it to the Communion Service anyway even though it is not in the authorized text? May he also use the Collect prayers of the day from the Roman Missal, rather then the prayers in the authorized text for Communion Services?

In the rites book, “Holy Communion and Worship of the Eucharist Outside Mass”, which covers distribution outside of Mass there is the option of using the prayers, readings, antiphons, etc. of the Mass of the day as found in the Roman Missal. That is perfectly acceptable. A deacon doing a communion service with the Liturgy of the Word basically uses the Missal and follows the Roman Missal as would a priest celebrating Mass except there would be no Liturgy of the Eucharist.

From the Opening and introduction, penitential rite, through the readings and homily, next to the universal prayers; after the UP he would skip over to the Communion Rite. The confusion with many, including myself at one time, is with the Fraction Rite. I have done some research and had many discussions on this one because it is found within the Communion Rite and the rubrics state the deacon can assist in the rite, so some use it because of those reasons and it allows the people to change their posture as normally in the Mass. Here is the problem; there is no fraction or mingling which takes place. I do not use the fraction rite, I simply instruct the people to sit kneel or stand.

I always go out of my way in the beginning to tell the people that I am NOT saying Mass. I tell them that what I am conducting is a Liturgy of the Word with distribution of Communion. The people can handle the difference; we just need to let them know. I will admit some deacons and laity do seem to “simulate Mass”; I do not mean that in the strict sense.

Many will disagree here, but if a member of the clergy, a deacon, conducts the Liturgy of the Word with distribution of Communion properly, it will in some ways resemble Mass. This is why I make sure and instruct the people when I start the service of the difference. If a member of the Laity conducts the service, there should be distinct differences which are laid out in the rites books in the prayers, and blessings and closings.

 

[Cathryn]

Thank you for the responses

I see in the Holy Communion and Worship of the Eucharist Outside Mass:

The Liturgy of the Word now takes place as at Mass. Texts are chosen for the occasion either from the Mass of the day or from the votive Masses of the Holy Eucharist or the Precious Blood, the readings for which are in the Lectionary. A list of these passages can be found in the Addendum to this Ritual. The Lectionary offers a wide range of readings which may be drawn upon for particular needs, such as the votive Mass of the Sacred Heart (see Addendum).

There may be one or more readings, the first followed by a psalm or some chant or by a period of silent prayer.

I don’t see how this statement allows the Collect of the day which is before the Liturgy of the Word, or say a Communion prayer from the Mass of the day, such as:

“ May this divine sacrifice we have offered and received fill us with life, O lord, we pray, so that, bound to you in lasting charity, we may bear fruit that lasts for ever. Through Christ our Lord.” From the 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time.

I see problems using these texts before and after the Liturgy of the Word in a Communion Service. Is there any other instructions that allow this, that I am not seeing?

 

[Lapey]

Thank you for the responses

I see in the Holy Communion and Worship of the Eucharist Outside Mass:

I don’t see how this statement allows the Collect of the day which is before the Liturgy of the Word, or say a Communion prayer from the Mass of the day, such as:

“ May this divine sacrifice we have offered and received fill us with life, O lord, we pray, so that, bound to you in lasting charity, we may bear fruit that lasts for ever. Through Christ our Lord.” From the 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time.

I see problems using these texts before and after the Liturgy of the Word in a Communion Service. Is there any other instructions that allow this, that I am not seeing?

I’m at work and I don’t have my book with me, I want to say thatthe rubrics are on page 33 or so for some reason my memory tells me that page. This is the norm, using the texts of the Mass of the day is a perfectly licit and valid; prayers, anthiphons and readings. When I get home I will share the rubrics from the Rites book.

I’m not sure what you are referring to as the Communion prayer, is this the Communion Anthiphon, I cannot find what you are refrenceing. This is the Prayer after Communion on that Sunday and used at each of the weekday Masses that 14th week of Ordinary Time;

“Grant, we pray, O Lord,
that, having been replenished by such great gifts,
we may gain the prize of salvation
and never cease to praise you.
Through Christ our Lord.”

And yes, this would be used by the deacon if he is doing a Communion Service that week or on Sunday.

PS. Just because you see a problem with this practice doen’t mean the Church agrees with you. Be careful not to aply your own rules on the Churches ministers.

 

[Cathryn]

“ May this divine sacrifice we have offered and received fill us with life, O lord, we pray, so that, bound to you in lasting charity, we may bear fruit that lasts for ever. Through Christ our Lord.” From the 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time.

I am sorry I meant to type 13th Sunday in Ordinary Time. And this is the Prayer After Communion. We haven’t just offered this divine sacrifice. It is a Communion Service.

The use of the text etc of the day according to my book are during the Liturgy of the Word.

 

[Lapey]

“ May this divine sacrifice we have offered and received fill us with life, O lord, we pray, so that, bound to you in lasting charity, we may bear fruit that lasts for ever. Through Christ our Lord.” From the 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time.

I am sorry I meant to type 13th Sunday in Ordinary Time. And this is the Prayer After Communion. We haven’t just offered this divine sacrifice. It is a Communion Service.

The use of the text etc of the day according to my book are during the Liturgy of the Word.

In a case where the Collect or the Communion closing prayer, such as this one, mentions specifically the Sacrifice of the Mass, I use the prayers from the rites book or recite the prayer in a way that it does not misrepresent what it is, a Communion service.

There is a bigger picture here however, the Eucharist in the tabernacle because of the Mass in which the hosts were consecrated by the priest; so one must keep in mind that the Sacrifice of the Mass flows into adoration and or the reception of the Eucharist in the Communion service. There is no adoration or Communion service without the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.

This is appropriate to use in Communion services. I am of the thought that we should not do Communion services unless truly needed. In my home diocese we do conduct CSs for weekday liturgies when the priests are not available, most dioceses do not allow this. We cannot conduct CSs for Sunday Liturgies because we have many parishes nearby and Mass can be found.

Got to go, talk with you later.

 

[Cathryn]

Thanks for the help. I have found however an explanation of the rubrics for the Rite of Distributing Holy Communion Outside of Mass With the Celebration of the Word. It is from the Diocese of Eire. eriercd.org/pdf/comsrvp.pdf

It says that various forms of Communion services are being used, and this is the appropriate rite to use following the authorized text.

It says that there is no Opening Prayer, nor is there a Prayer After Communion. Rather there is a Concluding Prayer that the rite itself offers. These give thanks for the gift of the Eucharist, and express hope that it may strengthen us in living our daily lives. They differ in character from the prayers of the Mass of the day.

This is what I am looking for. Thank you.

 

[hannajomar]

Thanks for that link, Cathryn. I preside over a Holy Communion as a EMHC in a nursing home. This is very helpful for me.