Deacon Communion Service?

[smbaran]

I have recently moved to Arcata, California. The Catholic Church here offers several days a week what they call “Communion Service” which is led by the Deacon using the Precious Body of our Lord having been reserved in the Tabernacle prior to the service. The Priest is not present in the church. The Deacon reads the liturgy and gives the homily then distributes the Hosts. Is this in accord with the Magisterial teaching of the Catholic Church? Is this considered a valid reception of the Body of our Lord? It feels uncomfortable for me. I need guidance on this.

 

[japhy]

The Catholic Church here offers several days a week what they call “Communion Service” which is led by the Deacon using the Precious Body of our Lord having been reserved in the Tabernacle prior to the service.

Is there Mass every Sunday? If so, I think the general rule from Rome is that such Communion services should not be held with regularity. Communion services are permissible, but they are not the equivalent of a Mass.

Redemptionis Sacramentum (a 2004 instruction) says:
166. Likewise, especially if Holy Communion is distributed during such celebrations (i.e. guided by lay extraordinary ministers of holy Communion), the diocesan Bishop, to whose exclusive competence this matter pertains, must not easily grant permission for such celebrations to be held on weekdays, especially in places where it was possible or would be possible to have the celebration of Mass on the preceding or the following Sunday. Priests are therefore earnestly requested to celebrate Mass daily for the people in one of the churches entrusted to their care.

 

[Diaconia]

I have recently moved to Arcata, California. The Catholic Church here offers several days a week what they call “Communion Service” which is led by the Deacon using the Precious Body of our Lord having been reserved in the Tabernacle prior to the service. The Priest is not present in the church. The Deacon reads the liturgy and gives the homily then distributes the Hosts. Is this in accord with the Magisterial teaching of the Catholic Church? Is this considered a valid reception of the Body of our Lord? It feels uncomfortable for me. I need guidance on this.

It’s likely that a priest is available for Sunday Mass, but not every day during the week. In the absence of a priest a deacon can lead a Communion Service.

Yes, you’ve validly received the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of our Lord Jesus.

God bless,

 

[benedictgal]

It’s likely that a priest is available for Sunday Mass, but not every day during the week. In the absence of a priest a deacon can lead a Communion Service.

Yes, you’ve validly received the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of our Lord Jesus.

God bless,

However, Deacon, with all due respect, in light of what japhy posted in Redemptionis Sacramentum, the bishop should not easily grant such services if Sunday Mass is accessible. Inasmuch as the deacon is presiding over this particular service, these types tend to be abused, as I have experienced it in my diocese. .

 

[Diaconia]

However, Deacon, with all due respect, in light of what japhy posted in Redemptionis Sacramentum, the bishop should not easily grant such services if Sunday Mass is accessible. Inasmuch as the deacon is presiding over this particular service, these types tend to be abused, as I have experienced it in my diocese. .

Haven’t seen anything like that here.

If people are using a Communion Service in place of a Sunday Mass (when it’s possible to get to Mass) that’s certainly an abuse.

But if people are going to Mass every Sunday, and attending daily Mass but the priest isn’t available at every parish he serves to have daily Mass then a Communion Service at the parish without Mass that day is a way to serve those parishioners.

If the bishop has given permission, then the bishop is obviously aware of the situation and has deemed it appropriate.

God bless,

 

[smbaran]

Thank you all for the information. After reading the instruction, I will ask the Bishop if he has given this permission, respectfully, of course.

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

I have recently moved to Arcata, California. The Catholic Church here offers several days a week what they call “Communion Service” which is led by the Deacon using the Precious Body of our Lord having been reserved in the Tabernacle prior to the service. The Priest is not present in the church. The Deacon reads the liturgy and gives the homily then distributes the Hosts. Is this in accord with the Magisterial teaching of the Catholic Church? Is this considered a valid reception of the Body of our Lord? It feels uncomfortable for me. I need guidance on this.

This should be reserved for Sundays and Holy Days when a priest is not available. Weekday Mass is not an obligation. This type of Communion service requires that a priest is not available to celebrate Mass, not just not present in the church. Holy Communion can be received once a day outside of Mass.

 

[benedictgal]

This should be reserved for Sundays and Holy Days when a priest is not available. Weekday Mass is not an obligation. This type of Communion service requires that a priest is not available to celebrate Mass, not just not present in the church. Holy Communion can be received once a day outside of Mass.

True, and a valid alternative to a communion service would be the Liturgy of the Hours.

 

[stephraim]

True, and a valid alternative to a communion service would be the Liturgy of the Hours.

Yes, and it’s unfortunate that so few Catholics know of the Liturgy of the Hours. I confess I never knew anything about it until I began researching liturgy three years ago.

Alas, the daily Rite of Distributing Holy Communion Outside of Mass is rampant in my diocese as well.

 

[roadsend]

It is also rampant here in Oregon.

 

[Newbie2]

True, and a valid alternative to a communion service would be the Liturgy of the Hours.

Prayers = the summit and source of our worship? I think not, if that’s what you’re saying.

 

[Evan]

Redemptionis Sacramentum (a 2004 instruction) says:
166. Likewise, especially if Holy Communion is distributed during such celebrations** (i.e. guided by lay extraordinary ministers of holy Communion)** the diocesan Bishop, to whose exclusive competence this matter pertains, must not easily grant permission for such celebrations to be held on weekdays, especially in places where it was possible or would be possible to have the celebration of Mass on the preceding or the following Sunday. Priests are therefore earnestly requested to celebrate Mass daily for the people in one of the churches entrusted to their care.

Here we have a situation that is not covered in Redemptionis Sacramentum, for this is no lay EMHC, this is a member of the clergy. So it sort of falls between what is desired (a mass) and what is discouraged (EMHC distributing communion outside of mass).

I know the Deacon is responsible for bringing communion to those who cannot attend mass. Could this fall under his responsibility as when there is no mass, those at the church could not attend a mass at another parish, perhaps far removed?

It seems the question stands outside the directives.

 

[OraLabora]

Redemptionis Sacramentum (a 2004 instruction) says:
166. Likewise, especially if Holy Communion is distributed during such celebrations** (i.e. guided by lay extraordinary ministers of holy Communion)** the diocesan Bishop, to whose exclusive competence this matter pertains, must not easily grant permission for such celebrations to be held on weekdays, especially in places where it was possible or would be possible to have the celebration of Mass on the preceding or the following Sunday. Priests are therefore earnestly requested to celebrate Mass daily for the people in one of the churches entrusted to their care.

Here we have a situation that is not covered in Redemptionis Sacramentum, for this is no lay EMHC, this is a member of the clergy. So it sort of falls between what is desired (a mass) and what is discouraged (EMHC distributing communion outside of mass).

I know the Deacon is responsible for bringing communion to those who cannot attend mass. Could this fall under his responsibility as when there is no mass, those at the church could not attend a mass at another parish, perhaps far removed?

It seems the question stands outside the directives.

Good point and moreover the directive as it applies to lay EMHCs does not say “never”. It says “not easily”.

In any case a communion service led by a deacon is valid. He is properly ordained, he’s allowed according to Canon Law to proclaim the Gospel (in fact if a deacon is present when a priest is present, the deacon is the one who is supposed to proclaim the Gospel), and he is granted the faculty to give homilies. He can also bless the faithful.

He cannot of course do the act of consecration but can indeed distribute communion provided the valid liturgical forms are used.

It is not in any way an “abuse”.

In my area during the week they often combine Lauds with a communion service. Not sure if it’s a deacon that presides, I’ve never attended.

 

[benedictgal]

Prayers = the summit and source of our worship? I think not, if that’s what you’re saying.

But, a communion service is not the same as a Mass. There is no Sacrifice at a communion service. Furthermore, there are stringent conditions under which services should even happen. That is why the CDWDS said that the diocesan bishop should not so easily grant these. The Liturgy of the Hours, on the other hand, is another form of prayer of the Church.

 

[Newbie2]

But, a communion service is not the same as a Mass. There is no Sacrifice at a communion service. Furthermore, there are stringent conditions under which services should even happen. That is why the CDWDS said that the diocesan bishop should not so easily grant these. The Liturgy of the Hours, on the other hand, is another form of prayer of the Church.

I agree a communion service is not the same as a mass; that is not what I was addresssing.

Do I misunderstand you to mean that you are equating reception of communion with the prayers of the LOTH. You didn’t say.

 

[benedictgal]

I agree a communion service is not the same as a mass; that is not what I was addresssing.

Do I misunderstand you to mean that you are equating reception of communion with the prayers of the LOTH. You didn’t say.

What I am saying that in those parishes where Sunday Mass is regularly celebrated, if there is no daily Mass, then the parish could have a Liturgy of the Hours. Communion services should not be very frequent. In fact, RS makes it quite clear that the bishop should not be easily granting permission to conduct them during the week.

 

[Newbie2]

Thanks for the clarification. I misunderstood “… a valid alternative to a communion service would be the Liturgy of the Hours.” as you contending that they were of “equal value”.

 

[bmadamsberry]

There is a valid reason why it is better to not have a Communion Service (some people in the parish that I’m attending here while studying abroad in Scotland don’t recognize this). To take away the Sacrifice from the reception of Communion is a very serious thing. There are times when it is okay for a Communion service, but they are few and far between.
The quoted statement from R.S. is an attempt to stop the widespread abuse, which apparently is worldwide (or at least in the US and in Scotland), to seperate Sacrifice and the Eucharist. You can also see this when looking at many altars that have been built in recent years, which look more like a table and less like a sacrificial altar for Christ.

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

Yes, and it’s unfortunate that so few Catholics know of the Liturgy of the Hours. I confess I never knew anything about it until I began researching liturgy three years ago.

Alas, the daily Rite of Distributing Holy Communion Outside of Mass is rampant in my diocese as well.

We do need to start trying to establish the praying of Daily Morning and Evening prayer in parishes as a community, The Reception of Holy Communion outside of Mass when a Deacon is available could take place once a week, midweek after morning or evening prayer. But we should try and move away from daily Communion Services.

 

[Phemie]

Redemptionis Sacramentum (a 2004 instruction) says:166. Likewise, especially if Holy Communion is distributed during such celebrations** (i.e. guided by lay extraordinary ministers of holy Communion)** the diocesan Bishop, to whose exclusive competence this matter pertains, must not easily grant permission for such celebrations to be held on weekdays, especially in places where it was possible or would be possible to have the celebration of Mass on the preceding or the following Sunday. Priests are therefore earnestly requested to celebrate Mass daily for the people in one of the churches entrusted to their care.

Here we have a situation that is not covered in Redemptionis Sacramentum, for this is no lay EMHC, this is a member of the clergy. So it sort of falls between what is desired (a mass) and what is discouraged (EMHC distributing communion outside of mass).

I know the Deacon is responsible for bringing communion to those who cannot attend mass. Could this fall under his responsibility as when there is no mass, those at the church could not attend a mass at another parish, perhaps far removed?

It seems the question stands outside the directives.

You can’t read RS 166 as a stand alone comment. It has to be read in the context of RS 164 & 165. Those two items clearly include Deacons.

RS 165 suggest that even on Sundays, it may not be prudent for Communion to be distributed at Sunday Celebrations in the Absence of a Priest and that the Bishops are to be very careful when allowing it. The object is to “avoid any sort of confusion between this type of gathering and the celebration of the Eucharist.” This is not a slight concern as any of us who’ve heard references to “Sister’s Mass” or “the Deacon’s Mass” can attest. There are people who do not see a difference between the two and Rome wants to avoid this at all costs.

RS 166 goes further when it states that if they DO include Communion, they should rarely be celebrated during the week if “it would be possible to have the celebration of Mass on the preceding or the following Sunday.” In other words, if you can receive Communion one Sunday out of two at a Mass there is little reason to offer Communion outside of Mass on weekdays.