Deacon Communion Service?

[stephraim]

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.

Agreed.

 

[cameron_lansing]

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.

Most certainly they should not supplant the celebration of the Eucharist where a priest is available (I speak of weekdays), and when done, they must be done properly according to the prescribed rites by those authorized to conduct them. And there is very good reason to introduce the Liturgy of the Hours to the spiritual-liturgical life of parish.

When the celebration of Mass on a weekday is not possible though, it may be useful to include the following when evaluating the issue of access to the Sacrament by the faithful.

c. 843 §1 Sacred ministers cannot deny the sacraments to those who seek them at appropriate times, are properly disposed, and are not prohibited by law from receiving them.

c. 912 Any baptized person who is not prohibited by law can and must be admitted to Holy Communion.

c. 918 It is highly recommended that the faithful receive Holy Communion during the celebration of the Eucharist itself, but it should be administered outside Mass to those who request it for a just cause, the liturgical rites being observed.

 

[OraLabora]

Most certainly they should not supplant the celebration of the Eucharist where a priest is available (I speak of weekdays), and when done, they must be done properly according to the prescribed rites by those authorized to conduct them. And there is very good reason to introduce the Liturgy of the Hours to the spiritual-liturgical life of parish.

I should point out that any assembly, whether presided by clergy (deacon, priest or bishop), is authorized to celebrate the Liturgy of the Hours in community, or even in family.

There are specific rubrics on how to conduct the Office when led by a layperson, or recited in private.

Of course for it to count as a “liturgical” prayer one must follow the rubrics, and the appropriate liturgical texts for the day, week, feast or season. Which of course as a practical matter requires that anyone leading a lay Office needs to know what he or she is doing and perhaps seek training.

 

[benedictgal]

Most certainly they should not supplant the celebration of the Eucharist where a priest is available (I speak of weekdays), and when done, they must be done properly according to the prescribed rites by those authorized to conduct them. And there is very good reason to introduce the Liturgy of the Hours to the spiritual-liturgical life of parish.

When the celebration of Mass on a weekday is not possible though, it may be useful to include the following when evaluating the issue of access to the Sacrament by the faithful.

c. 843 §1 Sacred ministers cannot deny the sacraments to those who seek them at appropriate times, are properly disposed, and are not prohibited by law from receiving them.

c. 912 Any baptized person who is not prohibited by law can and must be admitted to Holy Communion.

c. 918 It is highly recommended that the faithful receive Holy Communion during the celebration of the Eucharist itself, but it should be administered outside Mass to those who request it for a just cause, the liturgical rites being observed.

I think that the problem creeps up in my diocese when a parish does not find a priest to celebrate Mass when the priest is on vacation and then has EMHCs scheduled (in the bulletin) to hold a communion service. Granted, they have a priest cover for all of the weekend Masses, but, they don’t get one for weekday Masses. It’s not as though we have a severe shortage of priests down here.

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

Most certainly they should not supplant the celebration of the Eucharist where a priest is available (I speak of weekdays), and when done, they must be done properly according to the prescribed rites by those authorized to conduct them. And there is very good reason to introduce the Liturgy of the Hours to the spiritual-liturgical life of parish.

When the celebration of Mass on a weekday is not possible though, it may be useful to include the following when evaluating the issue of access to the Sacrament by the faithful.

c. 843 §1 Sacred ministers cannot deny the sacraments to those who seek them at appropriate times, are properly disposed, and are not prohibited by law from receiving them.

c. 912 Any baptized person who is not prohibited by law can and must be admitted to Holy Communion.

c. 918 It is highly recommended that the faithful receive Holy Communion during the celebration of the Eucharist itself, but it should be administered outside Mass to those who request it for a just cause, the liturgical rites being observed.

Maybe I should have inserted the word “routine” or “habitual” before daily Communion services. It’s most likely that the people didn’t show up and ask for Holy Communion. They showed up because a Communion service was scheduled, they would not have if it was not scheduled. I know of many parishes where a Deacon is available in the parish office or even a priest, while a Communion service is being conducted by a lay person in the church. I’ve also had a priest interrupt a conversation with me in the back of the church and say that he had to go back to his office because the (lay person lead) Communion service was starting in a few minutes. I felt like saying, you are already here, why not celebrate Mass!

 

[cameron_lansing]

I think that the problem creeps up in my diocese when a parish does not find a priest to celebrate Mass when the priest is on vacation and then has EMHCs scheduled (in the bulletin) to hold a communion service. Granted, they have a priest cover for all of the weekend Masses, but, they don’t get one for weekday Masses. It’s not as though we have a severe shortage of priests down here.

We are all jealous (seriously). Even so, there are the limitations of canon 905 to consider and the diligent can look up the canon. If people can travel to an adjacent parish for Mass, so much the better, but the typical daily attendees may be somewhat older or have travel limitations for various reasons. When the rite is conducted though, it always seems advisable to me that prayers for priestly vocations and priests accompany it. As well, I would maintain that the notion of Holy Communion outside of Mass should be clearly explained so that there is no diminution of the Mass itself, and the relationship is clearly perceived.

(Brother Rich, I hear you. If the priest was not impeded by the canon above, why not celebrate Mass indeed?)

 

[angelic06]

I believe that it should also be strictly explained before the service that what goes on 1) is not a Mass 2) uses the Body and Blood of our Lord consecrated at a Mass and 3) does not include the Eucharistic prayers associated with the consecration of the Sacred Elements (“Wherefore we thy servants and thy holy people also…” or whatever it is in the Roman rite—these are additional opportunities for prayer that are missing in a communion service—in the world we now live in with threats of strife, etc., all kinds of prayer are needed) so that the people do not feel duped or deceived. I also agree with the post above, that prayers for the increased vocations to the priesthood should be included in the intentions, especially so that daily Mass can be offered.

 

[Dicerning]

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.

No She is not. In fact the vatican does not want regularly scheduled communion services. I am sure that benedictgal can provide the documentation. Communio services are the exception not the norm. When they become the norm then it is out of line. Redemptionis sacramentum has told us the only acceptable time to have communion services is on a SUnday when a priest is NOT availible.

Oh BTW I am one of those people who is NOT a cleric but provide COmmunion services on a regular basis at a prison. I believe my circumstance is acceptable though. THere is only 3 Catholic priests in my area that covers 15 towns. The priests cannot get to the prison each week and the Prison only allows Catholic Services on Thursday for a 1 hour time slot. I live in a relatively protestant dominated area.

 

[angelic06]

No She is not. In fact the vatican does not want regularly scheduled communion services. I am sure that benedictgal can provide the documentation. Communio services are the exception not the norm. When they become the norm then it is out of line. Redemptionis sacramentum has told us the only acceptable time to have communion services is on a SUnday when a priest is NOT availible.

Oh BTW I am one of those people who is NOT a cleric but provide COmmunion services on a regular basis at a prison. I believe my circumstance is acceptable though. THere is only 3 Catholic priests in my area that covers 15 towns. The priests cannot get to the prison each week and the Prison only allows Catholic Services on Thursday for a 1 hour time slot. I live in a relatively protestant dominated area.

Granted, I am not a huge fan of communion services when there are adequate numbers of priests, but to be fair, but along the same lines as the above, another time communion services might be really needed is in the military (under the spiritual, but not temporal responsibility of the Archdiocese of the Military Services). Though I am not entirely familiar with military chaplaincy, Catholic priest-chaplains have to compete with clergy of other religious groups for promotions from the military. Therefore, there is the possiblity that a base or vessel might not be ministered to by a Catholic priest. Granted, there are other ways of getting a Catholic priest in, such as borrowing from the territorial (arch)diocese and receiving the recommendation of the non-Catholic chaplain to the base commander to minister there (together with receiving faculties from the Archdiocese of the Military Services), but there still needs to be a way for the Catholic faithful to receive Holy Communion and other spiritual opportunities absent a priest. Sometimes a layman or a deacon who has another MOS takes on the responsibility of ministering to these faithful. (And yes, our fellow servants of God deserve to be ministered to, regardless of your or my stance on wars, etc., so let’s not go there. This is one way, though not the only one, that it could be done.)

Many years,

Paul R. Viola

 

[Ginkgo100]

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.

The discussion here is mostly focused on whether such services are permissible or desirable. I would just like to point out that regardless, if the Eucharist was previously consecrated, the reception of Christ’s Body and Blood is definitely valid. Even under the most abusive circumstance (and I’m not saying this situation is), for the faithful to receive Communion with the proper dispositions is certainly valid, whether or not it is illicit.

 

[Sherry_G]

When our parish priest went away for one month, the Bishop appointed a visiting priest to come in for Sunday Masses. Our Deacon asked if the parishoners could have a communion service on weekdays since we in our retirement community were in the practice of attending daily Mass and receiving Our Lord in the Eucharist. The Bishop said no.

I was disappointed to hear that, however I can tell you that I now understand the wisdom of that decision. I truly grieved over not being able to receive Jesus each weekday, however we did pray the Liturgy of the Hours instead. What I found was just how much I love the Lord and appreciate having the opportunity to be united with him in Body almost every day. I thought a lot about people who are deprived of the Sacraments through no fault of their own due to circumstances and I thought about people who have the opportunity but fail to accept Our Lord personally just by choice.

 

[DIT]

I think the major difference here is between a layperson holding a communion service and a deacon holding a communion service. Both are permissible. A deacon, through his ordination, is an “ordinary” minister of Holy Communion like any priest or bishop whereas a layperson can only be an “extraordinary” minister of Holy Communion.

The issue here seems to be one of a deacon presiding at a communion service. People need to realize that deacons existed well before Vatican II. In fact, deacons existed before priests. People have this negative ideal that comes in two different groups - 1) that deacons are mini-priests and thus want to do what priests do, or 2) people don’t know what deacons do or why they exist so I am critical of them. This needs to be overcome through a better understanding of the diaconate.

In the deacon’s faculties that are granted him from the bishop upon his ordination, it states what he is allowed to do inside the bishop’s (arch)diocese. These normally include assisting at Mass, reading the Gospel, preaching, witnessing marriages, baptizing infants, etc. I also believe that communion services are part of this list. Now, the deacon’s pastor has to approve all actions that happen in his parish - as he would have to do for his associate pastors/vicars as well.

What the church does not want is the idea that priests are not needed - because they absolutely are needed. We cease being a Eucharistic Church without them. But, at the same time, people need to understand the reason for deacons and their function. Deacons presiding at a communion service, as they are when assisting at Mass, are present as “Christ the Servant” (in persona Christi diakonia). They are there to represent the people in service as Christ was. As we approach Holy Thursday, the washing of the feet is a perfect example of Jesus being the Servant. We must emulate Him and also “wash the feet” of those around us. In this service aspect, the deacon facilitates the uniting of God and His people. He does not do this through any act of consecration, but through the act of service at the altar - of allowing Jesus, found in the tabernacle, to be united to His people.

I think this also boils down to how God would want us to be in relationship with Him. God did not want to be locked up in the fancy temple after the exodus from Egypt. Instead He instructed to be placed in a tent in the center of the camp so that His people could be with him and him with them. A communion service, with the proper catechesis and reverence, is a beautiful way for God to be around His people, united with them in the Eucharist. If that could be done in the setting of the Mass, all the better, but don’t lock him away in the temple. And since a deacon’s actions are under supervision by his pastor, abuse of such a service should be few and far between.

 

[balbosta]

Our priest is responsible for four parishes. If for some reason he cannot make Sunday Mass at one of the parishes we have an alternative service called Sunday Celebration in the Absence of a Priest ( SCAP Program). We have both the Deacon and a lay person so trained to conduct a Sunday service. We do not distribute Communion but this service fulfills the Sunday requirement of mass.

 

[Brendan]

Our priest is responsible for four parishes. If for some reason he cannot make Sunday Mass at one of the parishes we have an alternative service called Sunday Celebration in the Absence of a Priest ( SCAP Program). We have both the Deacon and a lay person so trained to conduct a Sunday service. We do not distribute Communion but this service fulfills the Sunday requirement of mass.

No, actually it does not.

The only thing that fulfils the obligation is a Mass of a Catholic Rite.

If it is not possible or practical to attend Mass the obligation is removed. So if Mass is not being said, the obligation does not exist. It is a fine and noble practice then to perform a devotion of some type ( including a Communion Service), but it would be erronous to say that it fulfills the obligation.

BTW, if another Mass exists, perhaps at another parish, at it would be resonable for you to attend that Mass (you have transportation and the distance is not excessive), the obligation remains and you are required to attend Mass.

 

[plato3]

Canon 1248

1. The precept of participating in the Mass is satisfied by assistance at a Mass which is celebrated anywhere in a Catholic rite either on the holy day or on the evening of the preceding day.
2. If because of lack of a sacred minister or for other grave cause participation in the celebration of the Eucharist is impossible, it is specially recommended that the faithful take part in the liturgy of the word if it is celebrated in the parish church or in another sacred place according to the prescriptions of the diocesan bishop, or engage in prayer for an appropriate amount of time personally or in a family or, as occasion offers, in groups of families.

Might be helpful.