Deacon distributing communion

[centurionguard]

**centurion guard **and I fall within the four-province “Atlantic Conference of Bishops” which has 11 dioceses/archdioceses and only 26 or 27 permanent deacons. Most laity in our area know nothing about the role of deacons. The largest number of parishes are rural or small town and the deacons that we have generally live in cities. Most belong to one archdiocese where there is actually a school of theology where they can go study.

I assume the theology school your making reference to is from the Archdiocese of Halifax is Dalhousie University or Saint FX (Saint Francis Xavier) in Antigonish

Some Archdiocese’s like mine will host a diaconate theology program within the archdiocese itself under ecclesiastical approval and naturally under guidance of priests.

One such course was in force almost 20 years ago with 4 to 6 men enrolled in a four year program. It embarrassingly failed after two years whereby the Archbishop then removed all men from continuing the course. I won’t bother filling in the details for the reasons of the failure.

We’ve had two new Archbishops since and they won’t even entertain the thought of finding another deacon, nor giving another course. The later unfortunately I understand.

 

[Phemie]

I assume the theology school your making reference to is from the Archdiocese of Halifax is Dalhousie University or Saint FX (Saint Francis Xavier) in Antigonish

I was thinking of the Atlantic School of Theology, which is where one transitional deacon I know did his studies.

 

[centurionguard]

I was thinking of the Atlantic School of Theology, which is where one transitional deacon I know did his studies.

Yes; I remember. I had forgotten Saint Mary’s University.

 

[Spirithound]

No, they’re arguing “Distributing commuion is strongly encouraged by the the Church under both species” VS “Even so, it is to be chosen only when everything can be carried out in fitting order and with no danger of irreverence toward the blood of Christ.”

I think that while the Church says that receiving under both species is a fuller sign and a good thing, she doesn’t say that all churches should do so all the time, in fact, she says quite the opposite.

Thank you, that is much clearer now.

 

[FAB]

No, they’re arguing “Distributing commuion is strongly encouraged by the the Church under both species” VS “Even so, it is to be chosen only when everything can be carried out in fitting order and with no danger of irreverence toward the blood of Christ.”

I think that while the Church says that receiving under both species is a fuller sign and a good thing, she doesn’t say that all churches should do so all the time, in fact, she says quite the opposite.

Opposite?? Where does she say this? How on the one hand can the Church be saying that distribution under both species is strongly encouraged, and then say not all the time?

 

[Faith1960]

I will tell you that at my Parish the Deacon - if present - distributes the eucharist next to the Priest.

Whether right or wrong - I don’t know, but I can tell you, other then on the alter to the EMs I have never seen our Deacon distribute the chalice.

The same goes for when our Seminarian is present

Same with our Deacon.Well, at least one of them, we have two Deacons. I haven’t noticed what the other one does.

 

[centurionguard]

No, they’re arguing “Distributing commuion is strongly encouraged by the the Church under both species” VS “Even so, it is to be chosen only when everything can be carried out in fitting order and with no danger of irreverence toward the blood of Christ.”

I think that while the Church says that receiving under both species is a fuller sign and a good thing, she doesn’t say that all churches should do so all the time, in fact, she says quite the opposite.

I don’t find anything particularly wrong in what you state here.

However; it shouldn’t differentiate as one consecrated species being more important than the other. Both equally contain in every respect (“Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Christ”)

 

[FAB]

I will tell you that at my Parish the Deacon - if present - distributes the eucharist next to the Priest.

Whether right or wrong - I don’t know, but I can tell you, other then on the alter to the EMs I have never seen our Deacon distribute the chalice.

The same goes for when our Seminarian is present

It is proper that the deacon distrubtes the precious body. In most cases that is normally waht will happen with EMHC distributing the precious blood.
If there were just one priest and one deacon, the deacon primary role would be the cup.

 

[paperwight66]

It is proper that the deacon distributes the precious body. QUOTE]

Well, I don’t know about that. Surely that is giving the message that the Host is more important than the Precious Blood, which isn’t the church’s teaching of the Body Blood Soul and Divinity being present in both?

 

[whm]

It bothers me though, that so many people believe the the cup is any less important that the Body. Both are fully the Eucharist. I speak mostly of the laity here. Someone on this thread made a distinction between the two as if there was any less importance of the Blood than in the Body. We have some teaching to do!!!

I would see it as an honor since the blood require extra special care so that it is never spilled! It is not good to drop the host either, but the blood can be difficult to handle if spilled due to its liquid nature.

 

[FAB]

FAB;7587864:

It is proper that the deacon distributes the precious body. QUOTE]

Well, I don’t know about that. Surely that is giving the message that the Host is more important than the Precious Blood, which isn’t the church’s teaching of the Body Blood Soul and Divinity being present in both?

I don’t know how. The Deacon as an ordinary minister distributes under both species.
This weekend we have first communions, The priest will distribute the Precious body and the deacon the precious blood. the sign is that they are equal.
I might guess since the deacon doesn’t always distribute the cup as an ordinary minister that diminisions the cup in some way.