Priest receiving Body of Christ at same time as everyone else

[nightengale]

I have noticed recently that in a few Churches, the Priest is receiving the Body of Christ at the same time as the Parishoners and then receiving the Blood of Christ. Is this allowed? This is happening with the Eucharistic ministers and servers.

I have also been told that the Neo catechumenate Eucharists are now reverting back to receiving the Body of Christ all together (now standing instead of sitting, and holding the Body of Christ in their hands) and waiting to consume it with the Priest. He then receives the Blood of Christ and gives to the people.

I was told that because the Statutes have been approved that they can now all receive together again.

Could someone please let me know if there is a Canon law ruling about this. Thanks and God bless.

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

I have noticed recently that in a few Churches, the Priest is receiving the Body of Christ at the same time as the Parishoners and then receiving the Blood of Christ. Is this allowed? This is happening with the Eucharistic ministers and servers.

I have also been told that the Neo catechumenate Eucharists are now reverting back to receiving the Body of Christ all together (now standing instead of sitting, and holding the Body of Christ in their hands) and waiting to consume it with the Priest. He then receives the Blood of Christ and gives to the people.

I was told that because the Statutes have been approved that they can now all receive together again.

Could someone please let me know if there is a Canon law ruling about this. Thanks and God bless.

Generally only those concelebrating receive in this manner. I would doubt that this was approved by Rome, but I’m not aware what the documents on the Neo catechumenate Eucharists say.

 

[japhy]

I have noticed recently that in a few Churches, the Priest is receiving the Body of Christ at the same time as the Parishoners and then receiving the Blood of Christ. Is this allowed? This is happening with the Eucharistic ministers and servers.

No, it is not. The priest (and any concelebrating priests) must consume first before any further distribution of Holy Communion can take place. Pope John Paul II promulgated a document in 1997 (Ecclesia de Mysterio) which says in Art. 8, n. 2: “To avoid creating confusion, certain practices are to be avoided and eliminated where such have emerged in particular Churches: … extraordinary ministers receiving Holy Communion apart from the other faithful as though concelebrants…”

A 2001 document from the USCCB on the norms for distribution of Communion echoes this sentiment in n. 39: “All receive Holy Communion in the manner described by the General Instructin to the Roman Missal, whether priest concelebrants (cf. GIRM, nos. 159, 242, 243, 246), deacons (cf. GIRM, nos. 182, 244, 246), or extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion (cf. GIRM, no. 284). Neither deacons nor lay ministers may ever receive Holy Communion in the manner of a concelebrating priest. The practice of extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion waiting to receive Holy Communion until after the distribution of Holy Communion is not in accord with liturgical law.”

And more recently, in 2004, the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments reinforced this: “A Priest must communicate at the altar at the moment laid down by the Missal each time he celebrates Holy Mass, and the concelebrants must communicate before they proceed with the distribution of Holy Communion. The Priest celebrant or a concelebrant is never to wait until the people’s Communion is concluded before receiving Communion himself.” (Redemptionis Sacramentum, n. 97)