SS? ^ ,NES pa1,c*G ° lU-U * 013 Rite of Comnrvissiorvirvg Special ITVirvisters of Holy Comirwirviorv RITE OF COMMISSIONING SPECIAL MINISTERS OF HOLY COMMUNION Provisional Text 1978 Publications Office UNITED STATES EATHOLIE EONFERENEE 1312 Massachusetts Avenue, N.W. Washington, D.E. 20005 The English translation of liturgical texts in this publication has been approved for provisional use in the dioceses of the United States by the Bishops’ Committee on the Liturgy and the Executive Committee of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops and has been confirmed by the Apostolic See ad interim (Prot. CD 499/78). Washington, D.C. K RENE H. GRACIDA September 12, 1978 Bishop of Pensacola-Talahassee Chairman, Bishops’ Committee on the Liturgy Rite of Commissioning Special Ministers of Holy Communion. English translation © 1978 International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved. © Copyright 1978 Publications Office, United States Catholic Confer- ence. |J CONTENTS FOREWORD 3 Rite of Commissioning Special Ministers . 5 A. During Mass 5 B. Outside Mass 7 Rite of Commissioning a Special Minister 9 A. During Mass 9 B. Outside Mass 11 Rite of Commissioning a Special Minister to Distribute Holy Communion on a Single Occasion 13 Rite of Distributing Holy Communion by a Special Minister 15 Biblical Texts for Use in the Rite Outside Mass 17 . . RITE OF COMMISSIONING SPECIAL MINISTERS OF HOLY COMMUNION 1. Persons authorized to distribute holy communion in special cir- cumstances should be commissioned by the local Ordinary or his dele- gate 1 according to the following rite. The rite should take place in the presence of the people during Mass or outside Mass. A. DURING MASS 2. In the homily the celebrant first explains the reason for this min- istry and then presents to the people those chosen to serve as special ministers, using these or similar words: Dear friends in Christ, Our brothers and sistersN.* * and N. are to be entrusted with administering the eucharist, with taking communion to the sick, and with giving it as viaticum to the dying. The celebrant pauses, and then addresses the candidates: In this ministry, you must be examples of Christian living in faith and conduct; you must strive to grow in holiness through this sacra- ment of unity and love. Remember that, though many, we are one body because we share the one bread and one cup. As ministers of holy communion be, therefore, especially observ- ant of the Lord’s command to love your neighbor. For when he gave his body as food to his disciples, he said to them: “This is my com- mandment, that you should love one another as I have loved you.” 1 See instruction Immensae caritatis I, nos. 1, 6. * This reference may be modified according to circumstances. 3 3. After the address the candidates stand before the celebrant, who asks them these questions: Are you resolved to undertake the office of giving the body and blood of the Lord to your brothers and sisters, and so serve to build up the Church? R. I am. Are you resolved to administer the holy eucharist with the utmost care and reverence? R. I am. 4. All stand. The candidates kneel and the celebrant invites the faith- ful to pray: Dear friends in Christ, Let us pray with confidence to the Father; let us ask him to bestow his blessings on our brothers and sisters, chosen to be ministers of the eucharist: Pause for silent prayer. The celebrant then continues: Merciful Father, creator and guide of your family, bless + our brothers and sisters N and N. May they faithfully give the bread of life to your people. Strengthened by this sacrament, may they come at last to the banquet of heaven. We ask this through Christ our Lord. R. Amen. 4 5. The general intercessions should include an intention for the new- ly-commissioned ministers. 6. In the procession at the presentation of gifts, the newly-commis- sioned ministers carry the vessels with the bread and wine, and at communion may receive the eucharist under both kinds. B. OUTSIDE MASS 7. When the people are assembled an appropriate song is sung. The celebrant greets the people. There normally follows a short liturgy of the Word. The readings and chants are taken, either in whole or in part, from the liturgy of the day or from those given on pages 17-19. 8. The rite continues as above, nos. 2-5. 9. Finally, the celebrant blesses the people and dismisses them in the usual way. The rite concludes with an appropriate song. 5 Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2016 https://archive.org/details/riteofcommissionOOunse RITE OF COMMISSIONING A SPECIAL MINISTER OF HOLY COMMUNION 1. A person authorized to distribute holy communion in special cir- cumstances should be commissioned by the local Ordinary or his dele- gate 1 according to the following rite. The rite should take place in the presence of the people during Mass or outside Mass. A. DURING MASS 2. In the homily the celebrant first explains the reason for this min- istry and then presents to the people the person chosen to serve as a special minister, using these or similar words: Dear friends in Christ, Our brother/sister N. is to be entrusted with administering the eucharist, with taking communion to the sick, and with giving it as viaticum to the dying. The celebrant pauses, and then addresses the candidate: In this ministry, you must be an example of Christian living in faith and conduct; you must strive to grow in holiness through this sacrament of unity and love. Remember that, though many, we are one body because we share the one bread and one cup. As a minister of holy communion be, therefore, especially obser- vant of the Lord’s command to love your neighbor. For when he gave his body as food to his disciples, he said to them: “This is my com- mandment, that you should love one another as I have loved you." 1 See instruction Immensae caritatis I, nos. 1, 6. 7 3. After the address the candidate stands before the celebrant, who asks him/her these questions: Are you resolved to undertake the office of giving the body and blood of the Lord to your brothers and sisters, and so serve to build up the Church? R. I am. Are you resolved to administer the holy eucharist with the utmost care and reverence? R. I am. 4. All stand. The candidate kneels and the celebrant invites the faithful to pray: Dear friends in Christ, Let us pray with confidence to the Father; let us ask him to bestow his blessings on our brother/sister, chosen to be minister of the eucharist: Pause for silent prayer. The celebrant then continues: Merciful Father, creator and guide of your family, bless + our brother/sister N. May he/she faithfully give the bread of life to your people. Strengthened by this sacrament, may he/she come at last to the banquet of heaven. We ask this through Christ our Lord. R. Amen. 8 5. The general intercessions should include an intention for the newly-commissioned minister. 6. In the procession at the presentation of gifts, the newly-commis- sioned minister carries the vessel with the bread, and at communion may receive the eucharist under both kinds. B. OUTSIDE MASS 7. When the people are assembled an appropriate song is sung. The celebrant greets the people. There normally follows a short liturgy of the Word. The readings and chants are taken, either in whole or in part, from the liturgy of the day or from those given on pages 17-19. 8. The rite continues as above, nos. 2-5. 9. Finally, the celebrant blesses the people and dismisses them in the usual way. The rite concludes with an appropriate song. 9 RITE OF COMMISSIONING A SPECIAL MINISTER TO DISTRIBUTE HOLY COMMUNION ON A SINGLE OCCASION 10. A person who, in a case of real necessity, is authorized to dis- tribute holy communion on a single occasion 2 should normally be commissioned according to the following rite. 11. During the breaking of the bread and the commingling, the person who is to distribute holy communion comes to the altar and stands before the celebrant. After the Lamb of God the priest blesses him/her with these words: Today you are to distribute the body and blood of Christ to your brothers and sisters. May the Lord bless + you, N. R. Amen. 12. When the priest has himself received communion in the usual way, he gives communion to the minister of the eucharist. Then he gives him/her the paten or other vessel with the hosts. They then go to give communion to the people. 2 See instruction Immensae caritatis I, nos. 2, 6. - RITE OF DISTRIBUTING HOLY COMMUNION BY A SPECIAL MINISTER 13. A special minister of holy communion should wear the vestments customary in the country, or clothing in keeping with this sacred mnistry. 14. In distributing holy communion during Mass, the minister holds the host slightly raised and says: The body of Christ. The communicant answers: Amen, and receives it. After all have received communion, the minister of the eucharist cleanses his/her fingers over the paten and, if necessary, washes them and then returns to his/her place. 15. In distributing holy communion outside Mass, the special minister is to follow the rite given in the Roman Ritual: Holy Communion and Worship of the Eucharist outside Mass. 13 BIBLICAL TEXTS FOR USE IN THE RITE OUTSIDE MASS Readings from the Old Testament Reference Number 1. Genesis 14:18-20 Melchisedech brought bread and wine. 170 2. Exodus 16:2-4, 12-15 I will rain bread from heaven upon you. 114 3. Exodus 24:3-8 This is the blood of the covenant that the Lord has made with you. 169 4. Deuteronomy 8:2-3, 14b- 16a He gave you food which you and your fathers did not know. 168 5. 1 Kings 19:4-8 Strengthened by the food, he walked to the mountain of the Lord. 117 6. Proverbs 9:1-6 Come and eat my bread, drink the wine I have prepared. 120 Readings from the New Testament 1. Acts 2:42-47 All who believed shared everything in common. 44 2. Acts 10:34a, 37-43 We have eaten and drunk with him after his resurrection from the dead. 43 3. 1 Corinthians 10:16-17 Though we are many, we form a single body because we share this one loaf. 168 4. 1 Corinthians 11:23-26 Until the Lord comes, every time you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim his death. 40 5. Hebrews 9:11-15 The blood of Christ will purify our inner selves. 169 15 Responsorial Psalms Lectionary Reference Number 1. Psalm 23:1 -3a, 3b-4, 5-6 ty. (1) 31 1^. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want. 2. Psalm 34:2-3, 4-5, 6-7 ty. (9a) 33 fy. Taste and see the goodness of the Lord. 3. Psalm 78:3, 4bc, 23-24, 25, 54 ty. (24b) 114 1^. The Lord gave them bread from heaven. 4. Psalm 145:10-11, 15-16, 17-18 3. (16) 111 1^. The hand of the Lord feeds us; he answers all our needs. 5. Psalm 147:12-13, 14-15, 19-20 ty. (John 6:59b) 906 fy. Whoever eats this bread will live for ever. Alleluia Verse before the Gospel 1. John 6:57 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood will live in me and I in him, says the Lord. 908 2. John 6:58 As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever feeds on me lives because of me. 908 3. John 6:35 The Lord says: I am the bread of life. Anyone who comes to me will never be hungry; anyone who believes in me will never thirst. 4. John 6:51-52 I am the living bread from heaven, says the Lord; anyone who eats this bread will live for ever. 168 Gospel 1. Mark 14:12-16, 22-26 This is my body. This is my blood. 169 2. Luke 9:1 lb-17 They all ate and were filled. 170 3. Luke 24:13-35 They had recognized him in the breaking of the bread. 47 4. John 6:1-15 He distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. Ill 5. John 6:24-35 Anyone who comes to me will never be hungry; anyone who believes in me will never thirst. 114 16 6 . Lectionary Reference Number John 6:41-52 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. 7. John 6:51-59 My flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. 8. John 21:1-14 Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them. 117 168 265 17 . .