Rite of Holy Communion Outside Mass
led by an Extraordinary Minister
This rite is to be used chiefly when Mass is not celebrated or when communion is not distributed at scheduled times. The purpose is that the people should be nourished by the word of God. By hearing it they learn that the marvels it proclaims reach their climax in the paschal mystery of which the Mass is a sacramental memorial and in which they share by communion. Nourished by God’s word, they are led to grateful and fruitful participation in the saving mysteries.
INTRODUCTORY RITES
After the people have assembles and preparations for the service (see nos. 19-20 below) are complete, all stand for the greeting of the minister.
Greeting
The minister greets those present with these or similar words:
Brothers and sisters,
the Lord invites us (you) to his table
to share in the body of Christ:
bless him for his goodness.
The people answer:
Blessed be God for ever.Penitential Rite
The penitential rite follows, and the minister invites the people to recall their sins and to repent of them in these words.
My brothers and sisters,
to prepare ourselves for this celebration,
let us call to mind our sins.
A pause for silent reflection follows.
[A]
All say:
I confess to almighty God,
and to you, my brothers and sisters,
that I have sinned through my own fault
They strike their breast:
in my thoughts and in my words,
in what I have done,
and in what I have failed to do;
and I ask blessed Mary, ever virgin,
and all the angels and saints,
and you, my brothers and sisters,
to pray for me to the Lord our God.
The minister concludes:
May almighty God have mercy on us,
forgive us our sins,
and bring us to everlasting life.
The people answer:
Amen.[B]
The minister says:
Lord, we have sinned against you.
The people answer:
Lord, have mercy.Minister:
Lord, show us your mercy and love.
The people answer:
And grant us your salvation.The minister concludes:
May almighty God have mercy on us,
forgive us our sins,
and bring us to everlasting life.
The people answer
: Amen.[C]
The minister, or someone else, makes the following or other invocations:
Minister:
You brought us to salvation by your paschal mystery: Lord have mercy.
The people answer:
Lord, have mercy.Minister:
Your renew us by the wonders of your passion: Christ have mercy.
The people answer:
Christ, have mercy.Minister:
You give us your body to make us one with your Easter sacrifice: Lord have mercy.
The people answer:
Lord, have mercy.The minister concludes:
May almighty God have mercy on us,
forgive us our sins,
and bring us to everlasting life.
The people answer:
Amen.CELEBRATION OF THE WORD OF GOD
The Liturgy of the Word now takes place as at Mass. Texts are chosen for the occasion either from the Mass of the day or from the votive Masses of the Holy Eucharist or the Precious Bloos, the readings from which are in the Lectionary. The Lectionary offers a wide range of readings which may be drawn upon for particular needs, such as votive Mass of the Sacred Heart.
There may be one or more readings, the first being followed by a psalm or some other chant or by a period of silent prayer. Alternatively, the short form of the word (see below) may be celebrated.
The celebration of the word ends with the general intercessions.
THE SHORT FORM OF THE READING OF THE WORD
A brief passage from sacred scripture may then be read by one of those present or by the minister.
John 6:54-55
Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood have eternal life, and I will raise them on the last day. For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink.
John 6:54-58
Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood have eternal life, and I will raise them on the last day. For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood remain in me and I in them. Just as the living Father sent me and I have life because of the Father, so also the one who feeds on me will have life because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven. Unlike your ancestors who ate and still died, whoever eats this bread will live forever.
John 14:6
Jesus said to him: "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father but through me."
John 14:23
Jesus said to his disciple, Jude, "Those who love me will keep my word, and my Father will love them; and we will come to them and make our dwelling with them."
John 15:4
Remain in me, as I remain in you. Just as a branch cannot bear fruit on its own unless it remains on the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in me.
1 Corinthians 11:26
For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the death of the Lord until he comes.
1 John 4:16
We have come to know and to believe in the love God has for us.
God is love, and whoever remains in love remains in God, and God in him.
See the Rite of Anointing and Pastoral Care of the Sick (nos. 247ff or 153ff) for a further selection of texts.
HOLY COMMUNION
Lord’s Prayer
After the prayer the minister goes to the lace where the sacrament is reserved, takes the ciborium or pyx containing the body of the Lord, places it on the altar, and genuflects. The minister then introduces the Lord’s prayer in these or similar words:
Let us pray with confidence to the Father in the words our Savior gave us:
The minister continues with the people:
Our Father…Sign of Peace
The minister may invite the people in these or similar words:
Let us offer each other the sign of peace.
All make an appropriate sign of peace, according to local custom.
Communion
The minister genuflects. Taking the host, the minister raises it slightly over the vessel or pyx and, facing the people says:
This is the Lamb of God
who takes away the sins of the world.
Happy are those who are called to his supper.
The communicants say once:
Lord, I am not worthy to receive you,
but only say the word and I shall be healed.
If the minister received communion, he or she says quietly:
May the body of Christ bring me to everlasting life.
The minister reverently consumes the body of Christ.
Then the minister takes the vessel or pyx and goes to the communicants. He or she takes a host for each one, raises it slightly, and says:
The body of Christ.
The communicant answers:
Amen, and receives communion.During the distribution of communion, a hymn may be sung.
After communion the minister puts any particle left on the plate into the pyx, and the minister may wash his/her hands. The minister returns any remaining hosts to the tabernacle and genuflects. A period of silence may now be observed.
Concluding Prayer
The minister then says one of the following concluding prayers:
Let us pray.
Lord Jesus Christ,
you gave us the eucharist
as the memorial of your suffering and death.
May our worship of this sacrament of your body and blood
help us to experience the salvation you won for us
and the peace of the kingdom
where you live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
or:
Father,
you have brought to fulfillment the work of our redemption
through the Easter mystery of Christ your Son.
May we who faithfully proclaim his death and resurrection in these sacramental signs
experience the constant growth of your salvation in our lives.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
or:
Father,
you give us food from heaven.
By our sharing in this mystery
teach us to judge wisely the things of earth
and to love the things of heaven.
Grant this through Christ our Lord.
or:
Lord,
you renew us at your table with the bread of life.
May this food strengthen us in love
and help us to serve you in each other.
We ask this in the name of Jesus the Lord.
During the Easter season, the following prayers are preferred:
or:
Lord,
you have nourished us with your Easter sacraments.
fill us with your Spirit
and make us one in peace and love.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
or
Lord,
may this sharing in the sacrament of your Son
free us from our old life of sin
and make us your new creation.
We ask this in the name of Jesus the Lord.
or:
Almighty and ever-living Lord,
you restored us to life
by raising Christ from death.
Strengthen us by this Easter sacrament;
may we feel its saving power in our daily life.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
The people answer:
AmenCONCLUDING RITE
The minister invokes God’s blessing and, crossing himself or herself says:
May the Lord bless us,
protect us from all evil
and bring us to everlasting life.
or:
May the almighty and merciful God bless and protect us,
the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
The people answer:
Amen.Finally the minister says:
Go in the peace of Christ.
The people answer:
Thanks be to God.Then after the customary reverence, the minister leaves.
NOTES:
no. 19: When communion is given in a church or oratory, a corporal is to be placed on the altar, which is already covered with a cloth, and there are to be two lighted candles as a sign of reverence and festiveness. A communion plate is to be used.
When communion is given in other places, a suitable table is to be prepared and covered with a cloth; candles are also to be rpovided.
no.20: The extraordinary minister of communion should wear either the liturgical vesture that may be traditional in their region or attire that is in keeping with this ministry and has been approved by the Ordinary.
The eucharist for communion outside a church is to be carried in a pyx or other covered vessel.; the vesture of the minister and the manner of carrying the eucharist should be appropriate and in accord with local circumstances.
Texts taken from Holy Communion and Worship of the Eucharist Outside Mass English translation © 1974 International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. Published in A Ritual for Laypersons © 1993 Liturgical Press. Approved by NCCB
Scripture readings are taken from The New American Bible with Revised New Testament © 1970, 1986 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc. All rights reserved.