Policy Regarding Communion Services in Place of Mass

Diocese of Honolulu Policy Regarding Communion Services in Place of Mass
[Promulgated by Bishop Larry Silva on August 21, 2007]

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DIOCESE OF HONOLULU

POLICY REGARDING COMMUNION SERVICES IN PLACE OF MASS

[Promulgated by Bishop Larry Silva on August 21, 2007]

Sundays (and Saturday Vigils)

At all parishes in the Diocese of Honolulu (and missions where a Sunday service is regularly scheduled), priests are obliged to celebrate the Eucharist in its entirety on Sundays (and Saturday Vigils). Communion services on Sundays are only permitted under the following circumstances;

• When a true emergency makes it impossible for a priest to celebrate Mass on a given weekend. If Mass is available in a neighboring parish and people can reasonably be directed there, that should be the first option. If a Communion Service is celebrated in place of Mass, it should be reported to the Bishop’s office as soon as possible.
• In prisons when a priest is not available on Sundays.
• In situations for which the Bishop gives specific written permission.

Priests are entitled to their annual vacation of one month, but before leaving their parishes, they must be sure that a priest is scheduled to celebrate the Sunday Masses.

Weekday Masses

Daily celebration of the Eucharist should be the center of the life of every priest, and many lay faithful are nourished by participation in the Eucharist during the week when they are able to attend. Therefore, weekday Masses are the norm, and Communion Services should be the rare exception. Reasons for which a Communion Service may replace the Mass on a weekday could include the following:

• If, for a good reason, no priest is available to celebrate a weekday Mass; e.g. when all the priests of the diocese are gathered in Convocation, when the majority of priests in an area are on retreat together, or when all the priests in the house of a religious congregation are away for a congregational meeting or retreat. Attempts should always be made beforehand to secure a substitute priest whenever possible.
• A true emergency that prevents the priest from celebrating Mass, such as unanticipated illness and the lack of availability of another priest.
• If a priest is alone in a parish, is away on his day off, and no other priest is available to cover for him.
• In situations for which the Bishop gives specific written permission.

Rite of Distributing Holy Communion outside Mass

Whenever a priest is legitimately not available for Mass, deacons may preside over the Rite of Distributing Holy Communion outside Mass with the Celebration of the Word. [Found in Holy Communion and Worship of the Eucharist outside Mass; or in Sunday Celebrations in the Absence of a Priest]. In the absence of deacons, pastors should carefully select and train qualified members of the lay faithful to conduct the Rite when necessary. The proper vesture in the Diocese of Honolulu is a plain alb, which is the Baptismal garment. Care should be taken to instruct the faithful that this Rite is exceptional and is not the equivalent of the celebration of the Eucharist by a priest.

Coverage for Pastoral Emergencies

Procedures should be in place at each parish for pastoral response to emergencies when the parish priest(s) is not available. Answering services that can immediately attempt to contact a priest, call-forwarding to the priest’s cell phone, or collaboration with the priests in the area are all means that may be employed.

The Office of Clergy may be able to assist in finding priests to cover not only in emergencies but while a priest is away for vacation or short-term studies.

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