ARTICLE I: ON THE POWER OF THE MINISTER OF THE EUCHARIST

The Minister of the Eucharist is twofold, namely one of Consecration, the other of distribution.

1287. Principles. - I. Every priest, and only a priest, is the Minister of confecting the Eucharist. It is established 1° from Scripture: for Christ, instituting the Sacrament, said to all and only the Apostles reclining with him, and therefore to all and only those who were to succeed them in the priesthood: Do this in commemoration of me;² therefore all and only priests received this power from Christ; 2° from Trent;³ 3° finally from the universal and perpetual tradition of the Church.

II. Priests alone, or presbyters, are the ordinary Ministers of the distribution of the Eucharist. It is established 1° from Trent,⁴ where it is said: "It has always been the custom in the Church of God, that laymen should receive Communion from priests, but priests celebrating should communicate themselves"; 2° from the universal practice of the Church.

III. Deacons, by force of their ordination, are extraordinary Ministers of the Eucharist, so that the distribution of this Sacrament can be committed to them from a sufficient cause; which commission, at least tacit, is certainly altogether necessary for the lawfulness of this act outside the case of extreme necessity, and indeed for public and solemn administration. It is established 1° from the practice of the first centuries, in which deacons everywhere, by commission of Bishops or presbyters, whether general or particular, ministered the Eucharist; 2° from various Councils, e.g. Nicaea I, general, Carthage IV, etc.¹

IV. By ordinary right the Pastor alone, or his Superior, can distribute the Eucharist. For jurisdiction is required for this, not indeed for the validity of the act, as in absolution, but for due order in ministering. It is established 1° from the Councils, especially Carthage I,² and Milevis,³ etc.; ... 2° from the universal practice of the Church. Hence he who without the license, at least presumed, of the Pastor ministers the Eucharist, violates his right in a grave matter, and therefore sins gravely. Nevertheless, when the Pastor grants to others license of celebrating in his Church, he is always judged to grant license also of ministering the Eucharist, unless he express the contrary; this also is confirmed by common practice.⁴

Nevertheless license is not so easily to be presumed, if there is question of receiving the Eucharist from obligation.⁵ Wherefore as regards Paschal Communion, custom will have to be observed; likewise to minister Viaticum outside the case of necessity without the license of the Pastor is illicit.

But the First Communion of children is not of parochial right. Nevertheless diocesan statutes will have to be observed, or also legitimate custom, if perhaps somewhere it has the force of law.⁶

The aforesaid dispositions of common law concerning parochial rights do not pertain to us, except insofar as the statute of the Bishop or prudence prescribes them. See n. 1138.

1288. Questions. - Query 1° In order that a deacon may minister, must the necessity be extreme?

Resp. Negatively, with the common sentence; but grave necessity suffices, namely when no priest is present who can conveniently minister the Eucharist. And in extreme necessity, when a priest is absent, he is held to minister Viaticum.¹

Query 2° Whether, or in what circumstances, Religious can minister the most holy Eucharist?

Resp. See n. 1200. E). F).