Article I. On the Power of the Minister of the Eucharist

I say. The power of offering the Sacrifice of the Mass belongs only to priests (Can. 802).

§1. The ordinary minister of holy communion is the priest alone.

§2. The extraordinary minister is the deacon, with the permission of the Ordinary of the place or of the pastor, to be granted for a grave cause, which in a case of necessity is legitimately presumed (Can. 845).

The reason of the first is that Christ, instituting this sacrament, said to all and only the Apostles reclining with Him, and therefore to all and only those who would be successors to them in the priesthood: "Do this in remembrance of Me." But the reason of the second is taken from the practice of the Church, for the Council of Trent says: "It has always been the custom in the Church of God that laymen should receive communion from priests, but celebrating priests should communicate themselves." Finally, the reason of the third is drawn from the custom which obtained in the first centuries of the Church, when Deacons everywhere, by commission of Bishops or Presbyters, whether general or particular, administered the Eucharist. - Cf. Council of Trent, sess. 22, can. 2; and sess. 13, chap. 8. - St. Alphonsus, n. 237.

You Will Resolve. 1st. §1. Any priest, within Mass and, if he celebrates privately, also immediately before and immediately after, can administer holy communion, with due regard for the prescription of can. 869.

§2. Even outside Mass, any priest possesses the same faculty by at least the presumed permission of the rector of the church, if he is a stranger (Can. 846).

2nd. Holy communion is to be brought publicly to the sick, unless a just and reasonable cause advises otherwise (Can. 847).¹

§1. The right and duty of bringing holy communion publicly to the sick, even non-parishioners, outside the church, pertains to the pastor within his territory.

§2. Other priests may do this only in a case of necessity or with at least the presumed permission of the same pastor or Ordinary (Can. 848).

3rd. To bring holy communion to the sick by way of Viaticum, whether publicly or privately, pertains to the pastor according to the norm of can. 848, with due regard for the prescription of can. 397, n. 3 and can. 514, §§1-3 (Can. 850).

4th. §1. Any priest can bring communion privately to the sick, with at least the presumed permission of the priest to whom the custody of the Most Holy Sacrament has been entrusted (Can. 849).

5th. According to St. Alphonsus, devotion alone and the lack of another priest suffice for some priest to be able to administer the Eucharist to himself. Indeed, the opinion which permits even a layman to administer it both to himself and to another dying person, provided true necessity is present, seems not to be altogether improbable. - Cf. St. Alphonsus, n. 237. - Lehmkuhl, n. 136.

6th. After the decree Sacra Tridentina Synodus, the law by which it is prohibited that on Easter Day, in non-parochial churches, especially regular churches, the sacrament of the Most Holy Eucharist be administered to the faithful even for a cause of devotion, is no longer to be observed. - Sacred Congregation of the Council, 28 Nov. 1912.

¹ Cf. Addenda, p. 1148, n. 121.