Cathal BarryCathal Barry investigates whether the distribution of Holy Communion is appropriate at weekday celebrations
The declining number of priests in Ireland has led to fewer weekday Masses in many parishes here.
One response to the situation mooted has been weekday celebrations of the Word with distribution of Holy Communion. However, the jury is out on whether the Church should permit such services.
Speaking to The Irish Catholic, Fr Michael Mullaney, Professor of Canon Law at St Patrick’s College, Maynooth, said that, based on the law and documents of the Church, “the conditions which would justify having weekday communion services currently do not exist in Ireland”.
Weekday communion services “cannot appeal to custom for their continued justification”, Prof. Mullaney said, as “such practice would not meet the criteria for custom outline” in Church law.
“Any such practice of weekday celebration in Ireland at this time would be contrary to good pastoral practice,” the canon lawyer said.
Referencing various Church documents including the Directory for Sunday Celebrations in the Absence of a Priest (1998) and the instruction Redemptionis Sacramentum, Fr Mullaney said the Church “does not envisage weekday communion services as regular or routine.
“The weekday communion service is not intended as a substitute for the Mass on a priest’s day off or while he is on holidays or away on retreat.”
Similarly, this form of celebration “is not envisaged when Mass is celebrated in another church in the parish or in a nearby church or when Mass is celebrated in the parish on the previous or following Sunday”, he added.
Conditions
Fr Tom Whelan, CSSp, a prominent specialist in liturgy, “thoroughly agrees” with Fr Mullaney’s assessment that the conditions Church law requires for the distribution of Holy Communion as part of a weekday liturgy do not yet exist in Ireland.
He said the distribution of Holy Communion as part of a weekday liturgy should be “discouraged rather than encouraged”.
Instead, Fr Whelan suggested the Church look at how laypeople could lead alternative weekday celebrations.
Such celebrations include the liturgy of the Word, the liturgy of the Hours and short exposition of the Blessed Sacrament with prayers. Other options include sacramentals such as the Stations of the Cross, the rosary and other approved public prayers.
“The most appropriate short-term pastoral solution is not to be found in the distribution of Communion on weekdays purely on the grounds that people are used to daily Mass,” Fr Whelan said.
Reflection
“There is a hegemony of opinion which supports this practice, and to which, unfortunately, people subscribe without any prior thought or critical reflection.
“The best pastoral practice would be to assist communities to understand the difference between this form of service and Eucharistic celebration, and to do all that can be done to facilitate communities to become places of communal prayer daily,” he said.
Not everyone The Irish Catholic spoke to was in agreement, however.
Martina Meskell of Seeds of Hope, the group which challenged the introduction of the permanent diaconate in the Diocese of Killaloe, maintains weekday Communion services are an “appropriate response” to the shortage of priests the Church in Ireland is facing.
“People want access to the Eucharist and, let’s face it, in the future priests just aren’t going to be there to provide it.
“This crisis isn’t something we are facing in 10 years’ time. Parishes are experiencing the shortage now,” she said.
Mrs Meskell called on Church authorities to make available the “appropriate resources” to train lay people to lead such Communion services during the week.
“People have a desire to receive Communion in their own parishes. There is no reason we can’t identity, train and form lay people so that they can provide that.
“Reality is needed now and I hope the Church will realise that,” she said.
Fr Gerry Alwill, a member of the Association of Catholic Priest’s leadership team, said he “shudders when he hears canon law being quoted when it comes to decisions on these services”.
Speaking in a personal capacity, Fr Alwill said that, while he was “not totally opposed” to the idea of weekday Communion services, he “would like to see other ideas explored first.
“Ideally the true Eucharistic service is the Mass and other services are only really there if we are stuck,” he said.
Calling instead for a redefinition of priesthood as we currently know it, Fr Alwill suggested that a “loosening” of the Church’s interpretation of its celibacy rules would make the priesthood more available, and in turn, lead to more Masses.
So, is there a situation in which Church law would allow for the distribution of Holy Communion as part of a weekday liturgy?
Prof. Mullaney notes that one occasion the Church might permit could be a Communion service at a funeral in a parish when no priest is available or a communal distribution of Communion on first Fridays in a nursing home.
Ultimately, the competence to decide this matter is the responsibly of the diocesan bishop.
“It can be done but there must be the proper consultation and catechesis around it and it must be regulated by the bishop,” Prof. Mullaney said.
In the event that the bishop permits Holy Communion to be distributed at these gatherings, Fr Mullaney insisted the bishop must lay down general and particular norms for such celebrations.
“The diocesan bishop must issue general or particular diocesan norms or implement the norms of the Episcopal Conference, if they exist,” he said.
Norms
Such norms are not currently in place in Ireland. However, until such norms appear, the universal norms apply.
So, as Frs Mullaney and Whelan have concluded, in the view of the law and the documents of the Church, the conditions which would justify having weekday communion services currently do not exist in Ireland.
Others might disagree, but either way, action needs to be taken to clarify the situation.
