Pre-consecrated hosts?

[SeenAndUnseen]

Our parish does not currently have a full-time priest, and neither do many of parishes in the surrounding areas. We have been celebrating the Holy Eucharist every other weekend on an arrangement worked out with a retired priest from a neighboring county -- but those weeks without the Eucharist are almost painful! :cry: Is it ever appropriate for a lay minister to distribute communion in the absence of a priest, provided the priest has consecrated it ahead of time? Just wondering.

[alban]

I believe you are referring to what is known as (in the Church of England at least) communion by extension. Let me do a little digging. Basicially i think it has to authorised by the Bishop and even then is only authorised in Parishes where it is essential.

[alban]

This is the liturgy for communion by extension in the UK. It is perhaps worth glancing over the notes etc. I don't know whether a comparable service is available in the ECUSA.

ht tp://ww w.cofe.anglican.org/worship/liturgy/commonworship/texts/other/extension/extensionfron t.html

(sorry about the spaces, but i've not enough posts to display links yet :sorry: )

[SeenAndUnseen]

Thanks alban, this is a good start. At least I know now what it is called in the CofE. If there is an equivalent in our church I can search for it based on that. :cool:

[alban]

Anytime! Do any ECUSA's know anything about this topic, as i would be intrigued to know.

[SeenAndUnseen]

Well, now that this thread is bumped up again, I should add that my efforts to find ECUSA's version of this have been futile. I tried searching the canons of the church and the hompage for ECUSA ( http://www.episcopalchurch.org/index_new.htm ), and the homepage for my diocese ( Diocese of North Carolina (http://www.episdionc.com/) ) but I can't find a single reference to indicate this is permitted in the ECUSA. If this is being done, it is a well kept secret. :cry:

[Father Rick]

Is there a deacon that can say a "Deacon's Mass"-- this is a mass led by a deacon using pre-consecrated hosts. Very similar to a 'regular' Eucharist except there is no prayers of consecration since they're not needed.

[SeenAndUnseen]

Thank you Father Rick. Searching on "Deacon's Mass" I was able to find it here:"Deacon's Mass", defined (http://www.episcopalchurch.org/19625_14161_ENG_HTM.htm)