Services of the Word and Holy Communion

[JohnM]

I'm begining work on an MA dissertation on the subject of weekday "Services of the Word and Holy Communion" and wondered whether any one may be able to assist with references for bibliography.

Of particular interest to me is establishing the history of such services; it seems that in part they must trace their roots back to the increasing emphasis on frequent communion, especially Pius X, and I understand that before the reforms following the council it was not uncommon for communion to be distributed either before weekday mass (for those who couldn't stay) or at devotions (especially novenas, possibly following exposition), but haven't found any documentary support for this. Similarly, there seems to be very little written describing how the practice arose in its current form; is anyone aware of accounts of this development?

In addition to the history, if anyone is aware of any documents, articles, etc., commenting on the practice I would be interested in these too.

Thanks for your help.

[musicus]

Welcome to the forum, John.

I am sure that someone here will be able to help.

[Southern Comfort]

I'm begining work on an MA dissertation on the subject of weekday "Services of the Word and Holy Communion" and wondered whether any one may be able to assist with references for bibliography.

Of particular interest to me is establishing the history of such services; it seems that in part they must trace their roots back to the increasing emphasis on frequent communion, especially Pius X, and I understand that before the reforms following the council it was not uncommon for communion to be distributed either before weekday mass (for those who couldn't stay) or at devotions (especially novenas, possibly following exposition), but haven't found any documentary support for this. Similarly, there seems to be very little written describing how the practice arose in its current form; is anyone aware of accounts of this development?

In addition to the history, if anyone is aware of any documents, articles, etc., commenting on the practice I would be interested in these too.

Thanks for your help.

Hello, John

It was actually not all that common for Communion to be distributed outside Mass before the Council (although it did happen), and indeed the Church's basic attitude was one of discouragement right up until 1973.

The best treatment of the somewhat scanty historical evidence that I know of is to be found in Chapter 5 ("Holy Communion outside Mass") of Nathan Mitchell's magisterial book Cult and Controversy: The Worship of the Eucharist Outside Mass, Pueblo/Liturgical Press 1982/1990, a book which ought to be required reading for all interested in liturgical matters. If you will PM me with an e-mail address, I will send you some other documentation, too.

[old barmaid]

I have no documentary evidence but from memory, I can clearly remember Communion being given outside Mass.
I think the service was similar to the way Communion was given to the sick. It began with the recitation of the Confiteor
as was then the practice before Communion during Mass.
In the late fifties I spent a year teaching at a girls' boarding school in Portugal ( not run by a religious order). Every
weekday morning the chaplain, who had a city centre parish in Lisbon, drove out to the school to hold a Communion service
at about 8.a.m. I also remember such services in this country after Holy Hour or Rosary and Benediction.

[Southern Comfort]

I think the more usual practice in this country (and it was still not widespread) was for the priest to communicate himself and the server only, and then immediately after Mass was over to communicate everyone else, including the extra numbers who had turned up at the end of Mass just for this. But those are just my personal recollections, too.

[presbyter]

Jimmy Crichton must say something about this somewhere - surely! (Nowhere near my books - sorry)

John - I'd be interested to know that if in your research, you find these services are taking place when really there is no need for them (i.e. they are taking place when the people who attend would have an opportunity of celebrating Mass in another, nearby church).

Within a mile and a half radius of me, there are ten weekday Masses celebrated at various times. Within a two and a half mile radius, there are over twenty. Yet if I am away, someone always asks about the possibility of having such a service, to which my answer is "No". I have to explain that such a service only takes place if the faithful cannot attend Mass ....... and that the person can indeed attend Mass by means of a short bus ride.

[VML]

At Coloma Teaching College (now the Emmaus Centre at Wickham Court, West Wickham,) in 1965 in the newly completed chapel, Holy Communion was available at the end of morning lectures, when it was assumed we could have been fasting from food the then required three hours. There would have been the convent Mass at 7 am. This availability (and encouragement to students) would presumably not be possible now as you cannot have a SWAC when there is Mass the same day.

[John Ainslie]

I think the service was similar to the way Communion was given to the sick. It began with the recitation of the Confiteor as was then the practice before Communion during Mass.

Yes, that's correct. In fact, the rite of Communion for the Sick was imported into the Pius V Missal as an afterthought after its original publication in 1570. This says something about the infrequency of Communion by the laity at that time, and of its disjuncture from the Mass.

I recall that in the 50s Communion was given before early morning Mass to those nuns who had to dash off at the 'Pater noster' to wake the girls in their boarding school - that is, when the girls weren't obliged to attend Mass themselves. Communion at any other time of the day was rare because of the fasting rules.

[mcb]

John, what were you doing in a girls' boarding school before early morning Mass in the 1950s? Enquiring minds want to know. (And the Catholic Herald. )

[presbyter]

on the subject of weekday "Services of the Word and Holy Communion"

Are you not going to have a go at Sundays too? Where does SWAC (thank you VML for this innovative acronym) replace Sunday Mass now?

I have just remembered that in the mid 1980s I was press-ganged into a Cathedral choir to sing at a Nuptial Mass (not my own Cathedral, I hasten to add). The Bride and Groom received Holy Communion but other RCs present were instructed to wait until after Mass / Signing of the Register / exit of newly-weds - should they wish to receive. This was a

[VML]

Sorry Presbyter, it's a hideous acronym that was used by a forces chaplain who was covering our parish four years ago. (He also said, 'Surely nobody has Midnight Mass,' and 'Nobody washes feet any more!' But that's OT.)
Should really be SWaHC...

[JohnM]

Thank you everyone for your replies so far - all very helpful.

Southern Comfort - Thank-your for the Nathan Mitchell reference, it is very helpful on the long history (going back to Justin Martyr c.150AD) aswell as a little of the more recent, and I echo your recommendation for anyone who is interested in the area in general.

Presbyter - I'm going to try to avoid the statistical/survey type questions, e.g. precise context in which these service are taking place as I am more interested in the theology and there is only so much that will fit into a dissertation; so I will probably not be able to answer your question about whether such service occur within easy distance of churches where Mass will be said - sorry.

- My focus is going to be on weekday services, not Sundays, because it seems to me that there is a significant difference in the two practices; in brief the Sunday celebration is the focus of a community's life, coming together to celebrate the day of resurrection as has happened throughout the Church's history, the weekday service is oriented to this but to much greater extent a devotional practice (there is no weekday obligation).

Thanks again for all your contribution and please keep them coming!

[Southern Comfort]

Are you not going to have a go at Sundays too? Where does SWAC (thank you VML for this innovative acronym) replace Sunday Mass now?

In the US, they seem to refer to SWAP (Sunday Worship in the Absence of a Priest). In several European countries, they talk about Sunday Celebration in Anticipation of a Priest, which I think is rather nice.

Several dioceses seem to have banned Word and Communion on Sundays as a regular alternative to Sunday Mass. I certainly know of one priest who would schedule Sunday Mass and Word and Communion on the same morning, because he had to go off and cover for someone else instead of doing Mass no. 2. This sort of thing now seems to be forbidden ─ i.e. regularly scheduling Word and Communion instead of Sunday Mass, rather than encouraging people to go somewhere else for a Sunday Mass.

English dioceses still talk about CWAC (Celebration of Word and Communion), despite the fact that English Bishops (and Redemptionis Sacramentum) seem to indicate that this is an emergency situation for Sundays, not a regular thing.

[presbyter]

'Nobody washes feet any more!'

You mean you had a forces chaplain who had very smelly feet?

Thank you John for delineating the bounds of your research. Your interest in the theology - will that touch on the formation/training of EMHCs (and even Permanent Deacons) who preside at SWaHC? Possibly also the root of the desire for SWaHC? There are other ways of praying together, in which Christ is truly present, without the need for Communion. Why do the faithful think they need Communion on a weekday - when it is divorced from the Liturgy of the Eucharist? After all, Communion isn't a commodity that's kept locked in the tabernacle, to be distributed according to a community's fancy. The Lord is reserved for adoration and for distribution, if necessary, to the sick. (.....and come to that, Mass isn't a commodity that's put on according to a community's fancy either)

Why am I asking about formation and EMHCs? I did come across an EMHC, several years ago now, presiding at a SWaHC in which he was not only distributing Communion - he'd also put out the exposition host in the Monstrance - and he was giving benediction!! (I don't think his p.p. knew)

[presbyter]

AND..... I've come across EMHC and Deacons who will take 30 - 50 minutes over a weekday SWaHC whereas a weekday Mass (with little homily, prayer of the faithful, moments of silence etc) takes 25 minutes. What do these people think they are getting up to? (Well, I think the man I mentioned above thought he'd been ordained in petto and his ministry had gone to his head)