Dear Parishioners, On the manner of distributing and receiving Holy Communion during Mass Instructions from the Chancelry: (continued)
9. Stations for communion should not be multiplied unnecessarily. For example, it is possible for a single minister to distribute Holy Communion to two lines of the communion procession simultaneously by distributing to the left and to the right in alternation. Or, the faithful from the side aisles of the church can be asked to come to the center aisle or come from the back of the church to the front of the church to receive Holy Communion.
Communion can be brought to those who cannot approach for communion. They should be seated together in designated areas of the church, one such area or two at the most, and be given communion either first or last among all the faithful.
10. It is always possible for any communicant to receive Holy Communion under the species of wine alone, e.g. as in the case of those suffering from celiac disease.
11. If a medical condition warrants it, members of the faithful can request permission to use low-gluten hosts. Non-gluten hosts are invalid matter for the Eucharist. The diocesan bishop hereby grants pastors the faculty to permit the use of low-gluten hosts for their own parishioners upon presentation of a medical certificate attesting to the need for low-gluten hosts. Permission is granted in writing by the pastor to the person requesting the permission. One copy of the letter of permission is kept in a parish file. A second copy of the letter granting permission is submitted to the Bishop’s Office. Individual members of the lay faithful cannot begin to use low-gluten hosts on their own initiative without permission.
12. The distribution of low-gluten hosts can take place in one of two ways: a. A pyx brought by an authorized communicant with a low-gluten host also provided the communicant should be prepared before the beginning of Mass and placed on the credence table in order to be brought to the altar for consecration. During the communion procession, the minister of communion, preferably the celebrant himself, give the entire pyx, closed, to the communicant, saying “The Body of Christ”. The communicant himself or herself opens the pyx to receive communion. b. Or, if the number of communicants receiving low gluten hosts is more than one or two, a pyx with several low-gluten hosts can be prepared before Mass and consecrated. The minister, preferably the celebrant himself, can distribute the low-gluten hosts to all the communicants from that single pyx.
13. Parishes should endeavor to offer both species both species whenever possible, at least at one weekend Mass.
14. The faithful are to be instructed to bow before receiving Holy Communion under either species.
15. In the United States, communion under the species of bread is received standing on the tongue or in the hand. The faithful should be instructed periodically on how to present themselves to receive the host either on the tongue or in the hand. It is the choice of the communicant to receive either on the tongue or in the hand. Communicants cannot be refused Holy Communion for requesting to receive Holy Communion either on the tongue or in the hand. Communicants must consume the hosts in the presence, i.e. within sight, of the minister: communicants do not walk away, out of sight of the minister, before consuming the host. Communicants may not self-intinct a host in the Precious Blood.