Communion to the Sick

Communion to the Sick in the home by an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion

INTRODUCTORY RITES Greeting The Minister greets the sick person and others present.

Minister: Peace be to this house and to all who live in it.

The Minister then places the Blessed Sacrament on the table and all join in adoration.

Penitential Act The Minister invites the sick person and all present to join in the Penitential Act, using these or similar words:

Minister: My brothers and sisters, to prepare ourselves for this celebration, let us call to mind our sins.

Or: My brothers and sisters,

let us turn with confidence to the Lord and ask his forgiveness for all our sins.

After a period of silence, the Penitential Act continues with one of the following: All say together:

All: I confess to almighty God and to you, my brothers and sisters, that I have greatly sinned, in my thoughts and in my words, in what I have done and in what I have failed to do, And striking their breast, they say:

through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault;

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Then they continue:

therefore I ask to blessed Mary ever-Virgin, all the Angels and Saints, and you, my brothers and sisters, to pray for me to the Lord our God.

Or:

Minister: Have mercy on us, O Lord.

People: For we have sinned against you.

Minister: Show us, O Lord, your mercy.

People: And grant us your salvation.

Or:

Minister: You have brought us to salvation by your paschal mystery: Lord, have mercy.

People: Lord, have mercy.

Minister: You renew us by the wonders of your passion: Christ, have mercy.

People: Christ, have mercy.

Minister: You gave us your body to make us one with your Easter sacrifice: Lord, have mercy.

People: Lord, have mercy.

The Minister concludes the Penitential Act with the following:

Minister: May almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins and bring us to everlasting life.

People: Amen.

LITURGY OF THE WORD Reading The Word of God is proclaimed by one of these present or by the Minister. The reading be selected from the Mass of the Day, from some other part of the Lectionary, from the ritual book Pastoral Care of the Sick or one of the following may be used:

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John 6:51

Jesus says: ‘I am the living bread which has come down from heaven.

Anyone who eats this bread will live for ever; and the bread that I shall give is my flesh, for the life of the world.’

Or:

John 6:54-58

Jesus says: ‘Anyone who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I shall raise him up on the last day.

For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink.

He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood lives in me and I live in him.

As I, who am sent by the living Father, myself draw life from the Father, so whoever eats me will draw life from me.

This is the bread come down from heaven; not like the bread our ancestors ate: they are dead.

But anyone who eats this bread will live for ever.’

Or:

John 14:6

Jesus says: ‘I am the Way, the Truth and the Life.

No one can come to the Father except through me.’

Or:

John 14:23

If anyone loves me he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we shall come to him and make our home with him.

Or:

John 14:27

Peace I bequeath to you, my own peace I give you, a peace the world cannot give, this is my gift to you.

Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid.

Or:

John 15:4

Make your home in me, as I make mine in you.

As a branch cannot bear fruit all by itself, but must remain part of the vine, neither can you unless you remain in me.

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Or:

John 15:5

Jesus says: ‘I am the vine, you are the branches.

Whoever remains in me, with me in him, bears fruit in plenty; for cut off from me you can do nothing.’

Or:

1 Corinthians 11:26

Until the Lord comes, every time you eat this bread and drink this cup, you are proclaiming his death.

Or:

1 John 4:16

We ourselves have known and put our faith in God’s love towards ourselves.

God is love and anyone who lives in love lives in God, and God lives in him.

Response A brief period of silence may be observed after the reading of the Word of God. The Minister may then give a brief explanation of the reading, applying it to the needs of the sick person and those who are looking after him or her.

General Intercessions The General Intercessions may be said. With a brief introduction the Minister invites all those present to pray. After the intercessions, the Ministers says the concluding prayer. If possible the intentions may be announced by someone other than the Minister.

LITURGY OF HOLY COMMUNION The Lord’s Prayer The Minister introduces the Lord’s Prayer in these or similar words:

Minister: Now let us pray as Christ the Lord has taught us: All say:

All: Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

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Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

Communion

The Minister shows the Blessed Sacrament to those present, saying:

Minister: Behold the Lamb of God, behold him who takes away the sins of the world.

Blessed are those who are called to the supper of the Lamb.

The sick person and all who are to receive communion say:

People:

Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the word and my soul shall be healed.

The Minister goes to the sick person and, showing the Blessed Sacrament, says:

Minister: The Body of Christ. (Or: The Blood of Christ.)

The sick person answers Amen and receives communion.

Others present who wish to receive communion then do so in the usual way.

After the conclusion of the rite, the Minister cleanses the vessel.

Silent Prayer Then a period of silence may be observed.

Prayer after Communion The Minister says a Concluding Prayer. One of the following may be used:

Minister: Let us pray.

There is a pause for silent prayer, if this has not preceded.

People:

God our Father, almighty and eternal, we confidently call upon you, that the body (and blood) of Christ which our brother (sister) has received may bring him (her) lasting health in mind and body.

We ask this through Christ our Lord.

Amen.

Or:

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Minister: Lord, we give thanks for these holy mysteries which bring to us here on earth a share in the life to come, through Christ our Lord.

People: Amen.

Or:

Minister: Lord, you have nourished us with one bread from heaven.

Fill us with your Spirit, and make us one in peace and love.

We ask this through Christ our Lord.

People: Amen.

 CONCLUDING RITE Blessing The Minister invokes God’s blessing and makes the sign of the cross on himself or herself, while saying one of the following:

Minister: May the Lord bless us, protect us from all evil, and bring us to everlasting life.

People: Amen.

Or:

Minister: May the almighty and merciful God bless and protect us, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

People: Amen.

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 Communion to the Sick in a Hospital by an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion This shorter Rite is to be used when communion is given in different rooms of the same building, such as a hospital.

Elements taken from the ordinary rite may be added according to circumstances.

Antiphon The rite may begin in the church or chapel or in the first room, where the minister says one of the following antiphons:

Minister: How holy this feast in which Christ is our food: his passion is recalled, grace fills our hearts, and we receive a pledge of the glory to come.

Or:

Minister: How gracious you are, Lord: your gift of bread from heaven reveals a Father’s love and brings us perfect joy.

You fill the hungry with good things and send away empty the rich in their pride.

Or:

Minister: Body of Jesus, born of the Virgin Mary, body bowed in agony, raised upon the cross and offered for us in sacrifice, body pierced and flowing with blood and water. come at the hour of our death as our living bread, the foretaste of eternal glory: come, Lord Jesus, loving and gracious Son of Mary.

Or:

Minister: I am the living bread come down from heaven.

If you eat this bread you will live for ever.

The bread I will give is my flesh for the life of the world.

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Communion Then the minister may be escorted by someone carrying a candle.

The Minister says to all the sick people in the same room or to each communicant individually:

Minister: Behold the Lamb of God, behold him who takes away the sins of world.

Blessed are those called to the supper of the Lamb.

The one who is to receive communion then says once:

Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the word and my soul shall be healed.

The Minister goes to the sick person and, showing the Blessed Sacrament, says:

Minister: The Body of Christ. (Or: The Blood of Christ.)

The sick person answers Amen and receives communion.

Concluding Prayer The rite is concluded with a prayer which may be said in the church or chapel or in the last room:

Minister: Let us pray.

Pause for silent prayer.

God our Father, almighty and eternal. we confidently call upon you, that the body (and blood) of Christ which our brother (sister) has received may bring him (her) lasting health in mind and body.

We ask this through Christ our Lord.

People: Amen.

The blessing is omitted and the Minister cleanses the vessel as usual.

Concordat cum originale: Martin Foster.

Imprimatur:  Peter Smith, Archbishop of Southwark, 21st March 2017.

Published 2017, layout, design © 2017 the Incorporated Catholic Truth Society, London SE11 5AY. Extracts from Holy Communion and Worship of the Eucharist outside Mass © 1974, International Commission on English in the Liturgy Corporation (ICEL).

Excerpts from The Roman Missal © 2010, ICEL. All rights reserved.

The text of scripture readings used is taken from The Jerusalem Bible, © 1966 by Darton, Longman and Todd Ltd., and Doubleday and Company Inc. Used with permission.

CTS CTS Code: PC 103-P

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