ARTICLE 1:
THE MINISTER OF THE BLESSED EUCHARIST
Can.
900 §1 The only minister who, in the person of Christ, can bring into being the
sacrament of the Eucharist, is a validly ordained priest.
§2 Any
priest who is not debarred by canon law may lawfully celebrate the Eucharist,
provided the provisions of the following canons are observed.
Can.
901 A priest is entitled to offer Mass for anyone, living or dead.
Can.
902 Unless the benefit of Christ's faithful requires or suggests otherwise,
priests may concelebrate the Eucharist; they are, however, fully entitled to
celebrate the Eucharist individually, but not while a celebration is taking
place in the same church or oratory.
Can.
903 A priest is to be permitted to celebrate the Eucharist, even if he is not
known to the rector of the church, provided either that he presents
commendatory letters, not more than a year old, from his own Ordinary or
Superior, or that it can be prudently judged that he is not debarred from
celebrating.
Can.
904 Remembering always that in the mystery of the eucharistic Sacrifice the
work of redemption is continually being carried out, priests are to celebrate
frequently. Indeed, daily celebration is earnestly recommended, because, even
if it should not be possible to have the faithful present, it is an action of
Christ and of the Church in which priests fulfil their principal role.
Can.
905 §1 Apart from those cases in which the law allows him to celebrate or
concelebrate the Eucharist a number of times on the same day, a priest may not
celebrate more than once a day.
§2 If there
is a scarcity of priests, the local Ordinary may for a good reason allow
priests to celebrate twice in one day or even, if pastoral need requires it,
three times on Sundays or holydays of obligation.
Can.
906 A priest may not celebrate the eucharistic Sacrifice without the
participation of at least one of the faithful, unless there is a good and
reasonable cause for doing so.
Can.
907 In the celebration of the Eucharist, deacons and lay persons are not permitted
to say the prayers, especially the eucharistic prayer, nor to perform the
actions which are proper to the celebrating priest.
Can.
908 Catholic priests are forbidden to concelebrate the Eucharist with priests
or ministers of Churches or ecclesial communities which are not in full
communion with the catholic Church.
Can.
909 A priest is not to omit dutifully to prepare himself by prayer before the
celebration of the Eucharist, nor afterwards to omit to make thanksgiving to
God.
Can.
910 §1 The ordinary minister of holy communion is a Bishop, a priest or a
deacon.
§2 The
extraordinary minister of holy communion is an acolyte, or another of Christ's
faithful deputed in accordance with can. 230 §3.
Can.
911 §1 The duty and right to bring the blessed Eucharist to the sick as
Viaticum belongs to the parish priest, to assistant priests, to chaplains and,
in respect of all who are in the house, to the community Superior in clerical
religious institutes or societies of apostolic life.
§2 In a
case of necessity, or with the permission at least presumed of the parish
priest, chaplain or Superior, who must subsequently be notified, any priest or
other minister of holy communion must do this.
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