Q: I know that a lay person who is an extraordinary minister of the Eucharist is permitted to conduct a communion service. Our pastor said canon law only allows this to take place on a day when no Mass will be celebrated and a priest is not available. He says that even on his days off a priest is technically available so we cannot have a communion service those days either. Do you know where this restriction in canon law can be found? It sounds like we can never have a communion service.
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A: I am not a canonist, so I’m unfamiliar with such details in the law. Best is to ask your pastor to give you the number of the canon from the code.
Here are some previous posts: https://paulturner.org/communion-service-2/, and https://paulturner.org/deacon-led-communion-service/, which leads you to another one.
As I understand it, weekday communion services may take place even if there is a Mass on that day, though I would not advise it. But on Sundays (including Saturday afternoon / evening) there may be no communion service in a church where there was also (or will also be) a Mass.