Q: Hi Father, sorry to bother you on such a busy week. But, as a deacon, I have a communion service I do at nursing homes three times a month. The next one is this Thursday – Holy Thursday. My question is – I am not sure of the readings for this day. Normally, I read the daily readings/gospel with a short homily and then have communion after. I also do a Rosary prior to the daily communion service followed by Devine Mercy Chaplet. I was reading the Missal, and I see two options: first is the Chrism Mass or the evening Mass for Holy Thursday. I would not read the reading from the evening Mass, so the only option would be the Chrism Mass readings. But this does not seem correct either. I am wondering if I simply do the Rosary, communion (without any readings/homily) and then have the Devine Mercy chaplet.
Your thoughts?
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A: This is the booklet you should be using for communion services: https://litpress.org/Products/8970/Communion-of-the-Sick?srsltid=AfmBOopJWqOkkcCCJ2h_TUOx-eua4OmTamBoA2uieSZbsa4ieT1h78Y9
Unless you have this liturgical book: https://ltp.org/products/details/COMRE/holy-communion-and-worship-of-the-eucharistic-mystery-outside-mass, which is also available from other publishers. Then you use the first chapter, which is the same as the only one in the booklet.
In the Roman Missal, on the first page devoted to the Mass of the Lord’s Supper, you’ll see this at number 4: “Holy Communion may only be distributed to the faithful during Mass; but it may be brought to the sick at any hour of the day.”
The only ones who may receive communion at a communion service on Holy Thursday are the sick. Neither you nor anyone else assisting may consume communion apart from the evening Mass.
You must follow the rubrics of the communion service in one of the two books I’ve mentioned at the beginning of this message. You may not replace readings with a rosary. You must do the entire liturgy. Follow the book.
You may add a rosary or divine mercy chaplet before or after the communion service, but the liturgy should be done in its entirety without interruption.
Regarding the readings, you may choose any readings. You may choose those for Holy Thursday or a gospel suggested in the ritual book.