Reservation and Adoration of the Most Holy Eucharist

Questions should be directed to the Department for Worship, 412.456.3041

Background

The Catholic Church takes the utmost care in all matters concerning the sacrament of the Body and Blood of Christ, the Most Holy Eucharist. In addition to the celebration of Mass and the reception of Holy Communion outside the Mass, liturgical and canonical law sets out how this Most Blessed Sacrament is to be securely reserved and appropriately adored.

From time to time, pastors and others of the diocesan faithful have requested clarifications concerning one or another point of Catholic practice in this regard. It therefore seemed appropriate for the Diocese of Pittsburgh to review the norms of universal law and to set forth the standards of practice for our local church. The policy is presented in seven sections, with an additional policy concerning the concept of “pious associations”. The topics are:

I. The Reservation of the Most Blessed Sacrament
II. Adoration of the Most Blessed Sacrament (including “perpetual” adoration in the tabernacle)
III. Exposition of the Most Blessed Sacrament for brief period (i.e., for less than day)
IV. Exposition of the Most Blessed Sacrament for longer periods (i.e., from one to three days)
V. Processions with the Most Blessed Sacrament
VI. Eucharistic Exposition outside of Churches, Oratories and Chapels
VII. Perpetual Exposition of the Most Blessed Sacrament
VIII. Pious Associations

Official Notification

The following policy statements are based and have been reviewed by various consultative bodies and approved by the Diocesan Bishop.

They are applicable in all churches, oratories, and chapels in the Diocese of Pittsburgh.

Definitions:

Church: A sacred building designated for public worship to which all the faithful have a rite of access (i.e., the cathedral and parish churches).

Oratory: A place designated by permission of the Diocesan Bishop for Divine worship for the benefit of some community or assembly of the faithful who gather there; other members of the faithful may also have access to it with the consent of the competent superior.

Private Chapel: A place designated for divine worship for the advantage of one or several persons with the permission of the Diocesan Bishop.

Religious House: A house of a religious institute erected by the competent Authority according to the constitutions of that religious Institute with the previous written consent of the Diocesan
Bishop. Each house is to have at least an oratory in which the Eucharist is celebrated and reserved so that it truly is the center of the community.

Tabernacle: The receptacle in a church or oratory for the reservation of the Most Blessed Sacrament outside of Mass.

I-The Reservation of the Most Blessed Sacrament

I.A. The Most Holy Eucharist is to be reserved in the cathedral church, every parish church, and the appropriate church or oratory connected with the house of a religious institute or society of apostolic life.

I.B. Reservation in other chapels or oratories requires the permission of the Diocesan Bishop.

I.C. The Most Holy Eucharist is never to be reserved in any place that has not been authorized.

I.D. The prescriptions of the liturgical books are to be followed in all that pertains to the reservation, handling, and the worship of the Most Holy Eucharist.

I.E. In all churches, oratories, and private chapels, there is to be only one tabernacle, Conforming to law as to construction, placement, and security, for the habitual reservation of the Most Holy Eucharist.

· The tabernacle is to be solid, immovable, opaque, and locked.
· The person responsible for the church or oratory is to take care that the tabernacle key is safeguarded.

I.E. In religious houses, the Bishop can, for a just cause, permit Eucharistic reservation in an alternate oratory of the same house.

II-Adoration of the Most Blessed Sacrament

II.A. Adoration of the Most Holy Eucharist in the tabernacle is strongly encouraged in all places where the Blessed Sacrament is legitimately reserved.

II.B. This adoration may be perpetual, with due regard for security and for the normal liturgical and pastoral life of the community.

II.C. Adoration of the Most Holy Eucharist outside the tabernacle (i.e., Eucharistic exposition) must follow the norms set forth in the policies that follow (III, IV and V).

III-Exposition of the Most Blessed Sacrament for Brief Periods

III.A. In all churches and oratories where the Most Holy Eucharist is legitimately Reserved, exposition of the Most Holy Eucharist in the pyx, ciborium, or Monstrance for a brief period of time (that is, for less than a day) is encouraged if suitable numbers of the faithful can be present.

III.B. Opportunities for such exposition should be planned throughout the year, especially in relation to special feasts and seasons of the liturgical calendar, in relation to special feasts and seasons of the liturgical calendar, and may occur monthly or even weekly.
· Exposition for several hours (but not more than a day) may occur monthly or even as often as once a week.
· Exposition for a holy hour may occur more frequently.
· Exposition for longer periods must observe Policy IV, below.

III.C. During the exposition, the norms of the Roman Ritual, Holy Communion and Worship of the Eucharist Outside Mass, Chapter III, must be observed regarding the object and content of public prayer. The period should include sufficient time for silent reflection, as well as for prayers, songs, and readings, including a homily or brief exhortation to lead the faithful to the worship of Christ the Lord.

III.D. Exposition may not take place during the celebration of Mass in the same church (unless in a separate chapel).

III.D.1. If the period of exposition both precedes and follows the Mass, a simple reposition of the Most Blessed Sacrament in the tabernacle takes place before the Mass begins. This is permitted up to twice in the same day.

III.E. No exposition of the Most Holy Eucharist is permitted during the Easter Triduum, that is, from immediately before the Evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Holy Thursday until after the Mass of the Easter Vigil on Holy Saturday. This includes the period of adoration immediately following the the Evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper. This norm applies even in those communities authorized to observe perpetual exposition of most Holy Eucharist.

III.F. Exposition held simply for the giving of benediction is prohibited.

IV. Exposition of the Most Blessed Sacrament for Longer Periods

IV.A In each parish and religious house, it is recommended that there be an annual solemn exposition of the Most Blessed Sacrament for a more extended period of time (from one to three days), but only if a suitable gathering of the faithful is foreseen.

IV.A. If uninterrupted exposition is not possible because of too few Worshippers, the Blessed Sacrament may be replaced in the tabernacle during periods that have been scheduled and announced beforehand-but not more than twice a day.

IV.B. Any public prayer during the period of exposition must observe the directives found in Policy III.C., above

IV.C. When Mass is to be celebrated in the same church, the exposition must be interrupted as indicated in Policy III.D., above

IV.D. Where pastoral circumstances recommend it, such an extended period of exposition may be scheduled up to four times during the year.

V-Processions with the Most Blessed Sacrament

V.A. In the case of solemn Eucharistic processions (that is, leaving church property to move through the streets), it is for the Bishop to judge whether and how this is to be done in particular circumstances.

V.A.I. Requests for permission addressed to the Diocesan Bishop, should indicate the proposed date, time, place, route to be followed, and order of the rite.

V.B. On such occasions, it is preferable that the procession originate in one church and go to another, although, when unavoidable, it may return to the same church where it began.

V.C. In the course of the procession, the Eucharistic blessing may be given at specified stations along the way; however, the procession is to conclude in a church with the rite of benediction followed by the reposition of the Most Blessed Sacrament.

VI-Eucharistic Exposition outside of Churches Oratories and Chapels
VI.A. Apart from authorized processions, Eucharistic exposition outside of churches, chapels, and oratories where the Most Blessed Sacrament is regularly reserved is not permitted.

VI.B. In rare circumstances, and for the benefit of a large portion of the faithful, the Bishop may grant particular exceptions to this norm.

VI.B. I. Requests for such extraordinary permission, addressed to the Diocesan Bishop, should indicate the proposed date, place liturgical arrangements, participants, and specific pastoral purpose of the event.

VII-Perpetual Exposition of the Most Blessed Sacrament

VII.A. Church law permits perpetual exposition of the Most Holy Eucharist only to communities of religious that have this devotion as an integral part of their communal life.

VII.B. Perpetual exposition is also permitted to a pious association of the laity that has received official recognition and includes perpetual adoration as part of its constitution.

VII.C. In the case of an officially recognized lay association, the group’s activities should be understood as separate from that of a parish, although parish members are free to participate in them.

VII.D. As a devotional practice of a specified religious community or lay association, perpetual exposition is not to take place in a parish church but rather in an authorized chapel of the community or association.

VII.E. Exposition must be suspended for the Easter Triduum, that is, from before the time of the Evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Holy Thursday until after the Mass of the Easter Vigil. This includes the period of adoration immediately following the Evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper.

NOTE: Since Church law speaks of the possibility that the practice of perpetual exposition of the Most Blessed Sacrament may be permitted in the case of formally established lay associations that have this devotion as part of their constitution; it seems helpful to add the following policy. It is a general statement that is applicable to all the Christian faithful.

VIII-Pious Associations of the Faithful

VIII.A. With permission of the competent ecclesiastical authority, pious associations of the Christian faithful may be established.

VIII.B. In keeping with the apostolic exhortation Christifideles Laici (no. 30) and canon 298, the clear and definite criteria for discerning and recognizing such groups are their:

a. Commitment to the universal call to holiness, that is, the more intimate unity between faith and everyday life:
b. Fidelity to, and promotion of, the Catholic faith and public worship;
c. Strong and authentic communion with the Pope and the local Bishop;
d. Conformity with, and participation in, the apostolic goals of the whole Church; and,
e. Commitment to animation of the temporal order with the Christian spirit through their presence and activity.

VIII.C. Pious associations of the Christian faithful are recognized in the Church when the competent authority has approved the status of the association. The competent authority has approved the statutes of the association. The competent authority in the diocese is the Diocesan Bishop.

VIII.C.1 Since the process of approval is rather extensive, groups seeking such recognition will find it helpful to consult with the Department for Canon and Civil Law Services before preparing any statutes or constitution.