Eucharistic Visitors -- St. Mary's, El Dorado, AR -- Procedure

At minimum a communion kit contains:
a small round bread box called a "pyx,"
a small bottle for the wine,
a miniature chalice.
a corporal
a couple of purificators
It may also contain a plate for the bread, called a "paten." (This item is not necessary; the Bread may be administered out of the pyx.)

You should also have, along with the kit, sufficient copies of the Service Leaflet with you for yourself and those who will be participating.

1. Before the service from which you will go to make your visit(s)
a. Contact the person you plan to visit to be sure they will be expecting you.
b. Be sure that the pyx (little bread box) and bottle from your communion kit have wafers and wine in them sufficient for your visit(s).
c. Place them, uncovered, on the credence table before the particular service when you will be commissioned.

2. The Commissioning
a. After you receive communion remain near the sanctuary
b. When the priest finishes clearing the alter, step to the center of the gateway facing the Altar. (Don't wait for the priest, he may be distracted at this point).
c. The priest will deliver your pyx and bottle to you with the words of commissioning before the postcommunion thanksgiving. Take them and leave through a side door and proceed directly to the person to whom you are taking communion.

3. The Visit
a. After greeting the person(s) and inquiring into how things are with them, identify a suitable place to set out the corporal, the pyx, and the chalice, into which you pour the consecrated wine. (If the person appears talkative, but not about church or communion, suggest that you go ahead now and share communion, and later you can visit some more).
b. Read the Collect of the Day from the leaflet.
c. Read the Gospel from the leaflet, announcing it as follows:
"A reading from the Gospel according to _____." And when it is concluded,
"The Word of the Lord."
d. Lead the prayer of confession, beginning with, "Let us confess our sins against God and our neighbor." At the conclusion, say the absolution with the pronouns in the plural: "Almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins..." etc.
e. Ask the person if there are particular things they would like to remember in prayer. Conclude by saying together the Lord's Prayer.
f. Distribute first the bread, then the wine, with the customary words:
"The body/blood of our Lord Jesus Christ keep you in everlasting life." (You do not give yourself communion.)
g. Lead them in the postcommunion thanksgiving, and the versicle and response.
h. Put everything away into your kit, and visit with them as long as seems prudent.

4. After the Visit

This may be done immediately after your visit, or a little later after lunch.

a. At this point you should be out of bread and wine. If so, rinse out the bottle in the piscina and wash the small chalice with soap and hot water. If not, place your communion kit on the Service Register book after you have filled it out.
b. FILL OUT REGISTER BOOK. Service is PC. Place is either "Residence" or the name of the nursing home or hospital (MCSA or otherwise). Write the recipient's first initial and last name in the right hand column.
c. Remember to thank God for the opportunity to "extend the communion rail" to those who could not be at church.