Reserved Sacrament
The deacon, along with the presbyter, is a minister of the reserved sacrament for those who, for reasonable cause, cannot be present at a public celebration of the Eucharist. The service for “Communion Under Special Circumstances” on page 396 of The Book of Common Prayer is used. It is appropriate for the deacon to train and supervise lay Eucharistic ministers.
In the Diocese of San Diego, the Holy Eucharist is the principal act of Christian worship on the Lord’s Day and other major feasts and it is not customary to use the so-called “Deacon’s Mass” in place of the Holy Eucharist. However, in an emergency, when the presence of a presbyter cannot be arranged, the deacon may distribute communion from the reserved sacrament following the rubric on page 282 of The Book of Common Prayer. If possible, the permission of the bishop should be obtained in advance. In any event, the bishop is to be notified when this occurs.