Q. 1. How many Rites are there to receive Communion outside of Holy Mass and what are they?

A. 1. The Catholic Church has two basic rites for receiving Holy Communion outside of the Holy Mass. They are:

- The rite for receiving Communion when Mass is not available.
- The rite when bringing Communion to those who are unable to attend Holy Mass due to their age or infirmity.

While both Rites are similar to each other, they differ in the prayers and texts that are provided.

The general structure of both rites is:

- The greeting,
- the penitential rite,
- the Liturgy of the Word,
- on some occasions homily and prayers of the faithful,
- the Communion rite with the Our Father,
- the sign of peace,
- the "This is the Lamb of God..." and its response "Lord, I am not worthy...",
- the Communion,
- the concluding prayer, and
- the final blessing.

In both situations, the entire rite should be administed each time. The Liturgy of the Word may be shortened when it involves the aged or infirms who are weak in strength.