Going Away With No Access To A Priest

[Old_Joe]

If someone was going to be away from civilization for awhile (for example: long term research in Antarctica) could they get a supply of consecrated hosts so they could fulfill their communion obligation?

[cappie]

It is a strong practice of the Church that the Body of Christ is always ministered to communicants who are not permitted to take their own consecrated bread and communicate themselves. This is also the practice when Communion is received under both species, no one is allowed to take the chalice for themselves or intinct (dip the Body of Christ into the chalice) themselves. Communion whether under both or one kind is always ministered to the communicant.

Also Canon Law points out that Holy Communion should be received in the Mass one participates in. However Can. 920 §1 Once admitted to the blessed Eucharist, each of the faithful is obliged to receive holy communion at least once a year.
§2 This precept must be fulfilled during paschal time, unless for a good reason it is fulfilled at another time during the year.

In the case mentioned as an example, prayer, rosary bible meditation would be the best thing to do.

[CatherineM]

My husband spent 3 months at the South Pole living in a tent. He said that he went to mass at Mcmurdo station before going to the polar plateau and when he came back. When I did the Appalachian Trail, I took a portable shortwave radio with me so I could listen to mass everyday. When you are apart from communion like that, it does increase your desire for it. I think many of us are so used to being able to receive any time we want to, that we forget that we have brothers and sisters all over the world who can't receive regularly due to distance or a lack of priests or illness. I found going without during those times I was outside civilization were times to especially reflect on how lucky I am.