Exposition & Benediction

[brianthephysicist]

I attend a monthly adoration at my parish, and usually we have a priest come and set everything up and he either stays till it's done or goes to take care of other business and comes back and leads benediction and puts the Eucharist back into the tabernacle. But sometimes, we have everything ready to go or our regular time is over and people want to leave and lock up the church for the night and the priest doesn't show up. If this happens at the beginning, one of the lay people will take the Eucharist from the tabernacle and expose it in the monstrance. If it happens at the end, one of the lay people will lead us in benediction and then replace the Eucharist in the tabernacle.

It is always done reverently and there's no disrespect intended, it just doesn't feel right. Are lay people allowed to expose the Eucharist?

I realize this may be scrupulosity, but anything involving possible disrespect of our Eucharist Lord, I think it's important to ask.

[cappie]

Any priest or deacon, and any "properly deputed lay person." This generally refers to an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion who has been given the responsibility of doing this either by the bishop or the individual's pastor.

Praying the Divine Praises together would be appropriate, but actual benediction is strictly reserved to a priest or deacon.

From the 2004 Instruction Redemptionis Sacramentum:
"[155.] In addition to the ordinary ministers there is the formally instituted acolyte, who by virtue of his institution is an extraordinary minister of Holy Communion even outside the celebration of Mass. If, moreover, reasons of real necessity prompt it, another lay member of Christ’s faithful may also be delegated by the diocesan Bishop, in accordance with the norm of law,[256] for one occasion or for a specified time, and an appropriate formula of blessing may be used for the occasion. This act of appointment, however, does not necessarily take a liturgical form, nor, if it does take a liturgical form, should it resemble sacred Ordination in any way. Finally, in special cases of an unforeseen nature, permission can be given for a single occasion by the Priest who presides at the celebration of the Eucharist.[257]"