Dear Deacon Larry,

1.)  I'm not exactly sure why the Sign of the Cross is not used at the beginning of HCWEOM.  No explanation is provided in the texts.

2.)  For the longer from of the communion service, the Liturgy of the Word takes place as at the Mass of the day.  You can take the readings right out of the Lectionary or use a votive Mass of the Holy Eucharist.  When using the short form, you may select a short Gospel reading from a list provided in the rite.  Each of these readings refers to the bead of life.  The readings for the Mass of the day are not used. 

3.)  It seems that the SCIAP may be used also on solemnities, since the section on prayer selection notes that the prayers and readings are taken for each Sunday *OR* Solemnity. (emphasis added)  (note: all Sundays are also solemnities)  It should be also noted however that in other places in the instruction it is simply referred to as "Sunday".  I wouldn't see a problem with using it on holy days of obligation, but it seems to me from the language of the document that SCIAP is not to be used too excessively, for example, on not on EVERY solemnity.

4.)  Deacons may use SCIAP on Sundays and it seems solemnities as discussed above.  But on weekdays HCWEOM should be used.  In reading the SCIAP document it really seems desired that SCIAP be used normally when a parish community is awaiting the arrival of a new priest, rather than something that is used regularly in communities that either do or do not have a regular priest.

Hope this helps,

Mr. Slavek