Abstract: A method, apparatus and program product for detecting a communication event in a distributed parallel data processing system in which a message is sent from an origin to a target. A low-level application programming interface (LAPI) is provided which has an operation for associating a counter with a communication event to be detected. The LAPI increments the counter upon the occurrence of the communication event. The number in the counter is monitored, and when the number increases, the event is detected. A completion counter in the origin is associated with the completion of a message being sent from the origin to the target. When the message is completed, LAPI increments the completion counter such that monitoring the completion counter detects the completion of the message. The completion counter may be used to insure that a first message has been sent from the origin to the target and completed before a second message is sent.