Vatican says wine must be put in chalices before consecration

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- Following up on its recent instruction on the Eucharist, the Vatican has ordered a change in U.S. liturgical norms.

It has ordered that any wine to be used for distributing Communion under both kinds be poured into the individual chalices during the preparation of the gifts, before it is consecrated.

It reversed a widespread custom, codified in U.S. norms approved in 2002, that called for distribution of the consecrated wine into the chalices at the time of the breaking of the bread, just before Communion.

Msgr. James P. Moroney, executive director of the U.S. bishops' Secretariat for Liturgy, said the revised norms are effective immediately, but it is up to each bishop to determine how to implement any liturgical change in his diocese.

Cardinal Francis E. George, chairman of the bishops' Committee on Liturgy, notified the bishops of the Vatican ruling and the corresponding changes in the U.S. norms in mid-May.

He sent them copies of a May 6 letter from Cardinal Francis Arinze, prefect of the Vatican Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments, modifying paragraphs 36 and 37 of the "Norms for the Distribution and Reception of Holy Communion Under Both Kinds in the Dioceses of the United States of America."

The original norms, adopted by the bishops in June 2001 and approved by the Vatican in March 2002, had said nothing about bringing additional chalices to the altar and pouring the wine into them in No. 36, which describes actions to be taken at the preparation of the gifts.

In No. 37, on actions just before Communion, the 2002 norms said that after the celebrant breaks the eucharistic bread: "Other empty chalices and ciboria or patens are then brought to the altar if this is necessary. The deacon or priest places the consecrated bread in several ciboria or patens and, if necessary, pours the precious blood into enough additional chalices as are required for the distribution of holy Communion."

The difficulty with the norm arose with the April 23 publication of an instruction on the Eucharist, "Redemptionis Sacramentum" ("The Sacrament of Redemption"), by the divine worship congregation.

Paragraph 106 of the instruction said that "the pouring of the blood of Christ after the consecration from one vessel to another is completely to be avoided, lest anything should happen that would be to the detriment of so great a mystery. Never to be used for containing the blood of the Lord are flagons, bowls or other vessels that are not fully in accord with the established norms."

The previous paragraph of the instruction says, "If one chalice is not sufficient for Communion to be distributed under both kinds to the priest concelebrants or Christ's faithful, there is no reason why the priest celebrant should not use several chalices." In such cases it urges that the primary chalice be larger than the rest "by reason of sign value."

In an April 27 letter to Cardinal Arinze, Cardinal George noted that the U.S. particular law contained in the 2002 norms "is apparently in contradiction to" the new instruction and asked for a "clarification ... in a timely fashion."

Cardinal George also noted that at least one liturgical commentator had been quoted in U.S. news reports observing that as a matter of church law approved particular law prevails over an instruction from a Vatican congregation in the event the two are in conflict.

In his May 6 response Cardinal Arinze said, "The instruction's clear exclusion of any pouring of the precious blood after the consecration overturns certain presuppositions that seem to underlie the above-mentioned (U.S.) norms."

A modification of the norms would resolve the difficulty, he added. "Hence this congregation wishes to modify its original confirmation in regard to Nos. 36 and 37 of these norms."

In the revised version of No. 36, on the offertory procession and preparation of the gifts, two sentences were added to the paragraph.

After the gifts are brought up, the revised norm says: "If one chalice is not sufficient for holy Communion to be distributed under both kinds to the priest concelebrants or Christ's faithful, several chalices are placed on a corporal on the altar in an appropriate place, filled with wine. It is praiseworthy that the main chalice be larger than the other chalices prepared for distribution."

While the new instruction prohibits consecrating wine in a pitcher or flagon and then transferring it to chalices, it does not forbid use of such a larger container to bring the wine to the altar before it has been consecrated. In fact it implies such use by calling for the wine to be distributed at the altar into any additional chalices that are needed immediately after the presentation of the gifts.

The instruction "does not describe what a vessel for wine (at the presentation of gifts) should look like," Msgr. Moroney said, but in accord with general liturgy norms "it should be worthy of the sacred celebration."

In the revised version of No. 37 in the U.S. norms, on actions surrounding the breaking of the bread before Communion, all references to bringing up additional chalices and distributing of the consecrated wine into them are simply deleted.

The new No. 37 says that after the breaking of the eucharistic bread "other empty ciboria or patens are then brought to the altar if this is necessary. The deacon or priest places the consecrated bread in several ciboria or patens, if necessary, as required for the distribution of holy Communion. If it is not possible to accomplish this distribution in a reasonable time, the celebrant may call upon the assistance of other deacons or concelebrating priests."

A final sentence of the original No. 37 -- which said the distribution of the consecrated hosts and wine into multiple vessels before Communion "is usually carried out at the altar, so that the sharing of all from the one cup is signified" -- has also been deleted.

Msgr. Moroney said the new Vatican instruction "makes clear that all of its provisions are effective immediately. However, the diocesan bishop is in charge of the careful implementation of all liturgical matters. His guidance should be followed."

In the same mailing containing notice of the revised U.S. norms, the bishops also received a complimentary copy of the newly published English translation of the Vatican instruction, published under the auspices of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

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Editor's Note: Titled "Instruction on the Eucharist: 'Redemptionis Sacramentum,'" the 84-page book costs $9.95 and may be ordered from USCCB Publishing online at: www.usccb.org, or by phone at: (800) 235-8722.

I still don't understand why we now receive the Eucharist in both forms? Why is this necessary? This was not done for hundreds of years. Why now?

Communion under both kinds was the common way of reception in the early Church (along with reception of the Body of Christ in the hand).

It is not "necessary"; one is free to receive under one kind only.

...one is free to receive under one kind only.

&&

I realize that, but what is the point now? Was the Mass dimished for all those hundreds of years that only one form was offered?

Was the Mass dimished for all those hundreds of years that only one form was offered?

Of course not. But the practice of the early Church was restored. The laity participates, along with the priest, in receiving under both kinds.

It reversed a widespread custom, codified in U.S. norms approved in 2002, that called for distribution of the consecrated wine into the chalices at the time of the breaking of the bread, just before Communion.

O.K. folks, here is the U.S. norms approved in 2002.

Would anyone show me where is the distribution of the consecrated wine into the chalices just before Communion "codified" in it?

Thank you in advance.

I don't see where it is. Actually, it says that chalices with wine are to be placed on the altar at the Offertory. That was not done, of course, and I suspect, there will be many places where it will STILL not be done.

How about this:

If extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion are required by pastoral need, they should not approach the altar before the priest has received Communion

I don't know of ANY parish where this was done; EMs come up after the Our Father.

I know that will not be changed in our parish. Storming the altar after the priest receives is certainly not prayerful.

If extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion are required by pastoral need, they should not approach the altar before the priest has received Communion

I don't know of ANY parish where this was done; EMs come up after the Our Father.

Come to my parish. Not only do they not approach, they really don't enter the central part of the Sanctuary at all. They receive on the edge behind the pillars. And of late, only clergy distribute the Body. It doesn't matter if there are only three present.

I don't see where it is.

Exactly! I think it's a case of very poor reporting by the CNS; they gave account of documents they never read.

I don't know of ANY parish where this was done.

I my humble opinion, those things depend in 99% on the local parish priest. I know a few good ones and everyone in their parishes "plays by the rules."

I my humble opinion, those things depend in 99% on the local parish priest. I know a few good ones and everyone in their parishes "plays by the rules."

Well, the rules set by the priests. Not many people read the actual documents and those of us who do and insist on following the actual letter of them usually get fed up and find somewhere else to go to church.

Now that I think about it, when those directives came out two years ago, they were put into practice here by order of the archbishop almost immediately. I want to say they came out during Lent and they were in effect everywhere by Pentecost.

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