If the chalice spills after the consecration, the wood would absorb the precious blood. Yes the small dish they use to hold the host is the paten, but that would not prevent a spill by accident of the chalice, which is what I was referencing.
As to the small Eucharist holder to bring communion to the sick, it is called a pyx. I only know this because my son is an EM, and he has one :)
Yes they can use the altars of wood temporarily, but not permanently. I have seen photos of chaplins using the hood of a jeep or a rock out in the field. Jesus knows whats going on in all realms, and a rock is as good a representation of Him and His Church during consecration as any in the battlefield, but in his Church, the permanent altar needs to be permanent........
Thanks for your input!
I'll never forget the mass where the priest lost his place and said the words of consecration twice! Since I didn't blame him, I just decided maybe we'd get twice as many graces ;-).
But as a brand new convert, when the deacon, now I can't remember who said that mass, but they used "altar bread". If I didn't know any better, I wouldn't have throught anything about it, maybe I didn't know then but knew I was going to have to chew the host. I got that notion from an unapproved apparition, so think I'm past that although I never or seldom would do it, kind of hung up on that.
You people might find this interesting. I was reading this am on the local paper website about precautions the various churches were taking about the swine flu, handwipes, no holding hands during the Lord's prayer, no touching in the greeting, cough into your elbow. Without looking it up again, and I only remember their mentioning one Lutheran and one particular Catholic church, but I think there were instructions to priests when communion was being served under both (another special word), they were to use intinction!
I'll never forget the mass where the priest lost his place and said the words of consecration twice! Since I didn't blame him, I just decided maybe we'd get twice as many graces ;-).
But as a brand new convert, when the deacon, now I can't remember who said that mass, but they used "altar bread". If I didn't know any better, I wouldn't have throught anything about it, maybe I didn't know then but knew I was going to have to chew the host. I got that notion from an unapproved apparition, so think I'm past that although I never or seldom would do it, kind of hung up on that.
You people might find this interesting. I was reading this am on the local paper website about precautions the various churches were taking about the swine flu, handwipes, no holding hands during the Lord's prayer, no touching in the greeting, cough into your elbow. Without looking it up again, and I only remember their mentioning one Lutheran and one particular Catholic church, but I think there were instructions to priests when communion was being served under both (another special word), they were to use intinction!