Can a Ciborium be used as a Paten?

[PazzoGrande]

I’m considering buying a Chalice to replace one I inherited. I see some Ciboria that match the Chalices I’m looking at, and I think it looks nicer than the usually very plain Paten. Can a Ciborium be used in place of a Paten? Or is the Ciborium strictly only used for the tabernacle and dispensing the Eucharist to people?

(And yes, I know I need it blessed before it can be used in Mass.)

 

[FrDavid96]

I’m considering buying a Chalice to replace one I inherited. I see some Ciboria that match the Chalices I’m looking at, and I think it looks nicer than the usually very plain Paten. Can a Ciborium be used in place of a Paten? Or is the Ciborium strictly only used for the tabernacle and dispensing the Eucharist to people?

(And yes, I know I need it blessed before it can be used in Mass.)

Used by whom? A priest would already know the answer to the question, so before I respond, who will be using the chalice(s) and under what circumstances?

 

[PazzoGrande]

Used by whom? A priest would already know the answer to the question, so before I respond, who will be using the chalice(s) and under what circumstances?

I’m a Knight of the Holy Sepulchre and incoming Knight of Malta. I’d like it to be used for my investiture for Malta, my promotions with Holy Sepulchre and my pilgrimages, plus whatever other Masses are associated with myself or my family.

My great uncle was a Protonotary Apostolic and Vicar General for Manila, who had a very large and beautiful Chalice, which we used for family-related Masses after he died and passed it on to us. My paternal grandmother in turn left it to me. It had been used at our family events for years but is not reacting well to the salty air where I live. I had it refurbished before, and for good measure asked a priest-friend of mine who was my professor at the time to bless it. However it still corrodes. Therefore I would like to replace it with one that is more durable. If I get a new one, I intend to have it blessed either by our local Bishop, who is a friend of mine and who nominated me for Holy Sepulchre, or perhaps when I am on pilgrimage in the Holy Land, as since I am an EOHSJ member I get to have an audience with one of the Auxiliary Bishops there.

Obviously, I am aware that care must be taken to ensure it is not profaned. For your information, I also am a theology graduate. And, when I did inherit that previous Chalice, I did check with a couple of my professors to make sure that it’s licit for me to possess it – and they both said it’s totally fine.

I would appreciate not being automatically suspected.

 

[FrDavid96]

I’m a Knight of the Holy Sepulchre and incoming Knight of Malta. I’d like it to be used for my investiture for Malta, my promotions with Holy Sepulchre and my pilgrimages, plus whatever other Masses are associated with myself or my family.

My great uncle was a Protonotary Apostolic and Vicar General for Manila, who had a very large and beautiful Chalice, which we used for family-related Masses after he died and passed it on to us. My paternal grandmother in turn left it to me. It had been used at our family events for years but is not reacting well to the salty air where I live. I had it refurbished before, and for good measure asked a priest-friend of mine who was my professor at the time to bless it. However it still corrodes. Therefore I would like to replace it with one that is more durable. If I get a new one, I intend to have it blessed either by our local Bishop, who is a friend of mine and who nominated me for Holy Sepulchre, or perhaps when I am on pilgrimage in the Holy Land, as since I am an EOHSJ member I get to have an audience with one of the Auxiliary Bishops there.

Obviously, I am aware that care must be taken to ensure it is not profaned. For your information, I also am a theology graduate. And, when I did inherit that previous Chalice, I did check with a couple of my professors to make sure that it’s licit for me to possess it – and they both said it’s totally fine.

I would appreciate not being automatically suspected.

The only thing I “suspected” was that you weren’t a priest; nothing more than that.

The only person who should actually be using a chalice is a priest, and as I said, a priest would not be asking that question. That makes my question perfectly natural.

In any case, the answer to your question is that the paten is one of the item required for Mass. It’s not optional. However, a paten might take different forms (such as a scale paten or a deep well paten) in the Ordinary Form, as there’s no longer a strict definition of how high it can be (it used to have to be low enough to fit under the corporal).

Using a ciborium in place of a paten can be a bit awkward, and doesn’t “look right” but it isn’t illicit. In my opinion (and what I’ve seen done by some priests who apparently share that opinion) is that the word “paten” in the GIRM #327 does not have to be taken in its strictest sense. A ciborium is a legitimate substitute; although I will say that I personally do not like it. I insist on having a paten for Mass. I think most priests will probably feel the same way.

On the other hand, a chalice without a paten is really an incomplete set–a bit like a salt shaker without a pepper shaker. For practical reasons, every chalice should have a paten, for 2 reasons.

1. The priest using the chalice for Mass might insist on using a paten and not having one creates a problem. That holds even if he does have need for the matching ciborium. Personally, I’m in that category.
2. Again, practical. When a chalice doesn’t have a paten, a paten gets “borrowed” from some other chalice. Such things don’t always find their way back to the right place. No, I’m not saying they get stolen, I’m saying they don’t always get put back in their proper place. That’s why every parish I’ve ever served has had a small collection of white and violet chasubles with no stoles. Someone borrowed it but forgot to put it back.