I’ve been in a constant confussion wether or not ceramic chalices are permitted to be used in U.S. Roman Catholic Churches. According to the G.I.R.M. Gerneral Instruction of the Roman Missial only precious metals may be used. Although so many priests are using ceramic, wooden some priests I have heard have used glass chalices.
Am I a total idiot or is there really a second copy of the G.I.R.M. I don’t have that permits the use of non-precious metal???
Katie,
There is a certain “history” here which needs to be explained. In the early 1970s, when the
novus ordo Mass came into use in the US, the GIRM said that the individual conferences of bishops were permitted to allow other noble materials, in addition to precious metals for chalices. The US bishops, rather than define what could be used, simply left this to the decision of the local bishops; not by refraining from listing the materials, but by saying outright that this decision is left to the individual bishops. So we had a period of about 30 years (1973 - 2004) when such materials as clay, glass, pottery, wood, etc. might possibly be used if the local bishop allowed it. Combine that with the fact that the companies that make and market chalices made these widely available and also marketed them quite aggressively. The end result is that we saw the use of these chalices all over the US–whether or not the local bishop expressly permitted it, they were still used. Some bishops permitted them, some simply said nothing, but few ever outright prohibited their use, and those who did eventually retired, or eventually gave-in and allowed it. (I can’t speak about every single bishop here–I’m painting with broad brushstrokes). So, for the most part, these chalices were actually permitted (or so it seemed, read on please)
In 2004, the Holy See, under direct instructions from Pope John Paul II issued
Redemptionis Sacramentum (see Benedictgal’s post). At that point in time, those chalices became illicit (ie forbidden). In fact, the practice was declared “reprobate” which is the Church’s way of saying that even if they were permitted in the past, they are no longer so. Actually “reprobate” goes even further than that and declares that they were never permitted in the first place, even though there were might have been laws at some time permitting them. Reprobate means that the law allowing them never actually had force-of-law to begin with. It’s not a concept we’re used to hearing when it comes to our civil laws, but it exists in Church laws. It’s a way of saying that the law that permitted clay chalices was never a legitimate law in the first place.
So the situation we have now is that these chalices are forbidden. Before 2004, the liturgical laws
appeared to have permitted them, so when priests used them, and/or pastors purchased them for parishes, they weren’t really “at fault” for doing so.
The problem we have today is that in many places, these illicit chalices continue to be used. That might be because they are simply there in the sacristy and the parish is accustomed to them, or they have some sentimental value, or even because some priests choose to blatantly ignore the liturgical laws of the Church and use them anyway.
So it’s not you who are confused. The history of the liturgical laws on these chalices does make it confusing to understand what those laws say. Now though, after 2004, there is no longer any ambiguity nor any room to misunderstand/misinterpret, nor any excuse even, for using earthenware, glass, crystal, etc. chalices, as they are very clearly forbidden.
But not ceramic, iron or steel, wood, or glass.