germs on the Communion cup

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MSParrott said:
Maybe I’m naive or an idiot (or both :D), but since this is the Precious Blood, wouldn’t that cancel out the dangers of catching something? I don’t say this to be a jerk, it’s just kind of what I always thought.
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When there was an outbreak of bacterial meningitis in our area, the Bishop suspended receiving from the cup for a period of time. If receiving was risk-free, he wouldn’t have needed to do that.
 
acadian said:
When there was an outbreak of bacterial meningitis in our area, the Bishop suspended receiving from the cup for a period of time. If receiving was risk-free, he wouldn’t have needed to do that.
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These are never easy questions.

Regarding disease - some are more aggressive and spread more easily and some aren’t.

It is not unlike whether a alcoholic (priest, religious or lay) should receive the Precious Blood. Some say it would have no affect regarding alcoholism - others would never take the chance.
 
Hello. I am new to the site but I am the Sacristan at my parish and thought that I could address the issues that I have seen prominent in this topic: germs from the cup and intinction.

While training the Eucharistic Ministers, the question about communicable diseases was raised. My Associate Pastor, who happens to be highly trained in the medical profession, told me that the CDC (Center for Disease Control) did a survey/observation and concluded that there was never a documented case of someone getting more than a mild cold and the sniffles from drinking of the cup. If you are sick, you don’t drink. You do not need to consume the Blood of Christ to have received Communion in full; one is not higher than the other.

Now, the problem with intinction is that in my parish, we have someone who is allergic to wheat and therefore can only receive from the cup. We also at the same time have members of the congregation doing self-intinction, which is not allowed.

So in conclusion:
Drinking from the cup is relatively safe and you have a stronger chance of catching something during the Sign of Peace. Intinction is a tradition that is moving out of pracice (at least as far as I have seen) and when discerning doing intinction, keep in mind the members of the parish

Andrew
 
episcogirl said:
Our priest told us he has never heard of a case of transmission of a disease through people taking communion from the same cup.

I know that is not scientific evidence, but maybe it counts for something.

I think if you did an internet search you could find out the statistics. And chances are they are probably low.
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When I was in an Episcopal seminary, there was an outbreak of hepatitis and everyone suspected the common Cup. When the verdict was rendered, it was flatware in the cafeteria.

Neither as an Episcopalian nor as a Catholic have I ever heard of anyone catching anything from the Cup. Not saying it can’t happen, just noting my own experience and that of a LOT of others.
 
episcogirl said:
My church is really small and I think we spread germs around regardless of the chalice or not. And I am with the choir, and the choir gets to go up first so we are ready to sing during communion. So if we have anything, I guess we spread it to everyone else…

I am also on Altar Guild so I know what the procedures are and how the wine and wafers are handled before being put in the cruet or the ciborium so I know how carefully things are handled. Of course, one stray germ someone could be all it takes, I guess.

On the other hand, I just can’t beat the feeling I get going to communion and receiving both species.
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It takes more than one stray germ. Francisella tularensis, one of THE most contagious diseases, and it takes FIVE organisms to infect. However, it doesn’t transmit human-to-human and is rarely airborne. Thought that would make you feel better.
 
Phemie said:
Actually, there is just as much chance of transmitting disease. Priest touches tongue, touches Host, Host to mouth. I just don’t worry about it or I’d never go to Communion.
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When giving Holy Communion on the tongue there is no need to touch the tongue. Anyone who is properly trained can place the Host on the tongue without touching.
 
For those who have doubts or worries, it is perfectly and entirely acceptable to receive Communion under only one species (in this case, the bread).

I’m not sure why they reinstated Communion under both species. In the Roman Rite it has not been done for many years for three reasons:
  1. The danger of spilling the Precious Blood. (and it happens)
  2. People felt squeamish of drinking out of the same cup.
  3. It commonly leads to the misconception that your communion is not ‘complete’ unless you take both. People start to think that the bread is only the Body and the wine is only the Blood. Which is not true. The Catholic Church has always taught that Christ is present Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity in both species. Your Communion is not incomplete by taking only one species, and you don’t make it MORE complete by taking both.
So don’t feel like you’re missing out if you prefer only the bread. It was done that way for a long time and for good reasons.

🙂

Nita
 
To Rob in Oregon,

The topic trailed away a little from your original post. The issue I’m hearing from you is not, I think, only about possible germs on the Communion Cup. The essence of your topic, as I see it, is that your wife is doing something that bothers you and is not stopping at your request.

As marriage counselors would tell you, husbands and wives need to listen to and respect one another’s wishes. Even when you don’t fully understand or like it, one should comply out of respect for the spouse’s feelings.

For example, my husband doesn’t like me to breastfeed our baby in public. Even though I’m careful to be modest and cover up, it just makes him uncomfortable. So I find a private room when I can. It’s a little inconvenient for me, and I do think his discomfort is irrational since no one can see anything, but I comply for his sake.

Maybe you should explain to your wife that you simply are not comfortable with her using the cup and ask her, out of respect for your feelings, to please stop doing it for your sake. Even if it seems silly to her, remind her that her husband comes before her duties as a Eucharistic Minister. She took a vow to honor and obey, and she would please God more by respecting her husband’s wishes, than by consuming leftover wine.

And be prepared, she might retaliate and remind you of something YOU do that bothers her. So you may need to compromise. 🙂

Anyhow, it may be worth a shot.

Nita
 
I figure, if I die from receiving His blood, so be it. I can’t imagine a better way to go out than that, anyway.

Plus once I’m dead, I either won’t realize it in a human sense, or won’t care.

By definition (of God and Heaven, that is) I am sure once we are all dead we will wonder why we fought so hard to stay alive on this planet anyway.
 
Nita9 said:
To Rob in Oregon,

She took a vow to honor and obey, and she would please God more by respecting her husband’s wishes, than by consuming leftover wine.

Nita
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I got married 32 years ago and I didn’t take a vow to obey anyone.
 
Joan_M said:
When giving Holy Communion on the tongue there is no need to touch the tongue. Anyone who is properly trained can place the Host on the tongue without touching.
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Let me put it this way, I had to avoid looking at a former pastor during Mass or I would have avoided Communion at all cost. At any given time his fingers were in his nose, his ears, picking at scabs, etc. Compared to that, drinking from the chalice was a breeze.
 
Phemie said:
I got married 32 years ago and I didn’t take a vow to obey anyone.
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Me either…and it was 32 years ago.

By the way, Rob, I’m with you on this. I’m not going anywhere near that cup. Just thinking about it grosses me out. Don’t stone me, I know what’s in it! But all those hands and lips touching it. Ook! I hold hands during the Our Father only when I’m standing with the choir, people I know. If I’m germy or the person on either side of me is germy, I say no thanks, I’m too germy today. Then they want to give me a hug. Yuck! Don’t touch me! At other Masses, I fold my hands like Sr taught us to in 1st grade, bow my head and close my eyes. No one has made a point of trying to force me to hold their hands. I just don’t want to touch strangers.

I wasn’t much on obeying either. The things he wanted me to do that I didn’t want to do were also things I shouldn’t do. We’re not supposed to obey if what we’re told to do is wrong, or interferes with our service to God. If that’s not a rule, it should be. I won’t sign a false tax return, or skip Mass to read the paper in bed. By the way, we’re not married anymore either.
 
acadian said:
When there was an outbreak of bacterial meningitis in our area, the Bishop suspended receiving from the cup for a period of time. If receiving was risk-free, he wouldn’t have needed to do that.
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Or people are paranoid.
He_Man said:
I figure, if I die from receiving His blood, so be it. I can’t imagine a better way to go out than that, anyway.
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True. It would make for an awesome story in Heaven when everyone shares how they died.

Guy 1: “Oh, well I was up on my roof trying to fix a leak when I slipped and broke my neck.”
Guy 2: “Cancer. Kinda sucked, but at least I got all the ice cream I wanted.”
Guy 3: “Black plague here.”
Guy 4: “I caught tuberculosis from the Cup at Communion. Jesus himself met me after I died to apologize for the mix-up.”
Guys 1-3: “Duuuuuuuuude.”

In seriousness, I was under the impression that the wine they use for communion has a higher-than-normal proof specifically to kill any bacteria that might find its way in there.
 
He_Man said:
I figure, if I die from receiving His blood, so be it. I can’t imagine a better way to go out than that, anyway.

Plus once I’m dead, I either won’t realize it in a human sense, or won’t care.

By definition (of God and Heaven, that is) I am sure once we are all dead we will wonder why we fought so hard to stay alive on this planet anyway.
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Excellent… 👍 🙂
 
Quote ‘the Catholic Church has always taught that Christ’s Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity are received completely in either of the Species’ .

The problem arises from the wording ; the ministers say ‘the Body of Christ’ or ‘the Blood of Christ’. It’s inevitable that many communicants perceive them (perhaps unconciously) as two separate entities.
I wonder why the wording isn’t ‘the Body and Blood of Christ’ for both?
Even better would be the whole thing, of course, IMO, but hard on the ministers’ voices.
 
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