Grape juice at Mass

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augustine1000

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I attended mass recently at an ‘interesting’ parish; needless to say I was shocked when I received under both species and the accidents present in the chalice seemed to be of grape juice. Another parishioner commented on this same observation later.

I find no mention of alcohol content (ensuring that it is wine used for Mass) in the GIRM or in Church documents. Is there not a minimum percentage of alcohol required?

I also note that since mustum (nearly pure grape juice whose fermentation has been arrested) is allowed for alcoholic priests, there surely must be a direction against using this for the entire congregation.

Any help?

Augustine1000
 
I don’t claim to have the definitive answer, but the Eucharistic Prayer sys “fruit of the vine and work of human hands.” That does not seem inconsistent with grape juice, but I am sure that there is someone out there who has THE answer.

I had never really thought of it, but if there IS an alcoholic priest, how would the congregation be distribited wine if he had grape juice - it would not seem as unitive in my opinion.

Can’t wait to hear the definitive answer!
 
The GIRM says that wine, made from grapes, must be used at Mass, and therefore no alcohol % is specified, because ‘wine’ is presumed to mean the alcoholic drink made from grapes. Something just isn’t wine if it’s only grape juice.

Re Mustum the USCCB & Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith documents are together at usccb.org/liturgy/innews/1103.htm 🙂
 
There is actually specified somewhere the content for liturgical wine I have seen it somewhere with a minimum and a maximum %. Mustum is a special case and can only be used with the permission of the Bishop and only for the priest to consume. A Bishop can also grant a dispensation I believe for a priest to not receive if he is an alcoholic.
 
the General Instruction of the Roman Missal clearly states that the accident by which we recieve the blood of christ is to be unadulturated wine. Like someone said, it isn’t wine if it’s grape juice.
 
Wine is used even by alcoholic priests; it barely has to touch the lips. The notion that an alcoholic priest can’t drink comes from the A.A./ New Age school and ignores the years of experience the Church has had with the problem.

As a practical matter, missionaries priests often carry raisins with them and mix with water to make valid “fruit of the wine”

Grape juice as we know it is a relatively recent invention of Mr Welch. I believe he was a Methodist preacher.

“Wherever the Catholic Sun doth shine;
There’s always laughter and good red wine.
At least I’ve always found it so;
Benedicamus Domino”
~Hilaire Belloc
 
Grape juice for kids after Mass is fine. But there is definately something wrong here!

Go with God!
Edwin
 
Just another sad example of Catholics trying to find their way into mainstream Protestant America
 
I think I might have your answer.

When grapes are made into juice, they immediately start fermenting. Technically, that juice is wine, even if it doesn’t taste like it.

My understanding is that grape juice whose fermentation is arrested (as in Welch’s) is not valid, but that unarrested grape juice IS valid.

But is this what happened in the poster’s case? We just don’t know.
 
Rocky8311

Mustum is wine where the fermentation process is allowed to start but is then stopped. It is Valid Matter. It is illicit if used without permission and is not to be used for anything but the priests Communion, who is the only person REQUIRED to receive under both forms at Mass.
 
Wine can be made in an extremely sweet and fruity style. If it is made with particularly overripe grapes the wine would taste very sweet and the alcohol % could be as low as 5 or 6%. I am thinking that if you tasted a very sweet wine with very low alcohol, it may have tasted quite “grapey” but still could have been wine.

“Wine Geek Alert” 🙂

Wine is sometimes fermented until dry (until all the residual sugar has converted to alcohol. However, all non-dry wines have fermentation stopped at a certain point leaving residual sugar in the wine giving it a sweet character. Many of these sweeter wines then have a portion of non-fermented juice added to the wine to brighten the fruit flavors and sweeten the wine further. This is not some new fangled process. This is always how wine has been made. In my experience, the sacramental wine has been very sweet and fruity and is definitely not dry. I guess it all depends at which point fermentation is arrested. It seems to me that as long as some alcohol is present say 3-5% we would certainly call that wine. It may not be good wine, but it would certainly be valid matter.
 
The material that i’m looking at here is quoting the Sacred Congregation of the Sacraments. It says that wine from which all alcohol has been removed or which exceeds 20% is INVALID. Lawful wine may not contain more than 18% alcohol obtained from the grape. It cannot be fortified beyond it’s natural fermentation limit.
 
So, it could be a sweet wine with alcohol down around 2-3%?

That would probably taste like grape juice. Especially, if it was slightly chilled.
 
By the way it also says that it is the pastors responsibility to insure that the matter used is beyond any suspicion. I myself would just go into the sacristy open the refrigerator and read the bottle. Then I could either put my mind to rest or go hunt down the Pastor.
 
Br. Rich SFO:
Mustum is wine where the fermentation process is allowed to start but is then stopped. It is Valid Matter. It is illicit if used without permission and is not to be used for anything but the priests Communion, who is the only person REQUIRED to receive under both forms at Mass.
Click to expand...
How is it stopped? Usually fermentation is stopped by adding a measure of grape spirits (wine to be used for the Sacrament is often ‘fortified’ in this way). I think the maximum alcohol content for the wine to be used at Mass is 18%, although I can’t recall where I read that.

I understand Anglicans often use sherry or port, both of which are fortified wines.
 
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dcs:
How is it stopped? Usually fermentation is stopped by adding a measure of grape spirits (wine to be used for the Sacrament is often ‘fortified’ in this way). I think the maximum alcohol content for the wine to be used at Mass is 18%, although I can’t recall where I read that.

I understand Anglicans often use sherry or port, both of which are fortified wines.
Click to expand...
Fermentation is stopped when either all residual sugar is basically fermented (dry wine). Or an agent is added to kill the yeasts that are causing the fermentation.

The main reason for fortifying the wine is so that it stays wine longer. A normal dry table wine would “barely” be wine after being opened for more than 5 or 6 days. A fortified wine will keep much longer.
 
Jesus didn’t turn water into grape juice…it was wine! Perhaps we, and our protestant brothers especially, should keep that in mind.
 
Right on!

It would have been a pretty boring wedding reception with grape juice!
 
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