Health Risks of Common Communion Cup

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Kielbasi:
The alcohol kills the germs, I wouldn’t worry about it.
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Just a note about disinfecting or killing germs. If you want to kill germs with bleach, you must leave it there for 5 minutes or more, depending. Mold is even longer, more like 15 minutes. It is the same with bad stuff in pork products. You need to maintain a temperature over a certain amount for a period of time to kill the baddies.

I completely avoid the chalice if I am sick.
 
You can also sit up front so that you are one of/the first person to drink from the cup.
 
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Pug:
Just a note about disinfecting or killing germs. If you want to kill germs with bleach, you must leave it there for 5 minutes or more, depending. Mold is even longer, more like 15 minutes. It is the same with bad stuff in pork products. You need to maintain a temperature over a certain amount for a period of time to kill the baddies.

I completely avoid the chalice if I am sick.
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The 12% or so alcaholic content of wine is too low to kill off germs in a rapid manner, it certainly is a far lower percentage of cleaning alcahol.
 
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DaveBj:
Why would God tell him/her not to do something that Jesus commanded us to do? Is the Trinity confused?

DaveBj
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No, but Christ’s Body AND Blood are present in both species. They are the exact same thing, the only difference is how they appear to the human senses.

There is nothing in the Chalice that is not in the Ciborium.

So anyone taking ‘only’ the Host fulfills Christ’s commandment in every way.

So say anything else would be to fall to the Ultraquist heresy, which was condemmed by the Church.
 
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JNB:
The 12% or so alcaholic content of wine is too low to kill off germs in a rapid manner, it certainly is a far lower percentage of cleaning alcahol.
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Yes, exactly! I doubt the accidents are killing germs in the two seconds inbetween communicants.
 
Please excuse me while I laugh…
That could have been me :o sanitizing my hands.
[/quote]

I almost laughed because as we knelt my son leaned over to me and said “your breath smells like perfume” - just call me mama Purell 🙂
 
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sententia:
You can also sit up front so that you are one of/the first person to drink from the cup.
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thought about that too and actually tried it a few times and felt guilty…I am suffering from scupulous thoughts in this one and only area…nothing is right about receiving…even when I have managed to clear all inhibitions about receiving and then drink from the cup…I then have remorseful thoughts immediately after…worrying about germs on my lips…my situation is terrible.
 
Well,… I think you need to accept the fact that living with other people means being exposed to their germs. In fact, this may help keep our immune systems boosted.

I hate to bring this up, but receiving only the body of Christ doesn’t save you from germs. Often the priest, deacon or EMHC will get the saliva of a communicant on their fingers when distributing communion. Guess who gets a sample of that later on? Also, what about the hygiene of the priest, deacon or EMHC?How often do they wash THEIR hands?

Having five kids, I have come to be somewhat fatalistic about germ preventation (although I do wash my hands when possible). If you start obsessing about germs, you’ll end up like Howard Hughes (and I don’t mean rich!)!
 
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MulusChristi:
Also, what about the hygiene of the priest, deacon or EMHC?How often do they wash THEIR hands?

Having five kids, I have come to be somewhat fatalistic about germ preventation (although I do wash my hands when possible). If you start obsessing about germs, you’ll end up like Howard Hughes (and I don’t mean rich!)!
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I know. How many times have I watched the priest pull a big old cloth hanky out of his sleeve and honk during the Consecration? Many… This rattles my nerves.

I try not to obsess but it is tough.
 
One could see this as a mortification.

I do agree that receiving the body of Chirst is probably more sanitary than receiving the blood. In our family, we have a policy that if there is any HINT of a cold, that family member does not receive from the cup. Unfortunately, in some cases, one can be contagious before symptoms appear.

I also can’t buy the “this the body/blood of Christ so it is sanitary” argument. The substance has been changed, but not the accidents. I think germs fall under the accidents category.

I think this is part of “being in this valley of tears”. Some saints did amazing mortifications in following Christ. Here we have one gift-wrapped for us!
 
Mortifications? That’s nice in theory, very lofty, but I have sole responsibilty of my children and don’t need to be laid up deathly ill with pneumonia, thanks though for the offer. It’s enough of a mortification to singlehandedly care for them as it is.
 
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spiritblows:
I became very ill in July with an atypical pneumonia. Since then I’ve avoided the common cup, except at daily Mass, with fewer people partaking. What do you think?
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I know common sense when I see it.
 
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spiritblows:
I’m pretty robust normally.
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I would look around the pews, how many others were sick at the same time?..this could be an indication to weather it was from the Cup or from another source…would think that if you indeed had been infected by recieveing the cup, then most of those before and after you, who are not as robust, would have also gotten ill.
 
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MulusChristi:
In our family, we have a policy that if there is any HINT of a cold, that family member does not receive from the cup. Unfortunately, in some cases, one can be contagious before symptoms appear.
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It’s nice of you, but we can’t assume everyone does this. And even if they did, it’s no guarantee that germs are not being spread. Why take the risk when you don’t have to? Our Lord is fully present under the species of bread…body, blood, soul, and divinity.
 
I used to drink from the Communion cup, but stopped after getting very, very sick in middle age with mononucleosis, also known as the Kissing Disease. I am convinced that it was caused by germs from the cup–there was no other source, my husband wasn’t sick. I missed over a month of work. No more cup for me. 😦
 
Recently I was behind a big, burly man a whole head taller than me (I am 5’ 9"). This guy’s shoulders were wide and all I could do was stare at this great big hulk of a guy go up for Eucharist…I tried not to notice but then he coughed up some moist phlegm just before receiving the Body of Christ. In my mind I said “OK…there are 2 Cup lines…I won’t follow him and go to the other Cup”…I couldn’t I was stuck behind him…I panicked as I received from the Cup…but I did anyway…to make the situation even worse…something happened that never happened before… I took the cup in my hand to drink and instead of smelling the alcohol and wine smell I usually do…I could smell his breath or body odor…ugh…and I could actually feel warm moist air left in the Cup from his breath and body…I was horrifiedhttp://photobucket.com/albums/y188/ginnyroc/th_disturbed.gif …I wondered how could this be possible…but then I thought of his large size…he was like a steam engine train…
This is no way to receive the Body and Blood of Our Lord…I am so ashamed…
 
I am very obsessive compulsive about this and I have never in my 49 years, drank from the Common Commuion Chalice, I can’t do it. I tried even got in line, but got ill just think about a common cup. :o I know this is weird, but I honestly can’t get over it. I will not drink out of anyone else’s cup even husband’s and I kiss him. I even try to say to myself it is the Blood of Christ over and over but I can’t drink it.
 
Sorry for everybody who has had to endure the “better ideas” since the mid-60s. Holy Communion received by “intinction” is the most beautiful, solemn way to receive Our Lord. Why oh why do we have to struggle on with receiving in the hand and sipping from the Chalice? It has confused and caused so many people to remain ignorant of the Divine Presence. We may be in for a plague of “bird flu” yet not to mention the other types we have already had.

Imagine, if you haven’t the experience to remember, how reverent and graceful the line of communicants can be as they proceed to kneel at the communion rail, (or stand, or approach in a wheelchair in a certain space for that purpose) and have their moment to anticipate the reception of Our Lord - directly from the priest after he touches the Holy Eucharistic Host into the Precious Blood and gently places it on your tongue. Imagine - such a beautiful way to receive.

I pray for this to return!
 
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grotto:
Imagine, if you haven’t the experience to remember, how reverent and graceful the line of communicants can be as they proceed to kneel at the communion rail, (or stand, or approach in a wheelchair in a certain space for that purpose) and have their moment to anticipate the reception of Our Lord - directly from the priest after he touches the Holy Eucharistic Host into the Precious Blood and gently places it on your tongue. Imagine - such a beautiful way to receive.

I pray for this to return!
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This is exactly how I received as an 8 year old child…on my knees, at the rail, by tongue…
I can’t even remember exactly when the change was made to this new business of common cup and hand reception…
Does anyone know how many years Catholics experienced reception at the railing…
and what year did we change to hand and common cup?
I vaguely remember learning how to receive by hand but I can’t place a year on it.
I am finished with hand and common cup reception…I will receive on tongue only…final…
 
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kaymart:
I am very obsessive compulsive about this and I have never in my 49 years, drank from the Common Commuion Chalice, I can’t do it. I tried even got in line, but got ill just think about a common cup. :o I know this is weird, but I honestly can’t get over it. I will not drink out of anyone else’s cup even husband’s and I kiss him. I even try to say to myself it is the Blood of Christ over and over but I can’t drink it.
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I don’t think its wierd, but then most people might think I’m weird too! I don’t plan to recieve from the cup when I join the Church - I just can’t bring myself to do it - but then my mother is a nurse who taught me “proper handwashing technique” at 2 or 3, so I figure I have my own reasons for being a bit too germ-conscious when it comes to some things =)
 
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