V
veilofveronica
Guest
Hi there,
Wow, lots of answers.
I would explain to the person (gently, as I assume they don’t know that they did wrong, although I find it odd that someone would just do that in a Church! I mean, they should get the sense that we believe Communion is something special, at least, from the Mass itself…and it’s at the very least just wrong to do that…I wouldn’t walk into another place of worship and wander off with something as a token, but I know I shouldn’t judge here…) that the Host is considered to be very Holy in the Roman Catholic faith (how much you explain is up to you) and that we are not meant to “keep it” and that this is considered very wrong to us. I would say that you wish to take it to a priest. I would wrap it in cloth or tissue (whatever you had available) and bring it to the nearest Roman Catholic Church after explaining what happened.
I would not dissolve it in water. It’s one thing if clergy does that…they know the proper method, but lay people are not instructed to do that. The Church also has a sacrarium, which is a sink that drains directly into the ground, not into the sewer system. We are not to dissolve it in water ourselves, from what I have researched:
holyspiritinteractive.net/columns/williamsaunders/straightanswers/133.asp
ewtn.com/library/liturgy/zlitur177.htm
catholicdoors.com/faq/qu171.htm
I would also not consume it, because you don’t know how old it is I’m assuming, and if it is brittle or unsanitary you don’t want to choke (imagine how awful that would be!) by accident. None of the directives I read said to consume it in this case.
This site said it well:
fisheaters.com/disposing.html
"The Blessed Sacrament
In the sacristy (also called “vestry”) of a church – the room where vestments, vessels and oils are stored – there is a special sink called a “sacrarium” (also “piscina”) which is used for cleaning sacred vessels. This basin’s drainage pipe doesn’t lead to the sewer as do those of most sinks; instead, it goes directly to the earth so that liquid sacramentals, such as Holy Water and oils, or even the tiniest morsels of the Blessed Sacrament or drops of the Precious Blood which might be found on Patens or in Chalices, will be disposed of correctly and with reverence. If the accidents of a consecrated Host or chalice of the Precious Blood were to become contaminated in some way such that it could not be consumed, they are disposed of in the sacrarium."
The Church will know the proper, and holiest way, to do this.
I’m sorry, but I still find it rude that someone would walk off with a Host,regardless if they knew what they were doing. Trying hard to bite my tongue here, but I just wonder why they would do that in the first place.
God Bless.
Wow, lots of answers.
I would explain to the person (gently, as I assume they don’t know that they did wrong, although I find it odd that someone would just do that in a Church! I mean, they should get the sense that we believe Communion is something special, at least, from the Mass itself…and it’s at the very least just wrong to do that…I wouldn’t walk into another place of worship and wander off with something as a token, but I know I shouldn’t judge here…) that the Host is considered to be very Holy in the Roman Catholic faith (how much you explain is up to you) and that we are not meant to “keep it” and that this is considered very wrong to us. I would say that you wish to take it to a priest. I would wrap it in cloth or tissue (whatever you had available) and bring it to the nearest Roman Catholic Church after explaining what happened.
I would not dissolve it in water. It’s one thing if clergy does that…they know the proper method, but lay people are not instructed to do that. The Church also has a sacrarium, which is a sink that drains directly into the ground, not into the sewer system. We are not to dissolve it in water ourselves, from what I have researched:
holyspiritinteractive.net/columns/williamsaunders/straightanswers/133.asp
ewtn.com/library/liturgy/zlitur177.htm
catholicdoors.com/faq/qu171.htm
I would also not consume it, because you don’t know how old it is I’m assuming, and if it is brittle or unsanitary you don’t want to choke (imagine how awful that would be!) by accident. None of the directives I read said to consume it in this case.
This site said it well:
fisheaters.com/disposing.html
"The Blessed Sacrament
In the sacristy (also called “vestry”) of a church – the room where vestments, vessels and oils are stored – there is a special sink called a “sacrarium” (also “piscina”) which is used for cleaning sacred vessels. This basin’s drainage pipe doesn’t lead to the sewer as do those of most sinks; instead, it goes directly to the earth so that liquid sacramentals, such as Holy Water and oils, or even the tiniest morsels of the Blessed Sacrament or drops of the Precious Blood which might be found on Patens or in Chalices, will be disposed of correctly and with reverence. If the accidents of a consecrated Host or chalice of the Precious Blood were to become contaminated in some way such that it could not be consumed, they are disposed of in the sacrarium."
The Church will know the proper, and holiest way, to do this.
I’m sorry, but I still find it rude that someone would walk off with a Host,regardless if they knew what they were doing. Trying hard to bite my tongue here, but I just wonder why they would do that in the first place.
God Bless.
