How did Catholics hold Mass during Prohibition?

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Did the U.S. government make an exception of alcohol for Catholics, or did the Church have some substitute for wine?
 
Because of the separation of Church and state, Prohibition did not apply to churches which use wine as part of their ritual. On this next part I am going from memory (not that I was around during prohibition) but I think those churches exempt had to be existent prior to prohibition being enacted. If anyone has information supporting or refuting this, I would certainly welcome it.
Prayers & blessings
Deacon Ed B
 
I thought that part of the aim of the Prohibition movement was to make it difficult for Catholics to celebrate Mass/Divine Liturgy?
 
I think the larger question would be how did Catholics survive during prohibition!

Many of us do, after all, enjoy our liquor 😃
 
Lets remember that during the prohibition, only the priest received the Eucharist under both species.
Prayers & blessings.
Deacon Ed B
 
Deacon_Ed_B said:
Lets remember that during the prohibition, only the priest received the Eucharist under both species.
Prayers & blessings.
Deacon Ed B
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He still had to get his hands on alcohol to do that. I don’t think it would have been a problem for the laity to also receive. Today children can receive from the chalice because there is a religious exception to the law forbidding serving alcohol to anyone under 21 (18 or 19 in Canada).
 
Anglican lay people contined to receive wine, as did some Lutherans. Certainly some Orthodox did, as well.
 
Phemie said:
He still had to get his hands on alcohol to do that. I don’t think it would have been a problem for the laity to also receive. Today children can receive from the chalice because there is a religious exception to the law forbidding serving alcohol to anyone under 21 (18 or 19 in Canada).
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However, before the Second Vatican Council, only the priest (and probably the deacon and subdeacon) received from the chalice. The laity did not because of fear of spilling the Precious Blood. I am not sure when that was made the rule in the Latin Church, but I believe it was during the Council of Trent. After the Second Vatican Council, receiving from the chalice was opened to the laity.

Interestingly, if you read the General Instruction of the Roman Missal (GIRM), which is the rubrics for the Ordinary Form of the Roman Rite, the congregation is pretty limited as to when they are entitled to receive from the chalice. I may be wrong, and anyone can correct me if I am, but I believe that the congregation is generally not to receive from the chalice at your typical Sunday Mass.
 
Deacon_Ed_B said:
Lets remember that during the prohibition, only the priest received the Eucharist under both species.
Prayers & blessings.
Deacon Ed B
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Yes I remember in the Catholic Church we did not receive., only the priest. Now I see the new communion class receiving both. It was kind of funny some were asking Father if they get to drink the wine and they are seven. years old. Father answered rather well explaining it was the cup of blood that they would be receiving that they are to remember Jesus. I wonder if he watered it down for them I was meaning to ask and forgot. In our nearby city a group of nuns has been making the wine for a parish or two for years I should say decades. 🙂 Secret recipe I think.
 
NicPais83 said:
I thought that part of the aim of the Prohibition movement was to make it difficult for Catholics to celebrate Mass/Divine Liturgy?
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Forget about the Catholics! What about the Episcopalians??? When I was an Episcopalian, we used to say that if the Church is the Body of Christ, the Episcopalians are the liver!
 
NicPais83 said:
…Interestingly, if you read the General Instruction of the Roman Missal (GIRM), which is the rubrics for the Ordinary Form of the Roman Rite, the congregation is pretty limited as to when they are entitled to receive from the chalice. I may be wrong, and anyone can correct me if I am, but I believe that the congregation is generally not to receive from the chalice at your typical Sunday Mass.
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From the GIRM (area of inquiry bolded for emphasis):
  1. In addition to those cases given in the ritual books, Communion under both kinds is permitted for

  1. *]Priests who are not able to celebrate or concelebrate Mass;
    *]The deacon and others who perform some duty at the Mass;
    *]Members of communities at the conventual Mass or “community” Mass, along with seminarians, and all who are engaged in a retreat or are taking part in a spiritual or pastoral gathering.
    The Diocesan Bishop may establish norms for Communion under both kinds for his own diocese, which are also to be observed in churches of religious and at celebrations with small groups.     The Diocesan Bishop is also given the faculty to permit Communion under both kinds whenever it may seem appropriate to the priest to whom, as its own shepherd, a community has been entrusted, provided that the faithful have been well instructed and there is no danger of profanation of the Sacrament or of the rite’s becoming difficult because of the large number of participants or some other reason.

    In all that pertains to Communion under both kinds, the Norms for the Distribution and Reception of Holy Communion under Both Kinds in the Dioceses of the United States of America are to be followed (see nos. 27-54).

    source:
    usccb.org/liturgy/current/chapter4.shtml#sect4
 
Chatter163 said:
Anglican lay people contined to receive wine, as did some Lutherans. Certainly some Orthodox did, as well.
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Lets remember, we are not receiving wine. We are receiving the precious blood, shed for our sins.
Prayers & blessings
Deacon Ed G
 
Deacon_Ed_B said:
Lets remember, we are not receiving wine. We are receiving the precious blood, shed for our sins.
Prayers & blessings
Deacon Ed G
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Not to sound disrespectful to Anglicans and Lutherans, but they did receive wine. The Orthodox and Catholics received the blood.
 
Mighty_Q said:
Not to sound disrespectful to Anglicans and Lutherans, but they did receive wine. The Orthodox and Catholics received the blood.
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Notice I said WE
Prayers & blessings
Deacon Ed B G was a mistype
 
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