How do we dispose of glass chalices?

[Gene_Church]

Our parish still uses glass chalices for the receipt of the Precious Blood. Members of the parish are willing to pay for metal chalices, but the question has arisen, what do we do with the glass chalices?

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

Our parish still uses glass chalices for the receipt of the Precious Blood. Members of the parish are willing to pay for metal chalices, but the question has arisen, what do we do with the glass chalices?

Break them into very small pieces. Then you can burry them.

 

[wannabee]

beaten to the answer

My solution was going to be - have an ‘accident’ or 2 and give the pieces to your priest with a very mournful face

 

[THurifer2]

JUST REMEMBER if you are the one breaking them into small pieces DO NOT smile too obviously…

 

[Leopard]

I’m a little disturbed with the direction some of these answers seem to be going. While glass vessels certainly ought not be used as chalices, that is no excuse for intentionally destroying church property and pretending it was an “accident”. The decision to destroy the glass vessels should be made by the pastor, bishop or other legitimate ecclesial authority and executed by his orders only.

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

I’m a little disturbed with the direction some of these answers seem to be going. While glass vessels certainly ought not be used as chalices, that is no excuse for intentionally destroying church property and pretending it was an “accident”. The decision to destroy the glass vessels should be made by the pastor, bishop or other legitimate ecclesial authority and executed by his orders only.

I believe the tone of the original post was that the parish was replacing their glass with precious metal. Not that it was a covert operation.

 

[Marauder]

Instead of breaking them, how about using them as a decoration some where, like if you church has some type of display case in the church hall or maybe somewhere in the rectory.

Remember, even if they weren’t supposed to be carrying the precious blood, they have. They should be treated better then “accidentally” breaking them.

 

[Leopard]

I believe the tone of the original post was that the parish was replacing their glass with precious metal. Not that it was a covert operation.

I understood that. That is why I specified that I disturbed with the direction some of the prior answers seemed to be going, not the original question.

Also, I am not suggesting that those persons who seemed to be suggesting that having an “accident” with the vessels would be the proper course of action would actually do so, but only stating in no uncertain terms that for anyone to actually do this without proper authorization would be grossly wrong.

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

Instead of breaking them, how about using them as a decoration some where, like if you church has some type of display case in the church hall or maybe somewhere in the rectory.

Remember, even if they weren’t supposed to be carrying the precious blood, they have. They should be treated better then “accidentally” breaking them.

A blessed or consecrated object that no longer has any use should be properly disposed of, so that it cannot possibly be misused.

 

[Marauder]

A blessed or consecrated object that no longer has any use should be properly disposed of, so that it cannot possibly be misused.

Blessed objects can be also put on display if done properly, have you ever been to the Pope John Paul II institute.

My bet is there are people in the parish that paid for the crystal and they don’t like the idea of their expensive gift being disposed of. If the church is an old church and has some type of historical exhibit they can be used that way. Another option is storage, our church put the altar rails and gates into storage and years later they where brought out of storage and are now incorperated into the altar and the crucifix. Sometimes you have to think outside of the box (as long as that thinking is done with a proper religious decorum.)

 

[benedictgal]

Blessed objects can be also put on display if done properly, have you ever been to the Pope John Paul II institute.

My bet is there are people in the parish that paid for the crystal and they don’t like the idea of their expensive gift being disposed of. If the church is an old church and has some type of historical exhibit they can be used that way. Another option is storage, our church put the altar rails and gates into storage and years later they where brought out of storage and are now incorperated into the altar and the crucifix. Sometimes you have to think outside of the box (as long as that thinking is done with a proper religious decorum.)

These “glass chalices” are reprobated and never should have been used in the first place. “Thinking outside the box” does not apply here as these aren’t museum pieces, unless you’re making an exhibit of things that have been expressly prohibited for use in the Mass. As Pope Benedict repeatedly has said, we are not called to be “creative” when it comes to the Mass.

Now, during the Mexican Revolution (early 20th centuries), priests like Blessed MIguel Pro had to use glassware were celebrating the Mass (the Church was under presecution) in secret. When the Mass concluded, the glass was broken because it could never be used again. As Brother Rich indicated, it was buried with reverence.

 

[Marauder]

These “glass chalices” are reprobated and never should have been used in the first place. “Thinking outside the box” does not apply here as these aren’t museum pieces, unless you’re making an exhibit of things that have been expressly prohibited for use in the Mass. As Pope Benedict repeatedly has said, we are not called to be “creative” when it comes to the Mass.

You are taking Pope Benedict’s words and twisting them to a thing where they don’t apply. The disposal or future use of “glass chalices” isn’t being creative about Mass.

If you have a promanent member of the board, upset about the fact that their crystal chalices are going to be destroyed you may be able to come up with some happy medium. I am not saying to continue using them in the Mass. All I am saying is that destroying them isn’t the ONLY option.

The facts are:

1. They used glass or crystal chalices in the past.
2. They are looking for alternatives now.

The alternatives are to destory the chalices in an approved manner or use them in another manner that befits an item that was blessed and used to carry the precious blood of Christ.

Just because you may be angry that they were used in the first place doesn’t change things about their future use.

 

[lizaanne]

Just because you may be angry that they were used in the first place doesn’t change things about their future use.

And just because the donor of these inappropriate vessels might be upset about them being destroyed does not mean that it’s not the right thing to do.

I say destroy them appropriately. They never should have been accepted for use in the Mass to begin with.

~Liza

 

[benedictgal]

You are taking Pope Benedict’s words and twisting them to a thing where they don’t apply. The disposal or future use of “glass chalices” isn’t being creative about Mass.

If you have a promanent member of the board, upset about the fact that their crystal chalices are going to be destroyed you may be able to come up with some happy medium. I am not saying to continue using them in the Mass. All I am saying is that destroying them isn’t the ONLY option.

The facts are:

1. They used glass or crystal chalices in the past.
2. They are looking for alternatives now.

The alternatives are to destory the chalices in an approved manner or use them in another manner that befits an item that was blessed and used to carry the precious blood of Christ.

Just because you may be angry that they were used in the first place doesn’t change things about their future use.

I am not twisting his words, as he has said it in all three of his books on the Liturgy. The problem is that the we have completely lost our sense of what is liturgically approved and what was merely a creative whim. Please avail yourself of these books before you accuse me of twisting his words.

 

[Marauder]

And just because the donor of these inappropriate vessels might be upset about them being destroyed does not mean that it’s not the right thing to do.

I say destroy them appropriately. They never should have been accepted for use in the Mass to begin with.

I love how the world is so black and white to some people and the charity.

“So and so board member we appreciate your wonderful donation and even though the priest accepted, you should have never given it to us in the first place so we are going to destory it and even though it could be used for X we won’t, just because.”

“So and so person who donated this is rememberance of your dead relative and it was accepted by the priest, we are now going to destroy it because we should have never used it in the first place.”

All I have been saying is there are other options then validily destorying it, depending on the parish and the needs of the parish.

 

[Marauder]

I am not twisting his words, as he has said it in all three of his books on the Liturgy. The problem is that the we have completely lost our sense of what is liturgically approved and what was merely a creative whim. Please avail yourself of these books before you accuse me of twisting his words.

I have read his books and the disposition of a blessed item is not twisting the Liturgy. If they continued to use the chalice as a chalice that is bending the Liturgy. Thinking outside the box as a method of re-use of an item is different from thinking outside the box during the Mass.

 

[benedictgal]

I love how the world is so black and white to some people and the charity.

“So and so board member we appreciate your wonderful donation and even though the priest accepted, you should have never given it to us in the first place so we are going to destory it and even though it could be used for X we won’t, just because.”

“So and so person who donated this is rememberance of your dead relative and it was accepted by the priest, we are now going to destroy it because we should have never used it in the first place.”

All I have been saying is there are other options then validily destorying it, depending on the parish and the needs of the parish.

The original blame should be assessed to the folks who thought up this novel idea to use “glass” chalices. This never should have been done to begin with because it runs contrary to the norms.

It was a misguided attempt at being creative. These donors had no idea that what they were doing was wrong. The option is to destroy the goblets. They can’t be used for anything secular because they once held the Precious Blood of Jesus. You can’t relegate them to tablewear after they’ve contained the Sacred Species.

 

[benedictgal]

I have read his books and the disposition of a blessed item is not twisting the Liturgy. If they continued to use the chalice as a chalice that is bending the Liturgy. Thinking outside the box as a method of re-use of an item is different from thinking outside the box during the Mass.

But, when it involves going against the norms for sacred vessels, that’s a big problem. You were not reffering to the destruction of the objects. You were defending their existence to begin with. That’s a HUGE difference. Their very usage was misguided creativity. Never did I imply that Benedict said anything about destroying.

Furthermore, your argument about thinking outside the box doesn’t work. What are you going to do with a glass goblet that once held our Lord’s Precious Blood? You cannot use it as mere tableware because that’s an insult. You need to reverently destroy it and then bury it.

 

[Marauder]

They can’t be used for anything secular because they once held the Precious Blood of Jesus. You can’t relegate them to tablewear after they’ve contained the Sacred Species.

I never said to use them as tablewear or something secular. All I have said is that there may be another use for them in the parish. Only that parish can determine if there is another use for them befitting the fact that they were blessed and used to carry the precious blood.

I previously gave a perfect example. The altar rails and gates that were originally in my Church pre-Vatican II were placed into long term storage instead of just destroying them. During an update of the church a new altar rail and crucifix was constructed using parts of the altar rail. That is thinking outside of the box but doing so while still maintaining religious decorum.

 

[benedictgal]

I never said to use them as tablewear or something secular. All I have said is that there may be another use for them in the parish. Only that parish can determine if there is another use for them befitting the fact that they were blessed and used to carry the precious blood.

I previously gave a perfect example. The altar rails and gates that were originally in my Church pre-Vatican II were placed into long term storage instead of just destroying them. During an update of the church a new altar rail and crucifix was constructed using parts of the altar rail. That is thinking outside of the box but doing so while still maintaining religious decorum.

There is a BIG difference between “glass” chalices and altar rails. Altar rails have never been reprobated for use in the Mass, unlike glass chalices. What part of reprobated do you not understand?