How does one "un"-consecrate the body and blood of christ?

[PLAT]

I have heard that fragments of the body (and I mean really tiny they would be considered not able to be picked up) that are collected during the distrubution the body (through the use of the plate by an altar boy) can be “un”-consecrated in some way so that it would not be a grave sin to throw those bread fragments away. Is it true?

 

[puzzleannie]

there is no such thing as “unconsecrating” the Body and Blood of the Lord. As long as the sacred species are recognizable as still containing the physcial attributes of bread and wine the Real Presence remains, that is, their ontological substantial character as the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Our Lord remains. Once they have deteriorated through digestion, solution or other means so as to no longer be recognizable as bread and wine in the physical sense, the Real Presence no longer remains.

If you are asking what should be done with a host that is dropped or regurgitated and cannot be consumed, is it is soaked in water until it is no longer recognizable as bread and the contents poured down the sacrarium, or directly into the earth.

If the priest is purifying the sacred vessels as he is supposed to all the fragments from the paten and other vessels are carefully wiped into the chalice, and when the water is poured in to begin the purification, are swallowed when he swallows that water, and the chalice then purified.

if the various vessels are regularly being returned to the sacristy in your church without being purified properly you need to bring this to the pastor’s attention immediately, and if he takes no action, to the bishop.

 

[Cristiano]

You cannot un-consacrate the blessed sacrament. However, once the accidents of bread and wine disappear then the substance (God) is not present anymore either. In the case of the accidents of bread and/or wine the way to do it is to use water to dissolve them and them properly dispose of the liquid down the sacrarium or by pouring it on the ground. Just make sure that the area of ground where you pour the liquid is treated with respect (e.g. no people walking on it in a regular manner, etc.).

 

[FrDavid96]

Once it becomes the Body of Christ, there is no way to “un-consecrate” It.

Here’s how it does work though:

Only the accidents of bread can become (or be) the Body of Christ. Once the accidents (appearance, taste, etc) of bread are gone, it is no longer the Body of Christ. Tiny fragments that are too small to be considered bread, are not the Body of Christ because of the simple fact that they aren’t “bread” anymore.

Still, out of respect for what they once were, such small particles should be consumed by the priest at the ablutions after Communion. The typical method is to pour some water into the ciborium, and then drink that water. Another way is to pour that water down the sacrarium, a special sink that empties directly into the ground under the building.

They should never be simply thrown-away though. Again, for respect for what they once were, they should never be thrown into the trash can, or onto the ground, or anything else.

 

[FrCorey]

Thats a riot. I can just see the prayer now.
Dear lord, thank you, as always, for turning the wine and bread into your blood and body. it was great as always. but it’s time to clean up now, please put everything back as you found it so we can clean up. and we will see you next time as always. love, your children…

 

[Lapey]

Thats a riot. I can just see the prayer now.
Dear lord, thank you, as always, for turning the wine and bread into your blood and body. it was great as always. but it’s time to clean up now, please put everything back as you found it so we can clean up. and we will see you next time as always. love, your children…

I love it…thanks father!

 

[EasterJoy]

…If you are asking what should be done with a host that is dropped or regurgitated and cannot be consumed, is it is soaked in water until it is no longer recognizable as bread and the contents poured down the sacrarium, or directly into the earth.

If the priest is purifying the sacred vessels as he is supposed to all the fragments from the paten and other vessels are carefully wiped into the chalice, and when the water is poured in to begin the purification, are swallowed when he swallows that water, and the chalice then purified…

I think this is precisely what the OP means: that is, considering that very fine but recognizable fragments of the host might be left on a paten, in a ciborium, or on a corporal, how do we make certain that the Blessed Sacrament is never treated in a sacrilegious manner, even unwittingly? Using the word “unconsecrating” was simply an unsuccessful grasp for the proper terminology with which to describe the process by which the sacred vessels are treated so it is certain that even fine fragments of the sacred species no longer remain.

 

[laszlo]

Only visible fragments represents Christ’s body. The priest collects them into his chalice and consumes with the wine when cleaning the chalice.

The corporal is to be washed time to time by a priest, and the water afterward is spilled to a special sink, which just ends in the soil below the building.

This is the traditional method regardless of the form of the mass.

 

[PLAT]

I think this is precisely what the OP means: that is, considering that very fine but recognizable fragments of the host might be left on a paten, in a ciborium, or on a corporal, how do we make certain that the Blessed Sacrament is never treated in a sacrilegious manner, even unwittingly? Using the word “unconsecrating” was simply an unsuccessful grasp for the proper terminology with which to describe the process by which the sacred vessels are treated so it is certain that even fine fragments of the sacred species no longer remain.

ok… thanks … is there a proper name for it?

 

[Alex2008]

Thats a riot. I can just see the prayer now.
Dear lord, thank you, as always, for turning the wine and bread into your blood and body. it was great as always. but it’s time to clean up now, please put everything back as you found it so we can clean up. and we will see you next time as always. love, your children…

Oh my goodness,

I took a sip of coffee and then made the mistake of reading your post…needless to say the coffee is now all over my desk and I haven’t laughed so hard in a long time. Thanks for seeing the humor in this Fr. Corey!

I can actually see (in my minds eye) Jesus bursting into laughter with this post!

 

[paperwight66]

.

The corporal is to be washed time to time by a priest, and the water afterward is spilled to a special sink, which just ends in the soil below the building.

This is the traditional method regardless of the form of the mass.

Where is this laid down, lazlo?

 

[FrDavid96]

ok… thanks … is there a proper name for it?

Actually no. There’s no word for it.

We might say “once the accidents of bread are no longer present…” But there’s no single word to describe this.

 

[FrDavid96]

Originally Posted by laszlo
.

The corporal is to be washed time to time by a priest, and the water afterward is spilled to a special sink, which just ends in the soil below the building.

This is the traditional method regardless of the form of the mass.

Where is this laid down, lazlo?

It’s well-established custom. It’s also mentioned in Redemptionis Sacramentum (if you need documentation)

[120.] Let Pastors take care that the linens for the sacred table, especially those which will receive the sacred species, are always kept clean and that they are washed in the traditional way. It is praiseworthy for this to be done by pouring the water from the first washing, done by hand, into the church’s sacrarium or into the ground in a suitable place. After this a second washing can be done in the usual way.

 

[paperwight66]

It’s well-established custom. It’s also mentioned in Redemptionis Sacramentum (if you need documentation)

[120.] Let Pastors take care that the linens for the sacred table, especially those which will receive the sacred species, are always kept clean and that they are washed in the traditional way. It is praiseworthy for this to be done by pouring the water from the first washing, done by hand, into the church’s sacrarium or into the ground in a suitable place. After this a second washing can be done in the usual way.

No, I meant where was it laid down that the priest had to do it. Sorry I didn’t make that clear.

 

[zab]

No, I meant where was it laid down that the priest had to do it. Sorry I didn’t make that clear.

I was just about to ask Fr. David if he washes the altar linens.

 

[FrDavid96]

I was just about to ask Fr. David if he washes the altar linens.

As a matter of fact, yes.

I have been doing it, although just a few days ago, someone volunteered. In the absence of a volunteer, I do a lot of things around here.

 

[zab]

As a matter of fact, yes.

I have been doing it, although just a few days ago, someone volunteered. In the absence of a volunteer, I do a lot of things around here.

[edited] I take it that you would agree that when the pastor oversees that something is done properly does not necessarily mean that he is the one required to do the task.

 

[FrCorey]

As a matter of fact, yes.

I have been doing it, although just a few days ago, someone volunteered. In the absence of a volunteer, I do a lot of things around here.

Tell me about it.
We have to do everything if volunteers can’t or won’t.
everything from cleaning and putting away the mass items to odds and ends. check the heat or air. feed the watch cat. turn off the lights. etc.

 

[zab]

Tell me about it.
We have to do everything if volunteers can’t or won’t.
everything from cleaning and putting away the mass items to odds and ends. check the heat or air. feed the watch cat. turn off the lights. etc.

I can’t tell you how many times I have walked into the church for my hour of adoration three hours after the last Mass on Sunday morning and found most of the windows open (in winter). They had been opened at Mass because incense was used. And a few times all of the lights were left on.