How is communion bread made? Can any bread be used?

[civilwar]

I was just thinking, if a priest was in a situation where he could not get the standard communion hosts (for example, in a time of persecution of the Church, in prison, etc.) then could he use any bread at all? Or would all bread, except a very precise type be off limits?

Thanks!

 

[civilwar]

P.S, the same question goes for the wine, does it have to be a specific type?

 

[Mary_Ellen]

According to the GIRM,

1. The bread for celebrating the Eucharist must be made only from wheat, must be recently made, and, according to the ancient tradition of the Latin Church, must be unleavened.

and

1. The wine for the celebration of the Eucharist must be from the fruit of the vine (cf. Lk 22:18), natural, and unadulterated, that is, without admixture of extraneous substances.

So, in answer to your question, specific types of bread and wine must be used ordinarily. To deviate from these norms may make the Eucharist illicit or invalid, depending on how far it deviated from the norm. For example, leavened bread, if nothing else was available such as in the Nazi concentration camps, might be illicit but not invalid. Oreo cookies would be invalid.

 

[Prodigal_Son]

Oreo cookies would be invalid.

Nevertheless, they are most definitely divine!

 

[SuscipeMeDomine]

I was just thinking, if a priest was in a situation where he could not get the standard communion hosts (for example, in a time of persecution of the Church, in prison, etc.) then could he use any bread at all? Or would all bread, except a very precise type be off limits?

Thanks!

The bread has to be unleavened (in the Latin church; I believe Eastern Catholics use leavened bread). But it doesn’t have to be a standard communion host. I used to belong to a parish where parishioners baked the bread for communion. If you Google it I’m sure you can find recipes. These were more substantial and bread-like than the typical hosts and were broken and distributed. It was a beautiful way of bringing the community together – one group baked the bread, then everyone came together at Mass to receive our Lord.

 

[FrDavid96]

I was just thinking, if a priest was in a situation where he could not get the standard communion hosts (for example, in a time of persecution of the Church, in prison, etc.) then could he use any bread at all? Or would all bread, except a very precise type be off limits?

Thanks!

There is no rule that they “must” come from a commercial source, or even from the good sisters (too few of them baking Communion bread nowadays, alas).

As long as the bread contains only wheat flour and water, or even in an emergency, flour, water and leavening (as is the Eastern custom) the priest could use it.

Even in an emergency though, not all bread is valid matter (certainly not).

It’s generally accepted that a very small amount of other ingredients does not make the bread not-valid-matter. But it’s very dangerous to take this too far. Once anything is introduced into the mix, no matter how slight, it calls into question the validity of the bread.

So we can say that flour and water only is valid matter. Flour, water, and leavening is valid matter in an emergency (or normal in the East). But if anything else is added, the validity is questionable, at best; and invalid at worst.

 

[Cavaille-Coll]

While some parishes experimented with consecrating home-baked bread in the 70’s and 80’s, even with the correct ingredients it usually produced far more crumbs than a flat host. All of those crumbs remain consecrated and pose a significant risk of profanation if lost.

 

[FrDavid96]

P.S, the same question goes for the wine, does it have to be a specific type?

Both yes and no.

It must be pure wine, made from grapes only.

Other than that, it does not have to be a specific type. Any grape, or any mixture of grapes (which is very common) is valid matter.

Once we eliminate the obvious, such as wine made with berries or fruit, most commercially available wines would be valid matter. Added sugars present a problem because wine bottles might or might not mention if they add sugar. If they do, then it’s not valid matter.

On a practical level, a priest should only use wines that have been approved by the Church. This is usually done by the bishop in whose territory the wine is made–or at least in his name by the chancellor, vicar general, etc… If it’s approved by one bishop, it can be used by any priest, even one who lives in a different diocese.

The wines that are labeled as “Altar Wine” are usually nothing more than exactly the same wine that the winery sells under other labels. It’s the same exact product, but with a different label or name.

 

[ProVobis]

The bread has to be unleavened (in the Latin church; I believe Eastern Catholics use leavened bread). But it doesn’t have to be a standard communion host. I used to belong to a parish where parishioners baked the bread for communion. If you Google it I’m sure you can find recipes. These were more substantial and bread-like than the typical hosts and were broken and distributed. It was a beautiful way of bringing the community together – one group baked the bread, then everyone came together at Mass to receive our Lord.

FWIW, the Poles and some others use the same host recipe for their annual oplatki “communion” event, which uses unconsecrated bread. There seems to be some symbolism in that unleavened wafer.

 

[TimothyH]

FWIW, the Poles and some others use the same host recipe for their annual oplatki “communion” event, which uses unconsecrated bread. There seems to be some symbolism in that unleavened wafer.

I keep Oplataki in my home and give a small piece to guests with a wish for a happy and healthy week/month/year/wedding/new job/etc.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas_wafer

Eastern Catholics call their bread Prosphora. It can be quite ornate and the parishoners often bake it themselves. Some of the molds they use are ancient. It can be made at home but takes some skill and experience to get it right - not too crumbly or too runny. As Father said, it is mostly flour and water, and sometimes some leaven.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prosphora

(Please Note: This uploaded content is no longer available.)

-Tim-

 

[SuscipeMeDomine]

While some parishes experimented with consecrating home-baked bread in the 70’s and 80’s, even with the correct ingredients it usually produced far more crumbs than a flat host. All of those crumbs remain consecrated and pose a significant risk of profanation if lost.

Seeing the reverence with which even the crumbs were treated reinforced exactly what we were receiving in communion.

FWIW, the Poles and some others use the same host recipe for their annual oplatki “communion” event, which uses unconsecrated bread. There seems to be some symbolism in that unleavened wafer.

I’m of Polish descent as well and always look forward to the oplatki at Christmas time.

 

[Protector]

Mary_Ellen;11779997] According to the GIRM,

1. The bread for celebrating the Eucharist must be made only from wheat, must be recently made,

and,
according to the ancient tradition of the Latin Church, must be unleavened.

Which, on this occasion, was based on Jewish Ceremonial Law/Jewish Custom

“Now ***the first day of the feast of unleavened bread ***the disciples came to Jesus, saying unto him, Where wilt thou that we prepare for thee to eat the Passover?” Matthew 26:17

and,
322. The wine for the celebration of the Eucharist must be from the fruit of the vine (cf. Lk 22:18), natural, and unadulterated, that is, without admixture of extraneous substances.

In that case, is alcohol not considered an "adulteration…"?

biblicalperspectives.com/books/wine_in_the_bible/2.html

So, in answer to your question, specific types of bread and wine must be used ordinarily. To deviate from these norms may make the Eucharist illicit or invalid, depending on how far it deviated from the norm. For example, leavened bread, if nothing else was available such as in the Nazi concentration camps, might be illicit but not invalid. Oreo cookies would be invalid.

Protector.

 

[andrewstx]

Both yes and no.

It must be pure wine, made from grapes only.

Other than that, it does not have to be a specific type. Any grape, or any mixture of grapes (which is very common) is valid matter.

Once we eliminate the obvious, such as wine made with berries or fruit, most commercially available wines would be valid matter. Added sugars present a problem because wine bottles might or might not mention if they add sugar. If they do, then it’s not valid matter.

On a practical level, a priest should only use wines that have been approved by the Church. This is usually done by the bishop in whose territory the wine is made–or at least in his name by the chancellor, vicar general, etc… If it’s approved by one bishop, it can be used by any priest, even one who lives in a different diocese.

The wines that are labeled as “Altar Wine” are usually nothing more than exactly the same wine that the winery sells under other labels. It’s the same exact product, but with a different label or name.

Is fortified wine (port, sherry, etc) valid for use in the Mass?

 

[YoungTradCath]

Is fortified wine (port, sherry, etc) valid for use in the Mass?

I think it depends, but in most cases no.

 

[andrewstx]

I think it depends, but in most cases no.

I think that Brandy is used to stop fermentation and keep the sugar level high. But I remember a priest who used only fortified wine. may he rest in peace.

I think it came from Cribari (sp) and was sold for sacramental use in Catholic churches.

This makes no sense to me, and I am getting more confused.

 

[MorEphrem]

Eastern Catholics call their bread Prosphora. It can be quite ornate and the parishoners often bake it themselves. Some of the molds they use are ancient. It can be made at home but takes some skill and experience to get it right - not too crumbly or too runny. As Father said, it is mostly flour and water, and sometimes some leaven.

Indeed; the Byzantine prosphora molds, however, are much more elaborate than the Syriac ones. The Syriac ones are generally geometric and are line-divided into 12 shares (for obvious Apostolic allusion). There is also a difference in thickness between a Syriac host and a Greek host; the Syriac host is 1/2 to 1/4 the thickness of a Greek host even when leavened. Furthermore, Maronites historically used both leavened and unleavened bread (you use what you had available). In my experience of baking Syriac communion bread, the unleavened breaks clean without crumbs (rips kind of like a thin pita) - the leavened is a different story, but a priest can avoid dropping crumbs if they simply have two altar servers hold a veil under the paten (sort of like the paten servers hold under the mouths of communicants in the Latin Church).

 

[FrDavid96]

Is fortified wine (port, sherry, etc) valid for use in the Mass?

Generally, no.

But this is a tricky one.

Since alcohol is added to the wine after it’s “finished” it’s usually not valid matter. However, there are some techniques for making fortified wine this is valid matter. I don’t know the specific mechanics of it. I think it has something to do with the actual source of the alcohol. If it comes from other wine, it might be valid. Again, I am not familiar with the specifics, only that the answer is “sometimes yes, sometimes no, it all depends.”

One caution here, we have to be careful about the vocabulary. Sometimes people will say that “Port” is not valid matter. That’s actually true. True Port, real, genuine authentic Port is not valid. However, some American vintners make a wine that they might call “port” meaning really “port style” or “port-like” and some of those are valid matter. I know of one made in Michigan called “Cathermans Port” which was approved by the local bishop. At least at the time, it was valid matter. I do not know if the recipe has changed to cause it to be no longer be approved. It’s been about 10 years since I last used it.

Same goes for sherry. Some is, some is not.

 

[Protector]

Mary_Ellen;11779997] According to the GIRM,

1. The bread for celebrating the Eucharist must be made only from wheat, must be recently made, ,

Mary_Ellen;11779997] .and according to the ancient tradition of the Latin Church, must be unleavened

.

And, on this occasion, that is inline with Jewish Ceremonial Law

“And the first day of unleavened bread, when they killed the passover, his disciples said unto him, Where wilt thou that we go and prepare that thou mayest eat the passover?” Mark 14:12

Jewish Ceremonial Law which of course preceded, ***"the ancient tradition of the Latin Church " ***, and was abolished by the Crucifixion
***“Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;” ***Colossians 2:14

1. The wine for the celebration of the Eucharist must be from the fruit of the vine (cf. Lk 22:18), natural, and unadulterated, that is, without admixture of extraneous substances.

So, is alcohol not considered an adulteration?

biblicalperspectives.com/books/wine_in_the_bible/2.html

Protector.

 

[malphono]

In my experience of baking Syriac communion bread, the unleavened breaks clean without crumbs (rips kind of like a thin pita) - the leavened is a different story, but a priest can avoid dropping crumbs if they simply have two altar servers hold a veil under the paten (sort of like the paten servers hold under the mouths of communicants in the Latin Church).

My experience is similar, but I think the leavened would work just as well as long as the dough rolled and cut then allowed to rise a second time before stamping. The separated disks would then be rolled gently again, and that plus the stamping (and piercing of the underside) should release most of the air. I’m planning to try it that way next time. Oh, and let’s not forget that pinch of salt in both the leavened and unleavened varieties.

BTW, what you describe is called a “communion cloth” and is not unknown even among the Latins. The Chaldeans often use it too, despite the fact that they generally use Latin-style unleavened hosts.