How many consecrated hosts may one consume?

[iamrefreshed]

Recently we had a mass offsite at a retreat. Apparently, many more hosts were consecrated than were consumed. As I was helping the priest preparing packing all the items from mass away to leave, he asked me to consume several hosts. There must have been around 30-40. We consumed around half of them. After a bit he decided to enclose them in a purificator and return them to our church tabernacle.

Was there anything wrong with this?

 

[Paten]

Recently we had a mass offsite at a retreat. Apparently, many more hosts were consecrated than were consumed. As I was helping the priest preparing packing all the items from mass away to leave, he asked me to consume several hosts. There must have been around 30-40. We consumed around half of them. After a bit he decided to enclose them in a purificator and return them to our church tabernacle.

Was there anything wrong with this?

Yep.

First they should NOT have been enclosed in a purificator (cloth napkin) but in a proper vessel – a pyx placed inside of a burse.

Even better would have been to have perhaps 10 people reverently consume 3-4 hosts each – preferably during Mass as soon as he saw he had too many. During the purification of the vessels would also be fine.

 

[iamrefreshed]

Yep.

First they should NOT have been enclosed in a purificator (cloth napkin) but in a proper vessel – a pyx placed inside of a burse.

Unfortunately this was unavailable.

Even better would have been to have perhaps 10 people reverently consume 3-4 hosts each – preferably during Mass as soon as he saw he had too many. During the purification of the vessels would also be fine.

Agreed.

 

[Paten]

Unfortunately this was unavailable.

If there was no proper vessel then there was no choice but to consume the remaining consecrated hosts. So it would take 5 minutes?

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

Recently we had a mass offsite at a retreat. Apparently, many more hosts were consecrated than were consumed. As I was helping the priest preparing packing all the items from mass away to leave, he asked me to consume several hosts. There must have been around 30-40. We consumed around half of them. After a bit he decided to enclose them in a purificator and return them to our church tabernacle.

Was there anything wrong with this?

No, it should be done out of sight and very reverently.

 

[Paten]

No, it should be done out of sight and very reverently.

No. It should be done in this case before the Mass ends in this case because there is no way to properly repose the Blessed Sacrament.

Distributing let’s say 3-4 hosts/communicant for say the last 10 communicants would be more than reverent.

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

No. It should be done in this case before the Mass ends in this case because there is no way to properly repose the Blessed Sacrament.

Distributing let’s say 3-4 hosts/communicant for say the last 10 communicants would be more than reverent.

It would be proper for the priest to bring a large pyx for the possibility of extra Hosts after Mass. Then take them to the local parish. If only a few are left it would also be proper for the priest and Deacon to consume them at the altar after Holy communion, if it would not not cause a great delay in the Mass. Lay persons should not consume these extra Hosts at the altar during Mass.

 

[iamrefreshed]

If there was no proper vessel then there was no choice but to consume the remaining consecrated hosts. So it would take 5 minutes?

It wasn’t a matter of time. Have you ever tried consuming 20 or so hosts? It doesn’t exactly go down one’s throat easily.

I think the idea of passing out more hosts at the end is a good one but I could absolutely picture a communicant handing one back!

 

[Paten]

It would be proper for the priest to bring a large pyx for the possibility of extra Hosts after Mass. Then take them to the local parish. If only a few are left it would also be proper for the priest and Deacon to consume them at the altar after Holy communion, if it would not not cause a great delay in the Mass. Lay persons should not consume these extra Hosts at the altar during Mass.

As stated, the priest did not have a pyx. so there was no way to properly repose the Blessed Sacrament for transport.

In any event there would be no problem for the celebrant to enlist the help of others to reverently consume the last 30-40 hosts. Doing so in a reverent manner is not wrong.

 

[Paten]

It wasn’t a matter of time. Have you ever tried consuming 20 or so hosts? It doesn’t exactly go down one’s throat easily.

I think the idea of passing out more hosts at the end is a good one but I could absolutely picture a communicant handing one back!

I think in this case the celebrant needed to choose about a half dozen people to help consume the remaining Blessed Sacrament. I remember Fr. Bob and Fr. John talking about something like this on their show Web of Faith.