How to ask a priest this question without seeming sacrilegious

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Catholic_Britt

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I don’t know if this is the right section to ask this, but it was the most fitting forum I saw. I need to preface my question with stating that I truly believe that Jesus is fully present in both forms of the Eucharist. So, I know that he is fully present and that when we receive at mass it is Jesus. However, it still retains the accidents of the form it is in- the Precious Blood has the accidents of wine and the Body has the accidents of unleavened bread. That being said, here’s my question: would it be sacrilegious/how would I ask a priest to describe the type of wine used? I’ve rarely found a wine that I actually like and the taste of the kind of wine used at church is one I actually enjoy. I don’t want to be sacrilegious and I’m not asking for the brand used, just for the type to be described.
 
I don’t think that would be sacrilegious. I used to work at a parish and saw the bottles in the back. I wish I could remember the name. They were from California.
 
Google ‘Communion Wine sales’ and you will see what the vendors say. I think communion wine is fortified with brandy for preservation reasons. Like port. But as one who doesn’t drink communion wine, or any alcohol, what would I know?
 
You know, you can just receive the host, there’s nothing wrong with that, it’s 100% Jesus. But, I don’t think there’s anything wrong with asking out of curiosity
 
I know the brand/name of the wine but it’s specifically created for churches. I want to find wine similar to it. If that makes sense
 
Catholic_Britt said:
I want to find wine similar to it.
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There’s really no set type of communion wine: it can be dry, sweet, red, white, typically fortified (as @FiveLinden wrote) so that it resembles a light port or sherry. It’s very much subject to regional tradition and local wineries and vineyards.
 
If you feel uncomfortable asking the priest, go to the sacristan instead.

I was head sacristan in my parish for six years. Every now and then someone would approach me with this question. I simply showed them the bottle. :woman_shrugging:t2:

In any event, it is not sacrilegious to want to know which wine a parish uses for Mass.
 
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I would just ask the priest. This is not a strange question.
Dominus vobiscum
 
For what it’s worth, the wine used at the parish I go to reminds me of a nice Chianti.
 
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We use a white Bordeaux labelled for liturgical use. I don’t know if it’s any different from other white Bordeaux. (I’ve never tasted it.) There’s no indication that it’s fortified.
 
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Yes, we do. There is no requirement for the wine to be red.
 
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No kidding. I know of no Catholic church in the entire Archdiocese that uses red wine.
 
Catholic_Britt said:
That being said, here’s my question: would it be sacrilegious/how would I ask a priest to describe the type of wine used?
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No it wouldn’t and, since you ask, it varies from place to place. Some parishes I know use a special brand, while others buy their own. there are some restrictions on what can and can’t be used - it has to be from grapes, but after that there’s some flexibility. Practically all wines produced in somewhere like the United States or similar countries are fine to use, however, not fortified wines such as port or brandy. So there’s no obligation to use any special “Altar Wine” although a lot of parishes do basically because you know what you’re going to get (i.e. that it’s suitable to use in the Eucharist). It’s also no doubt more convenient (especially if it’s being bought in bulk) to order it from a wholesaler or Catholic / religious supply company and have it invoiced.
 
Hello all!

I was sacristan for a few years with my religious order so I may be able to help. The only requirements for wine to be used at mass are that the wine is:
  1. All natural. All wine used at mass must be either organic or the grapes and fermentation vessels must be thoroughly washed before fermentation so that no foreign substances or chemicals are introduced into the wine making process.
  2. Not diluted, fortified or blended. The wine must be used in the same state that it is in once fermentation has ceased. It cannot be diluted with water or have extra alcohol added. It also cannot be mixed from various different batches of wine. The only type of blended wine allowed is when a blend of grapes is initially juiced together before fermentation.
  3. The process must be continuous from beginning to end. Some wineries buy pure grape juice from external growers and processors and begin the process of wine making from this point. As such, sometimes preservatives are added to the juice to stabilize it for transport. Communion wine must be pressed specifically for a vintage and then be used immediately. The only caveat to this is if the winery owns the process from growing to fermentation. If the winery grows the grapes off-site and then presses and transports those grapes for the specific use in their vintage and does not add preservatives, then this may be used. It is also allowed for a winery to buy whole grapes from external growers and then wash and press the grapes themselves.
  4. The wine must be naturally alcoholic. Believe it or not, some wineries have removed the alcohol from their wines and then add it back in to achieve a constant alcohol content. These may not be used as communion wines. Even grape must, which priests who are recovering alcoholics personally use when they consecrate the Eucharist, has a tiny alcohol content. Even this can only be used under permission of the Bishop.
  5. No dyes or colorings. Communion wine must retain the natural color of the wine. It doesn’t have to be either white or red. I have seen communion wines ranging from golden yellow to rose to deep purple to brown (don’t ask). Color doesn’t matter
This is a lot to research for the average pastor, so the United States Conference of Bishops has certified a number of wineries for use as Communion wines. For personal use of a priest, however, he can use any wine which he can verify that these five criteria are met.
 
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While some communion wines are specifically fermented to achieve a sweet wine with a higher alcohol content (like Vin Santo), fortified wines like Port cannot be used for communion wines. The communion wine must be naturally alcoholic and not contain any added alcohol to raise the ABV or water dilution to lower it.

Personally, when it comes to a sweet strong wine, I prefer Vin Santo. Like its name suggested, it was originally created for use at Mass, hence the name ‘Holy Wine’. It is good after dinner with a nice biscotti or, if you are willing to wait, you can lay down a few good bottles a year and wait fifteen to twenty years after the vintage date (usually they are only sold 5 -10 years after bottling) and come out with an excellent wine which tastes almost exactly like a very high shelf brandy because fermentation is never fully stopped with such a high sugar content and slowly continues until the rest of the sugar is gone. It is a limited vintage, but I would suggest Castello del Trebbio if you can find it.
 
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