I'm pretty sure this is an abuse, but need info on why

[MuchToLearn]

I visited a new parish last Sunday (just moved) and was shocked to see Eucharistic ministers finishing their respective chalices after communion, rather than taking them up to be finished by the priest. At least one of them did so while walking back to the altar. The level of reverence here in general was on the level of people carrying around glasses of wine at a party.

I have always understood it to be the priest’s duty to finish the remaining Blood of Christ.

I’m thinking of dropping a note to the parish, but I’d like to be able to provide a more rigorous reason than “I’ve never seen this before and I’m 99% sure it’s just not done.”

Thanks in advance.

 

[TrueLight]

I visited a new parish last Sunday (just moved) and was shocked to see Eucharistic ministers finishing their respective chalices after communion, rather than taking them up to be finished by the priest. At least one of them did so while walking back to the altar. The level of reverence here in general was on the level of people carrying around glasses of wine at a party.

I have always understood it to be the priest’s duty to finish the remaining Blood of Christ.

I’m thinking of dropping a note to the parish, but I’d like to be able to provide a more rigorous reason than “I’ve never seen this before and I’m 99% sure it’s just not done.”

Thanks in advance.

I saw the ministers finishing their chalices as well today. I didn’t know what to think.

 

[Oneofthewomen]

From the GIRM- ch. 4, but the whole thing is worth a read if before you presume anything to be an abuse.

Whatever may remain of the Blood of Christ is consumed at the altar by the priest or the deacon or the duly instituted acolyte who ministered the chalice. The same then purifies, wipes, and arranges the sacred vessels in the usual way

 

[Phemie]

From the GIRM- ch. 4, but the whole thing is worth a read if before you presume anything to be an abuse.

It doesn’t say anything about EMHCs who are NOT instituted acolytes – most EMHCs aren’t.

Most parishes I’ve been in allowed EMHCs to finish the Precious Blood in the chalices they had been ministering. I have had a problem with HOW they receive rather than that they receive. Tossing back the Precious Blood as though you were finishing the last swig of beer is very disrespectful. I expect them to carry the chalice to the credence table, reverently consume what remains and then cover the chalice for purification by the priest later.

 

[TrueLight]

From the GIRM- ch. 4, but the whole thing is worth a read if before you presume anything to be an abuse.

Okay how about this:

At the same church, I saw a little wooden rickety table - smaller than an end table. On it were 2 chalices(?). The end table was attached to a pew which was about 20 rows back, towards the center of the church. So when facing the front of the church, the left side of the table was attached to the pew and the right side extended about a foot into the aisle.

So I looked at it and thought, I know that’s not the Eucharist.

So after the homily about three people stood up. One picked up one chalice and one picked up the other. Then all three filed down the middle aisle and went up on the platform where the Priest was. He was standing in front of a table that stood for an altar I guess.

They went back down and then the priest began to consecrate. So those chalices contained the body and blood!

Is that okay?

 

[Phemie]

Okay how about this:

At the same church, I saw a little wooden rickety table - smaller than an end table. On it were 2 chalices(?). The end table was attached to a pew which was about 20 rows back, towards the center of the church. So when facing the front of the church, the left side of the table was attached to the pew and the right side extended about a foot into the aisle.

So I looked at it and thought, I know that’s not the Eucharist.

So after the homily about three people stood up. One picked up one chalice and one picked up the other. Then all three filed down the middle aisle and went up on the platform where the Priest was. He was standing in front of a table that stood for an altar I guess.

They went back down and then the priest began to consecrate. So those chalices contained the body and blood!

Is that okay?

That was the offertory procession. The people brought forward the wine and the bread to be consecrated – that happens at most Sunday Masses. They aren’t the body and blood at that point.

The vessel containing the wine was a chalice; the one with the hosts, a ciborium. In most parishes the wine would be in a cruet or flagon when brought up at the Offertory and would be poured into the chalice before the consecration.

 

[Spirithound]

I visited a new parish last Sunday (just moved) and was shocked to see Eucharistic ministers finishing their respective chalices after communion, rather than taking them up to be finished by the priest. At least one of them did so while walking back to the altar. The level of reverence here in general was on the level of people carrying around glasses of wine at a party.

Consuming the Precious Blood while moving does certainly sound disrespectful. However, the Extraordinary Minister may consume the remaining Blood since it is still an extension of the Communion that the priest gave to that E. Minister. This would be more common when the volume left over is too much for the priest to consume in a timely manner. I know I can’t drink wine quickly!

So after the homily about three people stood up. One picked up one chalice and one picked up the other. Then all three filed down the middle aisle and went up on the platform where the Priest was. He was standing in front of a table that stood for an altar I guess.

They went back down and then the priest began to consecrate. So those chalices contained the body and blood!

No, they were ciboria, which contained bread, which the priest then consecrated into the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of our Lord Jesus Christ. What you have described is the Offertory, which takes place at every Mass.

 

[Oneofthewomen]

It doesn’t say anything about EMHCs who are NOT instituted acolytes – most EMHCs aren’t.

Most parishes I’ve been in allowed EMHCs to finish the Precious Blood in the chalices they had been ministering. I have had a problem with HOW they receive rather than that they receive. Tossing back the Precious Blood as though you were finishing the last swig of beer is very disrespectful. I expect them to carry the chalice to the credence table, reverently consume what remains and then cover the chalice for purification by the priest later.

I agree with all you say. However, if you read in a different part of the GIRM, where it talks about Communion under both kinds, I think that it implies that the EMHC may do this.
Again, it is the reverence part that needs to be addressed, and should be handled throught the proper training and formation of EMsHC.

Okay how about this:

At the same church, I saw a little wooden rickety table - smaller than an end table. On it were 2 chalices(?). The end table was attached to a pew which was about 20 rows back, towards the center of the church. So when facing the front of the church, the left side of the table was attached to the pew and the right side extended about a foot into the aisle.

So I looked at it and thought, I know that’s not the Eucharist.

So after the homily about three people stood up. One picked up one chalice and one picked up the other. Then all three filed down the middle aisle and went up on the platform where the Priest was. He was standing in front of a table that stood for an altar I guess.

They went back down and then the priest began to consecrate. So those chalices contained the body and blood!

Is that okay?

This is called the credence table, and it is where the gifts are placed so that they can be brought up during the offetory. At this point in the Mass they are only bread & wine, the do not become the Body & Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ until the proper prayers are said by the priest.

 

[TrueLight]

I agree with all you say. However, if you read in a different part of the GIRM, where it talks about Communion under both kinds, I think that it implies that the EMHC may do this.
Again, it is the reverence part that needs to be addressed, and should be handled throught the proper training and formation of EMsHC.

This is called the credence table, and it is where the gifts are placed so that they can be brought up during the offetory. At this point in the Mass they are only bread & wine, the do not become the Body & Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ until the proper prayers are said by the priest.

Thank you folks. I have never seen that before. It’s good to be enlightened.

 

[Stylites]

It would be nice for the faithful to accentuate the good and the positive rather than crouching like a lioness ready to pounce upon any perceived or imagined liturgical abuses. We ought to attend Mass and center our minds upon the heart of Christ and our own hearts rather than upon the hearts of our fellow parishioners.

If something is amiss in your parish, then bring it up in private with the priest. If in doubt about the rubrics, then ask him about it rather than rushing here to broadcast it to the whole world. Our priests need our support, not our scorn or distrust. Our Church is under attack from all quarters, and we ought not be helping the world and the devil to attack us.

And finally, if anyone is not happy with the state of vocations today then step up to the plate yourself and seek ordination or the consecrated life.

 

[TrueLight]

It would be nice for the faithful to accentuate the good and the positive rather than crouching like a lioness ready to pounce upon any perceived or imagined liturgical abuses. We ought to attend Mass and center our minds upon the heart of Christ and our own hearts rather than upon the hearts of our fellow parishioners.

If something is amiss in your parish, then bring it up in private with the priest. If in doubt about the rubrics, then ask him about it rather than rushing here to broadcast it to the whole world. Our priests need our support, not our scorn or distrust. Our Church is under attack from all quarters, and we ought not be helping the world and the devil to attack us.

And finally, if anyone is not happy with the state of vocations today then step up to the plate yourself and seek ordination or the consecrated life.

Oh please. No one in this thread is crouching like a lioness.

Some of us are learning and need to know what is right and what is wrong.

As it happens despite what I saw as strange, I still participated fully.

And if you’re visiting a parish, are you going to bring up something on the receiving line?

 

[Like]

It would be nice for the faithful to accentuate the good and the positive rather than crouching like a lioness ready to pounce upon any perceived or imagined liturgical abuses. We ought to attend Mass and center our minds upon the heart of Christ and our own hearts rather than upon the hearts of our fellow parishioners.

If something is amiss in your parish, then bring it up in private with the priest. If in doubt about the rubrics, then ask him about it rather than rushing here to broadcast it to the whole world. Our priests need our support, not our scorn or distrust. Our Church is under attack from all quarters, and we ought not be helping the world and the devil to attack us.

And finally, if anyone is not happy with the state of vocations today then step up to the plate yourself and seek ordination or the consecrated life.

And you would be assuming all poster are Catholic?

And you would be preacher who?

 

[laszlo]

Since in large churches there are about six half empty chalices, and there is only one priest celebration three masses in row, the alternative would be

• a drank priest
• or spilling the Holy Blood to the sacrarium.

Which one do you prefer?

 

[MuchToLearn]

It would be nice for the faithful to accentuate the good and the positive rather than crouching like a lioness ready to pounce upon any perceived or imagined liturgical abuses. We ought to attend Mass and center our minds upon the heart of Christ and our own hearts rather than upon the hearts of our fellow parishioners.

I understand where you’re coming from, and the need to avoid putting excessive criticism of external forms over remembering why we’re there. That said, I think an overly casual approach to the liturgy and toward the Real Presence is rightly lamentable, and all too widespread. That is the heart of my concern, and, I think, what really shocked me about the whole deal.

Asking a question here was my attempt to find out more info discreetly and anonymously. Thanks to everyone who answered.

As my user name suggests, I’m trying to catch up on things I don’t know about the faith and the liturgy – even as a “cradle Catholic” with K-12 in Catholic schools some years back. This issue is but one of them.