Intinction and Deacons? (Can Deacons dip the host into the precious blood?)

[Corki]

Yes there is confusion and the entire method of distributing Holy Eucharist is in great need of serious contemplation by the Bishops of the entire Church. I also found that as a ELEM that I have had individuals present a pyx for me to deposit the Host into and I have made it a point of telling them I can’t do that as I don’t know their qualifications (i.e. are they ordained or are they ELEM) and I suggest that they go directly to the celebrant and request the Host from him.

What is an ELEM?

 

[centurionguard]

You bring up a good point.

I’ve been distributing by intinction for years, and never had a problem with droplets. There’s a “technique” to it. The priest doesn’t “soak” the Host in the Blood, but merely dips it slightly and quickly, at the edge of the Blood and near the cup, and then gives the Host a little “tap” or “rub” against the inside of the chalice. It’s hard to describe it in words but with a little practice it’s rather easy.

And yes, I do use a paten (held by the altar boys who are very carefully trained in the right way to use them).

I’ve found that distributing by intinction has overall much less danger of sacrilege because the priest does not have to worry about the problems that arise when communicants receive in the hand.

I’ve been distributing by intinction for years, and never had a problem with droplets. There’s a “technique” to it. The priest doesn’t “soak” the Host in the Blood, but merely dips it slightly and quickly, at the edge of the Blood and near the cup, and then gives the Host a little “tap” or “rub” against the inside of the chalice. It’s hard to describe it in words but with a little practice it’s rather easy.

I can certainly respect what you are saying here Father which does in some form give what you are doing special credence and care.
But what of the uncleanliness of Faithful communicants hands. Even with the technique you have thoughtfully described the Sacred Hosts may not be soaked with the Sacred Blood of Christ. But most certainly remnants of wetness from the Sacred Blood do in fact remain on the communicants hands even after they have consumed the Sacred Host unless the Intinction of the Sacred Host into the chalice as you have described is consumed on the tongue rather than the hands. Hands are not Patens that can be purified.

I do greatly respect the idea that you reverently use Patens for use by the Alter servers.
Not much enriched symbolism due the the use of the Paten is known by many younger modern day Catholics unless the seek to study about mass vestments and the Sacred vessels used during Mass. Sadly; in my Parish the priest chooses to neglect the use of the Paten used in conjunction with the priests Main Chalice on the Corporal over the Alter stone during the Eucharistic commemoration of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.

 

[FrDavid96]

I can certainly respect what you are saying here Father which does in some form give what you are doing special credence and care.
But what of the uncleanliness of Faithful communicants hands. Even with the technique you have thoughtfully described the Sacred Hosts may not be soaked with the Sacred Blood of Christ. But most certainly remnants of wetness from the Sacred Blood do in fact remain on the communicants hands even after they have consumed the Sacred Host unless the Intinction of the Sacred Host into the chalice as you have described is consumed on the tongue rather than the hands. Hands are not Patens that can be purified.

If Communion is distributed by intinction, it must be distributed on the tongue, so no one is receiving in the hand.

I do greatly respect the idea that you reverently use Patens for use by the Alter servers.
Not much enriched symbolism due the the use of the Paten is known by many younger modern day Catholics unless the seek to study about mass vestments and the Sacred vessels used during Mass. Sadly; in my Parish the priest chooses to neglect the use of the Paten used in conjunction with the priests main chalice on the Corporal over the Alter stone during the eucharistic commemoration of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.

Our altar boys use the communion patens with the handles. One could use the paten from the altar, and I have done that sometimes out of necessity, but I’ve found that the handled ones work much better overall.

 

[centurionguard]

If Communion is distributed by intinction, it must be distributed on the tongue, so no one is receiving in the hand.

Our altar boys use the communion patens with the handles. One could use the paten from the altar, and I have done that sometimes out of necessity, but I’ve found that the handled ones work much better overall.

I remember some forty years ago using the handled Paten as an Alter boy just shortly after the Novus Ordo came into affect.

 

[Brendan]

To continue that, I’m not entirely convinced (personally speaking) that it was the intention of Redemptionis Sacramentum to limit intinction only to priests. That’s how the bishops interpret it, and I must defer to their interpretation, so as far as I’m concerned that’s the liturgical law and I can’t go against it…

Our parish uses intinction as the normal mode of offering both species. It is offered by our priests and our deacons. On the very rare times that we use EMHC’s, they offer the species of bread alone.

I would agree that the use of deacons in this way would probably be a matter of diocesan particular law.

There is nothing theologically incorrect about the use of deacons, of course, as Eastern deacons do so.

 

[Brendan]

I remember some forty years ago using the handled Paten as an Alter boy just shortly after the Novus Ordo came into affect.

I was an altar boy in the late 70’s, and we used them at our parish. My son is an altarboy at our current parish (which uses intinction), and he uses them.

 

[PacoG]

That’s the difference between intinction and self-intinction.

There’s no doubt at all that self-intinction (except by a priest) is never permitted. I know it sometimes puts people in a difficult position. The issue is that when someone receives the Host, it must be consumed immediately. In your scenario, by the time the person gets to you (who have the chalice/cup) the problem has already happened.

I once read that the reason self-intinction is prohibited is because Judas Iscariot self intincted.

 

[bpbasilphx]

I once read that the reason self-intinction is prohibited is because Judas Iscariot self intincted.

Actually it was Jesus Himself Who gave Judas the sop–“intincted” it, if you wish–which is a common gesture among Middle Easterners today, and would have caused no comment.