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josephback
Guest
Tonight we had a visiting priest and he offered the chalice to the “altar man” and the two who helped distribute Communion. Was this all right or should I notify my diocese? Never seen it before.
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Friar_David_O.Carm
Guest
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Tarpeian_Rock
Guest
For many years our parish - which only makes the Cup available to the general congregation on Holy Thursday - does offer the Cup to those who serve on the altar (EMHC’s and altar servers, youth or adults). It is optional as to whether they choose to receive from the cup; the adult EMHC’s almost always do, while most of the youth servers choose not to.
The Church does not mandate that the Cup be offered; it says it MAY be. If it is within the norms to offer the Cup to everyone, it is certainly acceptable to offer it to those serving at the altar.
On occasion we will have someone with celiac disease who makes arrangements to receive only from the Cup.
If there is an issue, it isn’t that those assisting receive the Cup, it may be that the parish (as with the case at ours) doesn’t make it more widely available, but only offers it to a “select few.”
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ChadS
Guest
I believe it is at the priest’s discretion to choose whether he distributes communion in both species. In this instance it sounds like he has chosen to give it to only servers and EMs, which would be his prerogative. Other parishes the priest has it distributed to all who wish to receive it during communion, and at yet other parishes only the priest and deacons take the precious blood.
From what little you’ve written I see no reason to notify the bishop or any other Church authorities.
ChadS
From what little you’ve written I see no reason to notify the bishop or any other Church authorities.
ChadS
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josephback
Guest
So my concern was out of place? An “altar man” is the somewhat older version of an altar boy.
Thanks everyone
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