Isn't it Time to Devise a Better Way to Receive the Precious Blood Other Than the Common Cup?

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roanoker said:
I just can’t believe that this is a health issue. Look at how many centuries a common cup has been used. I’m a protestant, and we use the little plastic cups, but I don’t like them.
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The last chapter of my wife’s book (which is being published by the University of Alabama Press) on the switch from wine to grape juice in Methodist sacramental practice talks about the use of individual cups and the reasons behind it. Health concerns were very much part of it, but it was more than a pragmatic issue. Late-19th-century American Protestants saw sanitation and “purity” (in the sense of freedom from anything that might be unhealthy or physically dirty or messy) as spiritual values. I think that this was a terrible wrong turn from which Protestantism still suffer. Unfortunately, it’s infected Catholicism (yes, ironic choice of words I know) to some extent as well, as the OP shows.

Edwin
 
Asperges_Me said:
Even without the Swine Flu pandemic looming, I just can’t see why the current method of the common cup (chalice) couldn’t be improved upon. I’m sorry but the thought of drinking out of what may have 50 people’s saliva in it is not very appealing. This is not a one species vs two species debate. Of course, there is always intinction. But that wouldn’t gain favor with the communion in the hand crowd. Aren’t there any Eastern Rite church traditions or other ecclesial community practices that could be employed instead? How about separate tiny spoons similar to what the Orthodox use. Or, how about the separate tiny little cups like the Lutherans use? I think some of the reasons against these practices have to do with purification of the vessels/utensils. But it seems like if someone came up with a practical way to do the purification, why shouldn’t the Latin Rite Church adopt something different?
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The Eastern Churches use three ways:
  1. Drinking directly from the Chalice.
  2. Receiving both kinds from a spoon–but one spoon per chalice.
  3. Direct intinction.
Separate spoons present the same problems that individual cuplets that most Protestants use for purification–to say nothing about the expense of 100 or so gold-plated silver spoons (which is what gets used).

One cup was good enough for Jesus and the Apostles. Why not you?

Or do you actually think that any germ would DARE coexist with the Precious Body and Blood of Christ?
 
Other than intinction and gold dixie cups, I see no other way than simply doing away with the practice.
 
Pure wine is a disinfectant! It kills all bacteria and germs that enter it! The cup is wiped and turned after each person partakes. And what about the option that you do not have to partake of the cup if you have issues with it! Having received the wafer, you have fulfilled the obligation of the Eucharist.

I agree, Jesus used one cup and that is good enough for me. Name one case where somebody caught something by accepting the cup of wine.

As for the little cups, even if they use the glass ones, they are noisy and disrupt the services, speaking as a former Protestant. 🙂
 
I’d really like to know how they came to the conclusion that intinction is not ‘safer’ … because it flies in the face of all reason. The only common point of contact with intinction and two communicants is the hands of the priest (who doesn’t touch the communicants, but rather only the intincted Host).
 
We share the common(communion) cup as a sign of our communion with God AND WITH EACH OTHER(the Church). If you can believe that common wine has been changed into the body and blood, soul and divinity of the risen Christ can you not stretch it a little further and believe that you will be protected from swine flu or any other disease? This flu is just the flu. Nothing special about it except we don’t have a vaccine for it. I haven’t received a flu vaccine in over 30 years. Does this mean I should refrain from shareing the communion cup with my brothers?
 
This is wrong. Read the article. He is talking about self-inctinction (by Protestants) where each recipient handles the host and intincts it in a common cup.

This is NEVER allowed in the Catholic Church.

Only the priest would touch each host. That greatly reduces the risk.

God Bless
 
Asperges_Me said:
Even without the Swine Flu pandemic looming, I just can’t see why the current method of the common cup (chalice) couldn’t be improved upon. I’m sorry but the thought of drinking out of what may have 50 people’s saliva in it is not very appealing. This is not a one species vs two species debate. Of course, there is always intinction. But that wouldn’t gain favor with the communion in the hand crowd. Aren’t there any Eastern Rite church traditions or other ecclesial community practices that could be employed instead? How about separate tiny spoons similar to what the Orthodox use. Or, how about the separate tiny little cups like the Lutherans use? I think some of the reasons against these practices have to do with purification of the vessels/utensils. But it seems like if someone came up with a practical way to do the purification, why shouldn’t the Latin Rite Church adopt something different?
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I actually don’t see how it could be approved upon and that includes intinction…

There is more cost and effort involved in providing both species separately and it may not be appropriate for large settings But I believe it to be the absolute ultimate (at least in the Latin Rite) way to distribute communion.
Code: 
        **Take this**, all of you, and **eat it:**
        this is my body which will be given up for you.

        **Take this**, all of you, and **drink from it:**
        this is the cup of my blood,
        the blood of the new and everlasting covenant.
        It will be shed for you and for many
        so that sins may be forgiven.
        Do this in memory of me.
The superior sign-value is undeniable. I do think women should be asked to drink from the chalice only when they are lipstick-free though. The mess made by lipstick is remarkable…
 
“Why don’t we use those little paper cups like the Reformed Methodist Lutheran Discipleship of the Southern Baptist Latter Seventh Day Full Bible Whole Gospel Evangelical Independent True Presbyterian Apostleship Temple uses. I can’t stand the thought of all those germs when I drink that wine.”

Seriously, I have heard things like this before.

We don’t need to change anything. If you are worried, don’t participate in the precious blood. You are receiveing the whole Christ in the Host anyway, you are not missing out on anything.

You are more likely to die in a car wreck on the way to Mass than die from the flu passed on from the cup.

If you are really worried, decline the sign of peace too. Don’t use the holy water. Don’t hug Aunt Bessie after Mass. You better hope the waitress at Denny’s or the acne faced teen at Mickey D’s does not sneezze on your breakfast either.

Eddie Mac
 
There HAS to be a better way. I get the distastefulness of using plastic cups as well as the issue of “tossing out” any residue of precious blood after consuming from an individual cup. I also understand that I can receive just the host and not “technically” be depriving myself of anything. HOWEVER…I NEVER take from the communal cup and would appreciate the opportunity to do so.
 
No one is forced to receive from the chalice…If it’s not for you abstain…You don’t recieve Christ more fully with the blood than you do with the host
 
Or, how about the separate tiny little cups like the Lutherans use? I think some of the reasons against these practices have to do with purification of the vessels/utensils.
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You will never see this in the Catholic Church because of the risk of spilling and profaning the Blood of Christ. We are not permitted to pour the blood after consecration. How would you possibly manage figuring out the correct number of cups so that there were no left- overs. Would the priest or emohc have to be drinking out of 20-50 paper cups after mass? That would not be appropriate at all.
 
In all my years receiving under both species, I have never gotten sick.

Unfortunately, due to my allergy to precious metals (yes, you can be allergic to gold and silver) plus having cold sores that seem to be triggered by the chalice, I no longer receive under both (in respect for other and no desire to give them my cold sores). Unfortunately, the one time I did get sick from receiving from the chalice (Easter Vigil this year) had everything to do with the fact that the EMHC did not use the purificator to properly wipe the rim of the chalice (I was also more prone to get sick anyways do to my allergies).

With all that being said, I see no reason to change the method of how the Precious Blood is offered (only better training or even stopping the use of EMHCs) except if they go to Intinction.
 
No way! I grew up Mormon, with the tiny individual cups, and it’s like taking medicine in a hospital. I don’t like it one bit. Besides, it seems that with so many things going in and out (spoons, straws, tiny cups) there’s a much better chance of someone seriously profaning the Precious Blood. I am willing to take the risk of getting the sniffles or whatever to protect the Blood of Christ. Call me crazy.

It seems to me that you’d be more likely to catch something during the peace when everyone is shaking hands & stuff. The chalice is immediately wiped off, after all, but you don’t know where people’s hands have been.
 
Seatuck said:
Would the priest or emohc have to be drinking out of 20-50 paper cups after mass? That would not be appropriate at all.
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Ugh, and a Dixie bathroom cup is no place for the Precious Blood! Can you imagine?! Parishes would have to invest in 300 golden shotglasses…
 
Pure wine is a disinfectant! It kills all bacteria and germs that enter it!
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First the wine is mingled with some water, so it’s not pure.

It’s a bacterium, I believe, that converts wine into vinegar. (I may be mistaken here.)

And wine is NOT a viricide.
 
My favorite form of reception is via intinction, but my guess is that 95% of priests have never even heard of it, or they don’t like it, so it’s virtually never made available.

As for me, I see no reason to drink from the chalice. I don’t need the “sign” value, since I receive the entire Christ in the consecrated host.

Let’s not be Utraquists!

Are You an Utraquist?
catholic.com/thisrock/2007/0701lw.asp
 
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