Just the Body or the Blood? Why not both all the time?

[vincent10395]

Hey Guys,
I was wondering why during daily Mass (at my parish and mostly others) only the Body of Christ is given out instead of both the Body and Blood? I know every Sunday both are given out, but why during daily Mass is just the Body of Christ received? Why is it not required that both are to be received?

Thank you, and God Bless!

 

[tstrong728]

At my parish, the blood is available at all masses. If you really want to know why, just ask your parish priest.

 

[Mike30]

Probably because it is not required to be offered at all Masses or at any regular Mass for that matter. Communion is complete under either or both species. You receive exactly the same from one or the other or both.

Only the Priest is required to receive under both species.

 

[bben15]

Offering the chalice to the laity is relatively recent. Before Vatican II, the chalice was strictly for the celebrants.

The priest isn’t required to offer the chalice. You receive the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Christ in either form.

 

[bzkoss236]

Hey Guys,
I was wondering why during daily Mass (at my parish and mostly others) only the Body of Christ is given out instead of both the Body and Blood? I know every Sunday both are given out, but why during daily Mass is just the Body of Christ received? Why is it not required that both are to be received?

Thank you, and God Bless!

Both the “bread” and the “wine” are equally the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Christ. So, receiving under either species gives you the fullness of Christ. So, even if only one species is used, you get the full experience.

 

[George_Stegmeir]

I keep reading on this site about people receiving both the Host and Wine for Holy Communion. I am wondering where do these people live?
I live in NYC and have attended Mass for only 30 years, and have lived under 3 different Cardinal Archbishops in that time, and in that time have only experienced Communion in both forms once. I have also visited South Florida and have never seen Communion in both forms there.

 

[KimberlyCat]

My parish only offers the bread in both daily Masses and Sunday Mass. You only have to receive one.

 

[maryjk]

I keep reading on this site about people receiving both the Host and Wine for Holy Communion. I am wondering where do these people live?
I live in NYC and have attended Mass for only 30 years, and have lived under 3 different Cardinal Archbishops in that time, and in that time have only experienced Communion in both forms once. I have also visited South Florida and have never seen Communion in both forms there.

I have received both in Pennsylvania, Georgia, Tennessee and Alabama.

 

[Ad_Orientem]

Why not both all the time? Because with the Precious Blood there’s danger of spilling, and also danger of consecrating too much (leftover Hosts can be kept in the tabernacle; the Precious Blood cannot; thus either the ministers would drink too much, or it would spoil). The Church has decreed that reception by the faithful of the Precious Blood “is to be completely excluded where even a small danger exists of the sacred species being profaned” (Red. Sac. 101).

 

[theistgal]

If you want both all the time, you may want to consider attending the Divine Liturgy at an Eastern Rite parish.

 

[babochka]

I keep reading on this site about people receiving both the Host and Wine for Holy Communion. I am wondering where do these people live?
I live in NYC and have attended Mass for only 30 years, and have lived under 3 different Cardinal Archbishops in that time, and in that time have only experienced Communion in both forms once. I have also visited South Florida and have never seen Communion in both forms there.

This must be regional. Out here on the west coast, I have rarely visited a parish that did not offer communion under both species at least on Sundays. I would say it became the “norm” to do it that way in the mid-90s, but my experience is somewhat limited because i usually attend a Byzantine Rite parish, in which it is only distributed under both kinds.

 

[judynurse]

My Parish also offers only the Host at weekday Masses, other than Holy Days. The main reason we only offer the Chalice with the Precious Blood on the weekend Masses is the lack of Eucharistic Ministers, especially at early Masses for those who work during the week. These laity who serve as EMHC (Eucharistic Ministers of Holy Communion) must arrive early, and if there is no Sacristan every day, must also remain and assist in setting up the Altar for the next day as well as replacing Hymnals, Missalettes, etc… Some of them must also get to work, or have children at home and can’t arrive at 6:30 or 7:00 am for the weekday Mass, nor can many of them remain if there is a second Mass later in the morning. It usually requires two of them, so the members can divide in two directions after receiving the Host from the Priest and go to one side or the other. If there is any of the Precious Blood left, the Priest and/or the EMHC’s must consume what is left. (And this is before eating any breakfast!).

Therefore, we only have the Host during the week, but offer the Eucharist under both species at the weekend Masses. Since I do the scheduling for one or two months at a time at one of our three Parishes on the weekends, I KNOW how difficult it can be to be certain both EMHC’s are present at the week-end Mass! I often have to fill in for those who “forget” to come, or decide to take a week-end trip without warning me ahead!

As for having both species in a large Cathedral, this may be due to the crowd. They may often (as even our small parish does) use all of the Consecrated wine before even 1/2 of the members attending get through the line, and then there are complaints from the rest wondering why we don’t use a much larger Chalice! (We simply can’t put a quart or a fifth of wine in each Chalice and have it be at all reasonable to handle for large crowds, not to mention the expense involved for the Parish). That’s probably why you don’t see it at much larger Cathedrals on the weekend. Smaller Parishes may offer both on the weekends. Try it.

 

[Cathoholic]

Jesus is fully and substantially present in the Eucharist . . . and there is no bread or wine remaining (the “accidents” that make it appear as bread and wine remain) regardless of if you just received the consecrated host alone, or the consecrated wine alone, or if you received both.

As bben15 and others have stated,

You receive the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Christ in either form.

**CCC 1374a ** The mode of Christ’s presence under the Eucharistic species is unique. It raises the Eucharist above all the sacraments as "the perfection of the spiritual life and the end to which all the sacraments tend."201 In the most blessed sacrament of the Eucharist “the body and blood, together with the soul and divinity, of our Lord Jesus Christ and, therefore, the whole Christ is truly, really, and substantially contained.” . . .

Consecrated host = “the body and blood, together with the soul and divinity, of our Lord Jesus Christ”

Consecrated wine = “the body and blood, together with the soul and divinity, of our Lord Jesus Christ”

Contrariwise . . .

Consecrated host = NO bread remains

Consecrated wine = NO wine remains

 

[Brendan]

Jesus is fully and substantially present in the Eucharist . . . and there is no bread or wine remaining (the “accidents” that make it appear as bread and wine remain) regardless of if you just received the consecrated host alone, or the consecrated wine alone, or if you received both.

…
Consecrated host = “the body and blood, together with the soul and divinity, of our Lord Jesus Christ”

Consecrated wine = “the body and blood, together with the soul and divinity, of our Lord Jesus Christ”

Contrariwise . . .

Consecrated host = NO bread remains

Consecrated wine = NO wine remains

Well stated.

Unfortunately, there was a LOT of bad catechesis through the 70’s and 80’s and FAR too many Catholics do not understand that no matter what form by which they receive the Sacrament, the Body and Blood of Christ are fully present.

So such statements as ‘receiving only the Body’ or ‘why wasn’t the Precious Blood offered’ are effectively meaningless. It is impossible to receive one without receiving the other.

 

[L_Marshall]

Hey Guys,
I was wondering why during daily Mass (at my parish and mostly others) only the Body of Christ is given out instead of both the Body and Blood? I know every Sunday both are given out, but why during daily Mass is just the Body of Christ received? Why is it not required that both are to be received?

Thank you, and God Bless!

Many other posters have correctly commented that both species contain the full Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Christ. Some ask, however, why both species are not given if it is now allowed. I will not comment any theological reason, but will list several practical reasons used by pastors, for which the Cup is sometimes withheld from the faithful. I am not looking to argue any of these points, but these are just a variety of reasons I’ve heard:

1. 
   *]Fear of illness during cold/flu season.
   *]Fear of spills of the Precious Blood (which is much easier to spill than the Body, and much harder to clean).
   *]Cost of wine for so many people.
   *]The amount of people it takes to distribute the Precious Blood.
   *]To discourage the notion that one only fully receives the Sacrament if they receive both species.
   *]Availibility of the substance.
   *]To avoid making the Communion Rite longer, because the faithful would need to receive from the Chalice.
   *]Lack of appropriate vessels for the Precious Blood.
   *]The inability to store excess of the Precious Blood, which must be consumed after the Communion Rite.
   
   Once again, I am not looking to argue any of these points, however if you want clarification, feel free to ask me, or send me a Direct Message.

 

[judynurse]

Well stated.

Unfortunately, there was a LOT of bad catechesis through the 70’s and 80’s and FAR too many Catholics do not understand that no matter what form by which they receive the Sacrament, the Body and Blood of Christ are fully present.

So such statements as ‘receiving only the Body’ or ‘why wasn’t the Precious Blood offered’ are effectively meaningless. It is impossible to receive one without receiving the other.

Very true. Unfortunately, I’ve found people who feel “cheated” if they can’t receive both, now that it is allowed. Personally, either one will be complete for me!

 

[CB_Catholic]

Hey Guys,
I was wondering why during daily Mass (at my parish and mostly others) only the Body of Christ is given out instead of both the Body and Blood? I know every Sunday both are given out, but why during daily Mass is just the Body of Christ received? Why is it not required that both are to be received?

Thank you, and God Bless!

Really, since the matter is up to the priest, you won’t get an answer to your question unless you ask him. Everything posted here is just guesswork or commentary.

 

[ProVobis]

If you want both all the time, you may want to consider attending the Divine Liturgy at an Eastern Rite parish.

Done by intinction? Some Latin Rite Masses do it that way. Seems a good way to go.

 

[judynurse]

Perhaps I’m wrong, but I’ve been told by several Priests that intinction is forbidden by the Catholic Church (Roman Catholic). I know some Orthodox do this, but many of them are not in communion with Rome. As a Eucharistic Minister, I’ve been told not to allow someone to do so when I am distributing with the Chalice, and if I can’t prevent them, to tell the Priest after Communion so he can instruct the congregation the following week or Mass. I did have this happen at one Parish I attended and served at, and although the Priest told everyone, the lady kept doing it every week. The Priest spoke to her personally and she still continued to do so. We were instructed to place our hand over the Chalice to prevent this after she persisted.

 

[HumbledSinner]

Perhaps I’m wrong, but I’ve been told by several Priests that intinction is forbidden by the Catholic Church (Roman Catholic). I know some Orthodox do this, but many of them are not in communion with Rome. As a Eucharistic Minister, I’ve been told not to allow someone to do so when I am distributing with the Chalice,…

I was just reading the GIRM when I saw this posts…

It seems the GIRM instructions is that incinction must be performed by the priest and no one else (not even the deacon) see GIRM #287

As far as the distribution of the Holy Communion under both kinds - in the US as per the USCCB - this seems to be at the discretion of the Diocesan Bishop.

See: usccb.org/prayer-and-worship/the-mass/norms-for-holy-communion-under-both-kinds/index.cfm

specifically # 24