Mingling Rite

[joegrabowski]

I need kind of a definitive answer on this, so if anyone knows, please provide some supporting documentation if possible. I figured I’d try here before the “Apologist” forum. Here’s my question:

During the mingling rite, when the priest (or deacon) prepares the wine in the chalices at the altar, must the water be mingled in every vessel or only the main chalice? I know it doesn’t affect validity, but there’s been debate in my local church and I’d like to know which is the licit approach. One deacon prefers to prefer the communion cups for the congregation before Mass by adding water to them at that time. Another argument is that all vessels must be mingled during the Mass. Another says only the main vessel needs to have water added at all. Anyone know the answer?

 

[Deacon_Ed]

joegrabowski:

I need kind of a definitive answer on this, so if anyone knows, please provide some supporting documentation if possible. I figured I’d try here before the “Apologist” forum. Here’s my question:

During the mingling rite, when the priest (or deacon) prepares the wine in the chalices at the altar, must the water be mingled in every vessel or only the main chalice? I know it doesn’t affect validity, but there’s been debate in my local church and I’d like to know which is the licit approach. One deacon prefers to prefer the communion cups for the congregation before Mass by adding water to them at that time. Another argument is that all vessels must be mingled during the Mass. Another says only the main vessel needs to have water added at all. Anyone know the answer?

It’s difficult to give a definitive answer because there isn’t one. The GIRM says:

1. After the Prayer of the Faithful, while the priest remains at the chair, the deacon prepares the altar, assisted by the acolyte, but it is the deacon’s place to take care of the sacred vessels himself. He also assists the priest in receiving the people’s gifts. Next, he hands the priest the paten with the bread to be consecrated, pours wine and a little water into the chalice, saying quietly, Per huius aquae (By the mystery of this water), and after this presents the chalice to the priest. He may also carry out the preparation of the chalice at the credence table. If incense is used, the deacon assists the priest during the incensation of the gifts, the cross, and the altar; afterwards, the deacon himself or the acolyte incenses the priest and the people.

This would seem to imply that only one chalice receives the mingling. If the wine is brought up in a carafe (a practice that is acceptable) the water should be added to this before the wine in poured into multiple chalices. If there is only wine for a single chalice, it should be poured into the chalice and then the water added as per the GIRM.

Deacon Ed

 

[gelsbern]

joegrabowski:

I need kind of a definitive answer on this, so if anyone knows, please provide some supporting documentation if possible. I figured I’d try here before the “Apologist” forum. Here’s my question:

During the mingling rite, when the priest (or deacon) prepares the wine in the chalices at the altar, must the water be mingled in every vessel or only the main chalice? I know it doesn’t affect validity, but there’s been debate in my local church and I’d like to know which is the licit approach. One deacon prefers to prefer the communion cups for the congregation before Mass by adding water to them at that time. Another argument is that all vessels must be mingled during the Mass. Another says only the main vessel needs to have water added at all. Anyone know the answer?

I believe the mingling rite doesn’t have to do with the water, but with the body and the blood. During the “mingling” the priest breaks off a small part of the host and places it in the chalice. In the tridentine mass, whild performing the mingling the priest would say “May this mingling and hallowing of the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ be for us who receive it a source of eternal life. Amen.” However I cannot find the mingling prayer in the Normative Mass in use today.

As far as preparation of the wine, if multiple chalices are used, it would appear that according to the GIRM that water is required BUT, it is acceptable according to what I have found, that the chalices may be filled prior to the beginning of Mass, and it would seem that it is acceptable to have the water already mixed with the wine prior to Mass and therefore the water put into the priests chalice is extra water in order to follow all the rubrics.

usccb.org/liturgy/q&a/chalice.shtml
usccb.org/liturgy/current/revmissalisromanien.shtml

 

[Sean_O_L]

The following may be of interest; it is from How Christ Said the First Mass, by Fr. James L. Meagher, D.D., Copyright 1906, reprinted several times, my copy 1984 by Tan Books and Publishers, Inc. pp. 101-102:

"Grape juice called ‘must’ was drunk in the vineyard by the workmen. The Hebrews sometimes became intoxicated. (Deut.xxxii. 42: Psalm lxiv. 10; Isaias v. 11,22; etc. etc…) The Passover service states that each guest must drink four chalices of wine to fulfil the law. Sometimes this was too much, and they mixed the wine with water – when this began we cannot find, but thus, began the custom of mixing wine with water. Although Mohammed forbade his followers to drink intoxicating beverages, still they do, they mix them with water, saying a prayer as did the Jews.

"Vinegar ‘sour’ or ‘black wine,’ was also called wine. (Ruth ii.14) and mixed with water it was drunk. (Numb. vi, 3,4) It was offered Christ on the cross, but he refused it because being a Nazarite, he was forbidden by the Law to take it. (Numb. vi.3-20; Matt. xxvii. 48) …

"The chalice of Temple and Passover used in the former to catch the victim’s blood, and at the latter to hold the wine, was called in Hebrew the cos. At Passover a large chalice, called the Gabia, was at the place of the master of the feast, while the guests used the cos. When each one had taken his three chalices of wine mixed with water, the master filled again his large chalice with wine. Then with a blessing over the vessel of water he said a prayer and mixed his wine with water. Whence the blessing and prayer are over the water at Mass and not over the wine.

"Then the master drank from his large chalice, and handed it around to each guest who drank from it. This was the end of Passover. After this fourth chalice of wine was partakem there was no other ceremony, and the Talmud states that a dessert was forbidden. This was the chalice Christ consecrated into his Blood and gave to his Apostles the night of the Last Supper, as we will describe later.

“Following the Last Supper, in the early Church, the consecrated chalice was passed to the clergy to drink from, and the deacon brought it to the laith. The custom is still seen in the Oriental churches. In Greek and Russian rites it is even given to infants. Because of abuses this was forbidden in the Latin Church and our present discipline obtained.”

It is my opinion that water ought to be mixed with the wine of all chalices.

 

[gelsbern]

I think it’s the opinion of the GIRM too. and mine as well.

I just spoke to a Roman priest friend of mine, he says that he does it in one of 2 ways, he either prepares all of the chalices before Mass with the water and the wine then during mass, he puts extra water in one of the chalices in order to follow that rubric. The other way he does it is with a flagon (pitcher?) where the water and wine are pre-mixed before mass, then fills all of the chalices before the consecration, but still adds a little more water to the chalice he will be partaking from in order to follow that rubric. He said that these were the instructions according to his seminary training and his current bishop.

 

[Purificator]

gelsbern:

I think it’s the opinion of the GIRM too. and mine as well.

I just spoke to a **Roman priest ** friend of mine, he says that he does it in one of 2 ways, he either prepares all of the chalices before Mass with the water and the wine then during mass, he puts extra water in one of the chalices in order to follow that rubric. The other way he does it is with a flagon (pitcher?) where the water and wine are pre-mixed before mass, then fills all of the chalices before the consecration, but still adds a little more water to the chalice he will be partaking from in order to follow that rubric. He said that these were the instructions according to his seminary training and his current bishop.

You mean an actual Catholic priest?

 

[Big_Easy_Big]

“The mingling is done as a symbol of the intermingling of Christ’s divinity with our humanity. The symbol only needs to be done once with the priest’s chalice; it does not need to be multiplied.”

 

[joegrabowski]

Thanks to the last poster, but can you tell me where the quote is from?

 

[JChaney]

There are two different Rites here. The Mingling Rite is where water is added to the wine, symbolic of Christ’s divinity (the wine) and our humanity (the water) mixing. In our parish, which sees 700 people average at our largest Sunday Mass, the wine is brought to the altar in a flagon (carafe). The priest will add the water in this vessel before distributing to his chalice and the cups.

The Co-mingling Rite is where a portion of the Body is added to the Blood. This would be accompanied by the priest saying “May this mingling of the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ bring eternal life to us who receive it” but this is done inaudibly.

The Co-mingling is a point of debate now, as it add gluten to the Blood which, in the case of people with severe allergies, can be an issue. As gluten free hosts are acceptable now, it’s advisable that one be used for Co-mingling.