Novena and Wine Question

[TikiTokiguy]

I went to, I guess a convent, where Nuns live, tonight. They are haviing something called a
Novena. I’ve never been to one before and the Catholic Felowship club I go to invited me to it. I asked if it was for me to go since I’m not Catholic and they said sure.

Anyway, it was very nice but I noticed something. Near the end of the Mass after everyone got up and took the bread and wine, the conducting priest took the three cups of wine, I guess what was left, and drunk it all down. I was thinking - wow, he’s going to get a little tipsy from all that!

So why did he drink all that wine? I know it’s the blood of Christ. But it’s also alcohol, right? Is he drinking it so none of it goes wasted?

Also, what exactly is the purpose of a Novena? I guess tonight they went prayed the Rosary and then had Mass. The priest seemed to give an extra long homily which was nice. Over all it was a nice experience.

 

[MarkThompson]

I went to, I guess a convent, where Nuns live, tonight. They are haviing something called a
Novena. I’ve never been to one before and the Catholic Felowship club I go to invited me to it. I asked if it was for me to go since I’m not Catholic and they said sure.

Anyway, it was very nice but I noticed something. Near the end of the Mass after everyone got up and took the bread and wine, the conducting priest took the three cups of wine, I guess what was left, and drunk it all down. I was thinking - wow, he’s going to get a little tipsy from all that!

So why did he drink all that wine? I know it’s the blood of Christ. But it’s also alcohol, right? Is he drinking it so none of it goes wasted?

Also, what exactly is the purpose of a Novena? I guess tonight they went prayed the Rosary and then had Mass. The priest seemed to give an extra long homily which was nice. Over all it was a nice experience.

The Precious Blood, unlike the Body, cannot be kept after Mass in the tabernacle (I think there are very rare exceptions), it has to be consumed during the Mass. Without knowing, I’d guess there was just a minor amount left in each of the three chalices. Otherwise, that’s bad planning. By the way, if you’re ever near the end of a Communion line and notice that there’s a significant amount left in the cup, feel free to take a bigger drink. It has to be finished by someone; might as well save the priest some of the trouble.

Also, it would not technically be correct to say that the Precious Blood either “is” alcohol or “contains” alcohol. It has the physical properties of alcohol, but not the substance; just as it stops being wine at the Consecration, the alcohol in it stops being alcohol.

 

[TikiTokiguy]

Well, I would like to take the “Blood” but I’m not Catholic. I have to go through RCIA first!

 

[MarkThompson]

Well, I would like to take the “Blood” but I’m not Catholic. I have to go through RCIA first!

Ah, right – “Religion: Other”! It sounds like you’re well on your way, though. But I should have explained, normally some portion of the Body will be kept after Mass in the tabernacle so that it can be taken to the sick or handicapped who could not make it to Church, to the dying for Last Rites, and so on. Due to rapid spoilage (and, I would think, also the likelihood of spilling) it is prohibited to keep the Precious Blood in the same way. (I think there are exceptions, as for instance if the priest knows that he must take Communion to a sick person who, due to a gluten allergy, cannot receive the Body.)

By the way, since I forgot to mention it before, a “novena,” which come from the Latin word for nine, is a prayer or devotion that’s repeated over nine days (usually either nine consecutive days or one day of the week for nine weeks in a row), generally done for a specific prayer intention. For instance, if a relative has cancer, you might make a novena by going to Mass every Wednesday for nine weeks to ask for God’s graces for the person. You can read much more about it here.

 

[rwoehmke]

it would not technically be correct to say that the Precious Blood either “is” alcohol or “contains” alcohol. It has the physical properties of alcohol, but not the substance; just as it stops being wine at the Consecration, the alcohol in it stops being alcohol.

Technically correct, but one could become drunk by drinking too much precious blood. The accidents are still operative despite the change in substance.

 

[MarkThompson]

Technically correct, but one could become drunk by drinking too much precious blood. The accidents are still operative despite the change in substance.

Yes, I thought that’s what I said – “It has the physical properties of alcohol.” One just oughtn’t to call it alcohol, since it is in fact blood.

 

[Joannm]

Yes, I thought that’s what I said – “It has the physical properties of alcohol.” One just oughtn’t to call it alcohol, since it is in fact blood.

just try saying that to the cop who stops the priest as he is driving home. “Officer really, I didn’t drink any wine or alcohol, just blood.”

I once had to consume a large amount of the Precious Blood remaining after a mass as no one really received from the several cups we had. Needless to say it took me for a loop. Good thing I was at work and didn’t have to drive home.

 

[Joe_Kelley]

just try saying that to the cop who stops the priest as he is driving home. “Officer really, I didn’t drink any wine or alcohol, just blood.”

I once had to consume a large amount of the Precious Blood remaining after a mass as no one really received from the several cups we had. Needless to say it took me for a loop. Good thing I was at work and didn’t have to drive home.

There shouldn’t be a large amount left, but bad estimates do happen. In that case recruit a number of helpers so no one has to consume a significant amount.

 

[TikiTokiguy]

I noticed most of the people there took the Blood, perhaps I seen a few who skipped it. But at a the big Catholic parish I hardly see anyone take the Blood. At the local small parish I again see few people taking the Blood.

So why did most at the Novena take the Blood? Were they hardcore Catholics or something?

 

[ljubim]

I noticed most of the people there took the Blood, perhaps I seen a few who skipped it. But at a the big Catholic parish I hardly see anyone take the Blood. At the local small parish I again see few people taking the Blood.

So why did most at the Novena take the Blood? Were they hardcore Catholics or something?

Nah it’s just personal preference. By receiving just the Body you get all you need, it’s not incomplete without the Precious Blood. So if you just received the Body of Christ, you’ve got your personal audience with God, for about fifteen or twenty minutes you have this special union, and you have two choices: 1. Wait in another line to receive the same thing you just received OR 2. Go pray

But July is (99% sure) a special month dedicated to the Precious Blood. So perhaps if the Novena was about that too, more people decided to receive the Precious Blood as well, sort of to commemorate the season.