Piece of Host in the Chalice?

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Hi, Folks!

I am an extraordinary minister of Holy Communion. While distributing the Precious Blood I often notice communicants being surprised to see a piece of the Host in the Precious Blood.

I fear that they do not know that this was put there by the Priest and they believe it came from another communicant’s mouth!

Is there a website that explains this that I can direct people in my parish to?

Thanks!
 
I don’t know of any website but the priest takes a piece from the host and puts it in the Chalice of the Precious Blood. This is because when Christ died his body was separated from his blood. This is made present at the Altar by the separation of the different species of the Eucharist. When the priest puts a piece of the host into the Precious blood, this symbolises the resurrection. I think.
 
Look at the New Advent article and search commingling (done at the Agnus Dei) in that article. It says:

(b) *Turning now to the other question as to the constituent parts of the liturgy of the Mass in which the real sacrifice is to be looked for, we need only take into consideration its three chief parts; the Offertory, the Consecration and the Communion. The antiquated view of Johann Eck, according to which the act of sacrifice was comprised in the prayer “Uncle et memores. offerimus”, is thus excluded from our discussion, as is also the opinion of Melchior Canus, **who held that the sacrifice is accomplished in the symbolical ceremony of the breaking of the Host and its commingling with the Chalice. **The question therefore arises first: Is the sacrifice comprised in the Offertory? From the wording of the prayer this much at least is clear, that bread and wine constitute the secondary sacrificial elements of the Mass, since the priest, in the true language of sacrifice, offers to God bread as an “unspotted host” (immaculatam hostiam) and wine as the “chalice of salvation” (calicem salutaris). But the very significance of this language proves that attention is mainly directed to the prospective transubstantiation of the Eucharistic elements. Since the Mass is not a mere offering of bread and wine, like the figurative food offering of Melchisedech, it is clear that only the Body and Blood of Christ can be the primary matter of the sacrifice, as was the case at the Last Supper (cf. Trent, Sess. XXII, i, can. 2; Denzinger, n. 938, 949). Consequently, the sacrifice is not in the Offertory. Does it consist then in the priest’s Communion? There were and are theologians who favor that view. They can be ranged in two classes, according as they see in the Communion the essential or the co-essential. *
 
I’m not sure why you would need a website (people require proof, I guess?), but the GIRM is online (relevant section at this link), and about 3/4 the way down the page, in #83, it states, “The priest breaks the Bread and puts a piece of the host into the chalice to signify the unity of the Body and Blood of the Lord in the work of salvation, namely, of the living and glorious Body of Jesus Christ.”
 
There should hopefully be a copy of the General Instruction of the Roman Missal (GIRM) in your sacristy. If not, it’s available online in my locations, including the website for the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. I’ve posted a link below.

From paragraph 83 of Section 3:

The priest breaks the Bread and puts a piece of the host into the chalice to signify the unity of the Body and Blood of the Lord in the work of salvation, namely, of the living and glorious Body of Jesus Christ. The supplication Agnus Dei, is, as a rule, sung by the choir or cantor with the congregation responding; or it is, at least, recited aloud. This invocation accompanies the fraction and, for this reason, may be repeated as many times as necessary until the rite has reached its conclusion, the last time ending with the words dona nobis pacem (grant us peace).

Click and scroll here: nccbuscc.org/liturgy/current/chapter2.shtml#sect3c

Peace!

ps: As an RCIA sponsor, I always try to warn the Elect/Candidates that the piece of the host is there and that it is not backwash. It is by no means that I approach The Body and Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ with an irreverent attitude but sometimes ya just gotta tell it like it is. Plus, it’s a great icebreaker during the preparatory retreat. 😛
 
i alway see our priest do this and never really understood why. thanks to those that provided answers
 
PRmerger said:
Hi, Folks!

I am an extraordinary minister of Holy Communion. While distributing the Precious Blood I often notice communicants being surprised to see a piece of the Host in the Precious Blood.

I fear that they do not know that this was put there by the Priest and they believe it came from another communicant’s mouth!

Is there a website that explains this that I can direct people in my parish to?

Thanks!
Click to expand...
Rather than a website, how about a paragraph explaining this in the bulletin?
 
momor said:
Rather than a website, how about a paragraph explaining this in the bulletin?
Click to expand...
Especially if it seems as though a lot of people are asking this question - remember, for every one who asks, there are ten who are wondering quietly to themselves. 🙂
 
Floaters!

Yes, could be quite concerning for those who don’t know about the priest putting one in there. It would be quite awkward trying to explain to the communicant, “No, it’s really ***supposed ***to be there.”

😃
 
Does the priest put a piece into the chalices that EMHC use?

Thanks,
VC
 
choy said:
i could be wrong, but if there are several cups, he’s only required to put a piece into one of them
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Thanks, choy. That was my impression too.

But isn’t the OP about a piece in a EMHC chalice?

VC
 
Verbum_Caro said:
That hadn’t occurred to me. Does that happen?

VC
Click to expand...
The chalice that has the Host in it will be one of the chalices used in the distribution of Holy Communion, and since normally, the priest distributes the hosts, it stands to reason that one of the EMHCs will be holding the chalice with the piece of Host in it - unless the Deacon takes that one, of course. 🙂
 
jmcrae said:
The chalice that has the Host in it will be one of the chalices used in the distribution of Holy Communion, and since normally, the priest distributes the hosts, it stands to reason that one of the EMHCs will be holding the chalice with the piece of Host in it - unless the Deacon takes that one, of course. 🙂
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Oh, I see. I was under the impression that the main Chalice – the Priest’s chalice – only had an amount such that the Celebrant himself would consume all of it. And that the commingled particle was put only in that chalice. I didn’t think that chalice left the altar?

VC
 
Verbum_Caro said:
Oh, I see. I was under the impression that the main Chalice – the Priest’s chalice – only had an amount such that the Celebrant himself would consume all of it. And that the commingled particle was put only in that chalice. I didn’t think that chalice left the altar?

VC
Click to expand...
I have never seen them leave any of the chalices at the Altar, unless there was no distribution of the Chalice at all. Otherwise, all of the Chalices consecrated at the Altar are used in the distribution.
 
I’m almost positive our priest doesn’t put any of the host into a chalice. As a ‘newbie’ I’m still amazed at Eucharist and have observed it very carefully. I’m in a wheelchair and our sanctuary layout is such that I have to sit up front, so I’ve observed it pretty up close. Is this something that is required?
 
karennascargo3 said:
I’m almost positive our priest doesn’t put any of the host into a chalice. As a ‘newbie’ I’m still amazed at Eucharist and have observed it very carefully. I’m in a wheelchair and our sanctuary layout is such that I have to sit up front, so I’ve observed it pretty up close. Is this something that is required?
Click to expand...
It’s required, yes, but it doesn’t invalidate the sacrament if it’s not done. I would guess you’re just missing it when it occurs after the fraction, but it might be worth asking your priest about.
 
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