Proper way to clean a purificator?

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whosebob

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JMJ + OBT​

I have a purificator as part of the “kit” that I bring w/ me when taking Holy Communion to the sick and homebound (other stuff in it: candle, crucifix, etc.). I am always very careful to make sure that no particles of the Communion host are left unconsumed.

I do, though, need to wash the purificator and clean off some wax as it’s become dingy over time. Is there a preferred way to do this? Should I hand wash it and pour the water out on the bare ground outside? Or is it okay to toss it in the washing machine?

Thanks for your suggestions.

In the Hearts of Jesus and Mary.

IC XC NIKA
 
First you soak it in cool water. After soaking for a couple of hours, you drain the water on ground where no one will walk. Then you may wash it in the washer.
 
Soak the purificator in water in a vessel that is used only for that purpose to lift the stains.

Pour-out the water from that vessel in your garden, and not down the drain.

Then wash the purificator – hopefully only with other sacred linens.
 
whosebob said:

JMJ + OBT​

I have a purificator as part of the “kit” that I bring w/ me when taking Holy Communion to the sick and homebound (other stuff in it: candle, crucifix, etc.). I am always very careful to make sure that no particles of the Communion host are left unconsumed.

I do, though, need to wash the purificator and clean off some wax as it’s become dingy over time. Is there a preferred way to do this? Should I hand wash it and pour the water out on the bare ground outside? Or is it okay to toss it in the washing machine?

Thanks for your suggestions.

In the Hearts of Jesus and Mary.

IC XC NIKA
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Since your purificator does not come into contact with the Blood of Christ and hopefully you do not ever remove the host from your pyx and place it on the purificator directly. There would be no need to rinse the purificator in water that would be discarded into the ground. However there would be nothing prohibiting you from doing so. Washing it and ironing it as usual would be fine.
 
Br. Rich SFO:
Since your purificator does not come into contact with the Blood of Christ and hopefully you do not ever remove the host from your pyx and place it on the purificator directly. There would be no need to rinse the purificator in water that would be discarded into the ground. However there would be nothing prohibiting you from doing so. Washing it and ironing it as usual would be fine.
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You do not know if she is taking Holy Communion to one or more people via the Precious Blood (which is certainly OK under specific conditions.)

Then again, even if she isn’t, it would be wrong to advise “washing it and ironing it as usual would be fine” as there needs to be a process to ensure that particles of the consecrated Hosts do not end-up in the sewer system or a septic tank.

I stand by my advice and I find your’s to be deficient.
 
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AltarMan:
You do not know if she is taking Holy Communion to one or more people via the Precious Blood (which is certainly OK under specific conditions.)

Then again, even if she isn’t, it would be wrong to advise “washing it and ironing it as usual would be fine” as there needs to be a process to ensure that particles of the consecrated Hosts do not end-up in the sewer system or a septic tank.

I stand by my advice and I find your’s to be deficient.
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Since she did not indicate that she takes the Precious Blood to the faithful so I assume that she does not. From what I understand only a priest or Deacon should carry the Precious Blood to the sick and home bound a lay person should not be allowed to do this. Unless there are visible particles or stains from the Precious Blood I see no need to pre-rinse the purificator.
 
Br. Rich SFO:
Since she did not indicate that she takes the Precious Blood to the faithful so I assume that she does not. From what I understand only a priest or Deacon should carry the Precious Blood to the sick and home bound a lay person should not be allowed to do this. Unless there are visible particles or stains from the Precious Blood I see no need to pre-rinse the purificator.
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I agree since the purificator should not necessarily be used in giving the precious body.
 
Br. Rich SFO:
Since she did not indicate that she takes the Precious Blood to the faithful so I assume that she does not. From what I understand only a priest or Deacon should carry the Precious Blood to the sick and home bound a lay person should not be allowed to do this. Unless there are visible particles or stains from the Precious Blood I see no need to pre-rinse the purificator.
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“Assume?” 'Nuff said…

You may see no reason to pre-rinse the purificator, but suggesting that to others is bad practice.

Also, where is it documented that only the ordained can take the Precious Blood to the home-bound? Suggesting this is fact without really knowing is also wrong.
 
AltarMan said:
“Assume?” 'Nuff said…

You may see no reason to pre-rinse the purificator, but suggesting that to others is bad practice.

Also, where is it documented that only the ordained can take the Precious Blood to the home-bound? Suggesting this is fact without really knowing is also wrong.
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For the same reason that the Precious Blood should not be reserved in the tabernacle. It is only to be carefully placed in a special container that double seals. There is great risk that the Precious Blood can be spilled. Much more risk than a host being dropped.
 
Br. Rich SFO:
For the same reason that the Precious Blood should not be reserved in the tabernacle. It is only to be carefully placed in a special container that double seals. There is great risk that the Precious Blood can be spilled. Much more risk than a host being dropped.
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Actually the Precious Blood can be reserved in the tabernacle from the beginning of Holy Communion to the end of the Mass.

But trying to suggest the linkage you are is wrong. It’s documented that the Precious Blood is not to be reserved between Masses. Where is it documented that only ordained men can offer Holy Communion under the species of the Precious Blood outside of Mass? I don’t believe it is.

Also, I’m not sure what you mean by “double seal” but I have used a very small, positive-sealing stainless steel flask that had never been used for anything else and it’s quite appropriate.

I don’t believe “double seals” is documented perse by the Church, but I’m not certain.

In any event it’s wrong to suggest it’s just OK to launder a purificator without taking some additional steps to ensure the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ does not end-up i the sewer or septic tank…
 
Who knows if a tiny crumb didn’t end up on the purificator accidentally? Isn’t it worth the extra effort to make sure Our Lord is treated with all the respect we can give Him? Yes! It is our job to do so, and to assume the purificator doesn’t have the tiniest crumb of host on it is just plain lazy and careless. If you knew 100% for sure it had no crumb of host or drop of Precious Blood, that would be a different story 🙂
 
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CatholicSam:
Who knows if a tiny crumb didn’t end up on the purificator accidentally? Isn’t it worth the extra effort to make sure Our Lord is treated with all the respect we can give Him? Yes! It is our job to do so, and to assume the purificator doesn’t have the tiniest crumb of host on it is just plain lazy and careless. If you knew 100% for sure it had no crumb of host or drop of Precious Blood, that would be a different story 🙂
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Precisely…
 
Generally speaking, it’s not our place to make any assumptions in this matter.

The established procedure for washing a purificator has already been outlined (soak in a vessel, pour the water into your garden, wash normally)

Deviating from that procedure involves a level of Authority that I don’t think any one here has.
 
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Brendan:
Generally speaking, it’s not our place to make any assumptions in this matter.

The established procedure for washing a purificator has already been outlined (soak in a vessel, pour the water into your garden, wash normally)

Deviating from that procedure involves a level of Authority that I don’t think any one here has.
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I certainly have not indicated that soaking is not a proper action or should not be done. If that is what the person wants to do or feels that they should do. I personally do not feel that it is necessary when one is reasonably certain that the purificator has never been in contact with the Sacred species. Inspection with a microscope is not required. That is my opinion. The Real Presence of Christ remains as long as the elements can be identified as food, is what the Church says. To say there might be a particle here that I can’t see goes beyond reasonable. If we know that the purificator or corporal has come into contact with Blessed Sacrament under either form, then I would pre-soak it. Last entry in this thread by me.
 
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AltarMan:
Soak the purificator in water in a vessel that is used only for that purpose to lift the stains.

Pour-out the water from that vessel in your garden, and not down the drain.

Then wash the purificator – hopefully only with other sacred linens.
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I’m just asking this for my own edification, since I’ve never done this, but I could be asked to assist in the future.

If it were to have a lot of stains from the Precious Blood (and lipstick, etc.) from use during a regular Mass, how does just soaking it in water going to lift those stains, particularly if a darker wine was used? At what point does one use detergents and stain removers to get a purificator white again? Is this a theological dance between the “substance” of Jesus being removed in the first soaking while the “accidents” can be removed later by normal washing?
 
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ChemicalBean:
I’m just asking this for my own edification, since I’ve never done this, but I could be asked to assist in the future.

If it were to have a lot of stains from the Precious Blood (and lipstick, etc.) from use during a regular Mass, how does just soaking it in water going to lift those stains, particularly if a darker wine was used? At what point does one use detergents and stain removers to get a purificator white again? Is this a theological dance between the “substance” of Jesus being removed in the first soaking while the “accidents” can be removed later by normal washing?
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The use of detergents isn’t bad, is it? What most of us have a problem with is that the water with the dissolved Precious Blood in it might get dumped into the sewer. This must be avoided by pouring out the water into the ground. I hope someone else might have a definitive answer on the detergent question…
 
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ChemicalBean:
If it were to have a lot of stains from the Precious Blood (and lipstick, etc.) from use during a regular Mass, how does just soaking it in water going to lift those stains, particularly if a darker wine was used?
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The soaking is not to remove stains per se, but to allow the Accidents of the Eucharist to be removed.

Once the Accidents are no longer those of bread and wine, any reminants of the Eucharist are no longer the Body and Blood of Christ, but simple starches and proteins.

And thus may be laundered in a normal way.
 
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ChemicalBean:
I’m just asking this for my own edification, since I’ve never done this, but I could be asked to assist in the future.

If it were to have a lot of stains from the Precious Blood (and lipstick, etc.) from use during a regular Mass, how does just soaking it in water going to lift those stains, particularly if a darker wine was used? At what point does one use detergents and stain removers to get a purificator white again? Is this a theological dance between the “substance” of Jesus being removed in the first soaking while the “accidents” can be removed later by normal washing?
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Red wine will usually lift in plain water, after 5-7 (max.) days of soaking.

There would be nothing wrong with soaking a sacred linen for a week, properly disposing of the water AND THEN using a stain remover and/or a washing machine and detergent.

(BTW, the finest stain remover for red wine is a simple 50/50 mix of liquid dish detergent and hydrogen peroxide.)
 
Br. Rich SFO:
I certainly have not indicated that soaking is not a proper action or should not be done. If that is what the person wants to do or feels that they should do. I personally do not feel that it is necessary when one is reasonably certain that the purificator has never been in contact with the Sacred species. Inspection with a microscope is not required. That is my opinion. The Real Presence of Christ remains as long as the elements can be identified as food, is what the Church says. To say there might be a particle here that I can’t see goes beyond reasonable. If we know that the purificator or corporal has come into contact with Blessed Sacrament under either form, then I would pre-soak it. Last entry in this thread by me.
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You still gave bad advice. If nothing else, rinsing the sacred linens would be an excellent discipline to underscore just how important the task of laundering is to the person taking on the responsibility.
 
Pace et Bene!

OK…here is my request as forwarded to me by some Franciscans. They use purificators for Holy Mass at their chapels (as in to catch drops of precious blood from the chalice and wipe the rim after each person receives) and do indeed have need to soak the purificators in cold water and will pour the water into a proper channel that empties directly into the deep earth.

Would anyone be able to suggest a readily available vessel that would be suitable for this? I would preferably like to be able to purchase an item specifically made for this from a Religious Supply Catalog. If such an item is not available I would greatly appreciate a description of a suitable item and where I might purchase this item.
 
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