Question about Purifying the Vessels

[PioMagnus]

Hello,

I am an altar server at my local perish, and at mass, Fr. didn’t have time to purify one of the vessels during mass. He called me over and asked me to get a purificator to put over it, so that it would be “safe” until mass was over and he could purify it.

I did as he asked and told the Sacristan (a nun in a housedress) to please leave it alone, as Fr. wanted to purify it.

As soon as I was back at my seat, I saw her send out one of the EME’s to pick it up, she then took it from them and began to clean it.

I immediatly went over, and took it from her, saying that Fr. hadn’t yet purifyed it, and put it on the credence table. From then on she left it be.

Directly after mass Fr. came back and purified the vessel.

My question is this: when is it appropriate for a non-ordained person to “purify” (or clean, I don’t know what you’d say in that case)?

Was it inappropriate for her to do so as I had informed her that Fr. was planning on taking care of it?

(Sister does alot of stuff that I am pretty sure she shouldn’t, including taking the pichure that held consecrated wine before it had been purified. I KNOW that is inappropriate, so I have trained my altar servers to go and put it back on the altar so it could be purified)

Thanks in advance.

In Him, through her,
Pio Magnus

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

It would be Fathers place to speak with the nun. It is his “job” or a Deacons to clean (purify) the chalice and flagon (pitcher) and any Ciborium used during Holy Communion.
What concerns me more is that they get cleaned and properly, more so than who does it.

 

[Patrick]

Just a note to say that purifying the “pitcher” shouldn’t be an issue. Consecrated wine should never be in the flagon as the chalices are to be filled prior to the consecration.

 

[Ham1]

Patrick’s point is a good one. Precious blood should never be poured. Therefore, a pitcher should not ever need to be purified.

As for the nun purifying vessals, there is a temporary allowance in the US for EMHC’s to purify vessels out of necessity. However, the priest would be the one to grant this permission. Since he didn’t she should not have done that. You did the right thing in asking her to stop. Without the permission of the priest, it was certainly not her place to purify the chalice.

 

[PioMagnus]

Well then, here is my next question.

Is the pouring of the precious blood enough of an issue that I should bring it up to my Pastor?

I ask this because another priest (my mentor, so to speak) has warned me to be very careful about which abuses I put before my pastor, as I don’t want to make enemies before I am in seminary.

Also, could you please cite the documents that forbid the pouring of the precious blood, as my pastor definately will ignore it if I don’t have the documents to back it up.

thank you,
In Him, through her,
Pio Magnus

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

Pio,
You will find the documentation you need in the GIRM and the latest Instruction on the Liturgy.