Selective consecration of bread

[STF]

Recently I’ve been to a Mass where there were some additional (just in case) wafers in a closed glass jar on the altar, and after the Mass the priest said they remained unconsecrated. And that was because, he said, it depends on his (priest’s) will which of the wafers laying on the altar become consecrated and which do not.

Is this correct? Or maybe all of the wafers laying on the altar become consecrated during the consecration act? Or maybe those which are in open containers? Or… ?

 

[Bookcat]

It is the intention of the Priest. So could he intend some and not others? Yes that could happen.

Normally all hosts he has on the altar are what he intends and “extra” are off to the side.

 

[STF]

Normally all hosts he has on the altar are what he intends and “extra” are off to the side.

That was a very small chapel. But perhaps you are right he could make this more clear.

Thanks for the answer.

 

[Don_Ruggero]

Recently I’ve been to a Mass where there were some additional (just in case) wafers in a closed glass jar on the altar, and after the Mass the priest said they remained unconsecrated. And that was because, he said, it depends on his (priest’s) will which of the wafers laying on the altar become consecrated and which do not.

Is this correct? Or maybe all of the wafers laying on the altar become consecrated during the consecration act? Or maybe those which are in open containers? Or… ?

What the priest told you is quite correct.

When I celebrate Mass, my default intention is to consecrate what is on or above the corporal. That is my habitual intention and it is the traditional intention.

Many times, I celebrate at an altar which has a supply of unconsecrated hosts just as you describe. Since they are apart from the chalice and the paten – and not on the corporal – they are not consecrated.

The priest can expand his intention, if he needs to. I have had it happen on rare occasion where the corporal was not large enough to accommodate all the sacred vessels that were brought forward – the sacristan and I both miscalculated – and so I altered my intention so that the ciboria and chalices would be consecrated. If it were at an altar with the supply of unconsecrated hosts such as you described above, I would positively exclude them from what I intended to consecrate.

At large Papal Masses, the ciboria needing to be consecrated are not even on the altar but near it, normally being held by the priests who will distribute Holy Communion to the faithful.

 

[dshix]

This is a concept I’ve always been familiar with, but I have been curious to confirm one detail: It is necessary for the priest to make his intention regarding which hosts are to be consecrated before the words of consecration, correct? Or is it even sooner, such as before the Offertory?

 

[Don_Ruggero]

This is a concept I’ve always been familiar with, but I have been curious to confirm one detail: It is necessary for the priest to make his intention regarding which hosts are to be consecrated before the words of consecration, correct? Or is it even sooner, such as before the Offertory?

Properly speaking, one should form the intention before one gets to the altar…as one is vesting, for example, since one must also form the intention of applying the Mass for the intention for which it is to be offered. As I have said, there have been times when I have had to modify the intention of what I am consecrating at the offertory or even thereafter.

It is remarkable the anomalies one can encounter over decades.

I remember one occasion in particular when I arrived at the altar, with only a young server, and discovered there was no corporal…neither on the chalice nor the credence table nor already upon the altar. I leaned over and asked him to go and get one but he did not know what I was talking about, let alone where it might be found. So, on that occasion, I had to do without and, obviously, modify my intention. At large celebrations I have participated in, the Master of Ceremony will advise of special circumstances involving the elements to be consecrated so that the concelebrating bishops and priests may know how we are to form our intention.

Speaking from the vantage point of years long past, we were taught to form a habitual intention such that, when we approached the altar in sacred vestments to offer the Holy Mass, we intended to offer the sacred mysteries, confect the Eucharist, and to consecrate what was on or above the corporal of the altar. That habitual intention would supply if, for whatever bizarre reason, one did not positively form an explicit intention at the celebration of a particular Mass.

 

[FrDavid96]

This is a concept I’ve always been familiar with, but I have been curious to confirm one detail: It is necessary for the priest to make his intention regarding which hosts are to be consecrated before the words of consecration, correct? Or is it even sooner, such as before the Offertory?

That’s why the “default” intention is to consecrate whatever is on the corporal.

See Don R’s post right above mine here.

Your question is about timing. The answer is “at the offertory” because that’s the moment when the bread and wine are placed on the corporal, and that’s done for a reason. It is, after all, the offertory. It’s when the bread and wine are literally offered (although they won’t be consecrated until the Words).

For example: let’s say that I think I need 3 full ciboria for a Mass. I fill all 3 in the sacristy, and move them to the credence table. One might say that I “plan” to consecrate all 3. Something happens and Mass attendance is low. I only put 2 ciboria onto the corporal at the offertory (just to be clear, the 3rd never gets placed on the corporal). Only those 2 are consecrated, despite the fact that I anticipated consecrating all 3 an hour before the Mass started.

 

[dshix]

Properly speaking, one should form the intention before one gets to the altar…as one is vesting, for example, since one must also form the intention of applying the Mass for the intention for which it is to be offered. As I have said, there have been times when I have had to modify the intention of what I am consecrating at the offertory or even thereafter.

It is remarkable the anomalies one can encounter over decades.

I remember one occasion in particular when I arrived at the altar, with only a young server, and discovered there was no corporal…neither on the chalice nor the credence table nor already upon the altar. I leaned over and asked him to go and get one but he did not know what I was talking about, let alone where it might be found. So, on that occasion, I had to do without and, obviously, modify my intention. At large celebrations I have participated in, the Master of Ceremony will advise of special circumstances involving the elements to be consecrated so that the concelebrating bishops and priests may know how we are to form our intention.

Speaking from the vantage point of years long past, we were taught to form a habitual intention such that, when we approached the altar in sacred vestments to offer the Holy Mass, we intended to offer the sacred mysteries, confect the Eucharist, and to consecrate what was on or above the corporal of the altar. That habitual intention would supply if, for whatever bizarre reason, one did not positively form an explicit intention at the celebration of a particular Mass.

That’s why the “default” intention is to consecrate whatever is on the corporal.

See Don R’s post right above mine here.

Your question is about timing. The answer is “at the offertory” because that’s the moment when the bread and wine are placed on the corporal, and that’s done for a reason. It is, after all, the offertory. It’s when the bread and wine are literally offered (although they won’t be consecrated until the Words).

For example: let’s say that I think I need 3 full ciboria for a Mass. I fill all 3 in the sacristy, and move them to the credence table. One might say that I “plan” to consecrate all 3. Something happens and Mass attendance is low. I only put 2 ciboria onto the corporal at the offertory (just to be clear, the 3rd never gets placed on the corporal). Only those 2 are consecrated, despite the fact that I anticipated consecrating all 3 an hour before the Mass started.

Thank you both for your interesting replies. Things like this are very interesting to inquire about.