Is a EMHC allowed to drink the remaining Blood of Christ? I thought this was only to be done by the priest. Today I saw a woman EMHC drink the remaining Blood of Christ. I don’t believe the priest noticed because he wasn’t looking at her and she may just be honestly mistaken. Should I say something to her?
I think it would be a fair point to make, but it is a complicated issue, depending on whether you are in the USA or not.
From the 2002 General Introduction to the Roman Missal (GIRM) which can be accessed from
romanrite.com/girm.html :
“284. … b. Whatever may remain of the Blood of Christ is consumed at the altar by the priest or the deacon or the duly instituted acolyte who ministered the chalice. The same then purifies, wipes, and arranges the sacred vessels in the usual way.”
A “duly instituted acolyte” is an EMHC. He can consume what remains of the chalice he has been ministering. But other EMHCs are not mentioned, they seem deliberately excluded.
But in the United States of America approval has been given for “Norms for the Distribution and Reception of Holy Communion Under Both Kinds in the Dioceses of the United States of America”. This is at
usccb.org/liturgy/current/norms.shtml . It includes:
“52. … When there are extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion, they may consume what remains of the Precious Blood from their chalice of distribution with permission of the diocesan bishop.”
So only an instituted acolyte can do this, except in the USA, where it depends on whether the diocesan bishop has given permission.
