Taking the Blood of Christ

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This is only the one person with AIDS that you’re aware of. Statistics prove that, depending on the size of your church, there likely could be others with AIDS or other communicable diseases present. If you’re fearful, then don’t partake of the chalice. As long as I have a strong immune system (and get my annual flu shot), I prefer the “fear not” approach.
As for how this person contracted the disease, I don’t understand why anyone would need to ask. It’s not pertinent to the original poster’s concern and none of our business. Besides, it does not do our own spirits any good to ponder the manner in which such issues apply to other people.
 
YoungTradCath said:
Well… I didn’t start the thread. I have no idea how he contracted HIV. Besides, there’s relatively few ways of getting it. Either you have sex with someone with it, or you come in contact with a bodily fluid containing the virus.
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Or you were born with it and have the virus through no fault of your own…
 
LovingMass said:
As for how this person contracted the disease, I don’t understand why anyone would need to ask. It’s not pertinent to the original poster’s concern and none of our business. Besides, it does not do our own spirits any good to ponder the manner in which such issues apply to other people.
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I’m really curious as to how the OP’s sister’s friend became infected because a few years ago, I’d read somewhere that a certain percentage of people who are HIV+ didn’t know how they contracted the virus. They didn’t fall into any of the risk groups. I just looked for that online again, but I can’t find it.

I know all there is to know about HIV prevention, but I still think that there are certain ways people (perhaps a small number of people) have contracted it who may have become infected by means other than your typical risky behaviors.
 
chief714 said:
I have a quick question.
My sisters friend was just diagnosed with HIV.
She’s been trying to bring him to Church and he’s coming this weekend.
I have no idea if he’s Catholic or not, or even religious at all and I do intend to ask.

However, if He’s Catholic, does he still take the Blood of Christ?
I’m just curious because I know that he has a broken front tooth and I’m not sure if that’s considered an open wound or not.

Thank you in advance
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Please keep in mind that a layperson never “takes” communion (unless possibly to the home/hospital bound.) They receive communion…
 
LovingMass said:
This is only the one person with AIDS that you’re aware of. Statistics prove that, depending on the size of your church, there likely could be others with AIDS or other communicable diseases present. If you’re fearful, then don’t partake of the chalice. As long as I have a strong immune system (and get my annual flu shot), I prefer the “fear not” approach.
As for how this person contracted the disease, I don’t understand why anyone would need to ask. It’s not pertinent to the original poster’s concern and none of our business. Besides, it does not do our own spirits any good to ponder the manner in which such issues apply to other people.
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Of course!

At busy Sunday Masses I have been perhaps the 250th person to press a large chalice to my lips at my parish. The people who have received before me range from the social elite to the homeless. I suspect more than a few carry some fairly scary bugs.

The only time I am fairly sure I have gotten sick from receiving communion is when a clearly ill child was given communion just before me in the Byzantine Rite with a spoon. That’s happened twice to me over the years. I don’t recall seeing such kids in the communion queue lately but if I did I would forego communion.
 
Timothysis said:
I believe that the charity should come from the one infected with HIV. As already said, there isn’t any reason for someone to receive both the Host and the Blood, so the need for this individual to partake of the Blood is actually non-existent. A person with Hepatitis B should also show charity to his fellow Catholic and not partake from a “public” chalice. We ask those with colds and the flu to refrain from possible infecting others at the the sign of peace so why would the same request here be out of line? I agree with YoungTradCath; I would not personally care to share from a communal cup with someone infected with such a disease. It is not about lack of charity or an absence of love; it is simply my preference and I do not think it to be out of line. And it also has nothing to do with discrimination since no one is saying he can’t receive communion. I think that it is up to this individual to show charity to others by not placing himself in such a scandalous position.
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I knew that I would be wasting my time with this line of argument. Nevertheless, I stand by it. Even if it’s not a case of discrimination it’s certainly one of ignorance. Yes, if someone has a cold or flu you’ve a very good chance of catching it if they took from the chalice. You’ve a very good chance of catching someone’s cold even if they don’t partake from the chalice. It’s highly unlikely someone with flu would be at church; they’d be too ill. Chances of getting HIV: nil.
 
LovingMass said:
This is only the one person with AIDS that you’re aware of. Statistics prove that, depending on the size of your church, there likely could be others with AIDS or other communicable diseases present. If you’re fearful, then don’t partake of the chalice. As long as I have a strong immune system (and get my annual flu shot), I prefer the “fear not” approach.
As for how this person contracted the disease, I don’t understand why anyone would need to ask. It’s not pertinent to the original poster’s concern and none of our business. Besides, it does not do our own spirits any good to ponder the manner in which such issues apply to other people.
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There is little incidence of AIDS in the west these days due to highly effective treatment. It’s good to remember that HIV and AIDS are two different things.
 
Does anyone know the medical history of every person at a mass? For all you know, the person sitting 3 rows ahead of you every Sunday may have HIV. Or the person sitting next to you. Fact is, you don’t know. Fact is HIV is not transmitted via saliva.
 
Matthew_Holford said:
I knew that I would be wasting my time with this line of argument. Nevertheless, I stand by it. Even if it’s not a case of discrimination it’s certainly one of ignorance… It’s highly unlikely someone with flu would be at church; they’d be too ill. Chances of getting HIV: nil.
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Ignorance? As the poster above stated, there are some infected with HIV who do not fall into any of the risk groups yet still contracted the disease by means of which no one is certain. So, to say that the "chances of getting HIV (is) nil" is, at best, simply mistaken and, at worst, “ignorant.”

I would personally not take such a chance no matter how small the chance of infection. I also still think that someone in such a condition should not pose even the slightest risk to others.
 
Catholic90 said:
Does anyone know the medical history of every person at a mass? For all you know, the person sitting 3 rows ahead of you every Sunday may have HIV. Or the person sitting next to you. Fact is, you don’t know. Fact is HIV is not transmitted via saliva.
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Fact is, biting one’s tongue is very easy, and you don’t always know that you have an open wound in your mouth.
 
Keep in mind for this thread, we are not dealing with a merely HIV positive individual, but an HIV positive individual with a broken tooth. Since we do not know the full extent of the injury, we can only safely advice refraining from receiving communion from the chalice.
 
runningdude said:
Keep in mind for this thread, we are not dealing with a merely HIV positive individual, but an HIV positive individual with a broken tooth. Since we do not know the full extent of the injury, we can only safely advice refraining from receiving communion from the chalice.
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Right. It’s not worth it to take that chance.
 
Catholic90 said:
Does anyone know the medical history of every person at a mass? For all you know, the person sitting 3 rows ahead of you every Sunday may have HIV. Or the person sitting next to you. Fact is, you don’t know. Fact is HIV is not transmitted via saliva.
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That is absolutely correct. For those who are overly concerned the only solution is to refrain from drinking the Blood of Christ from the chalice.
 
Timothysis said:
So, to say that the "chances of getting HIV (is) nil" is, at best, simply mistaken and, at worst, “ignorant.”
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You are wrong and continue to demonstrate the ignorance which I mentioned in the previous post.
Timothysis said:
I would personally not take such a chance no matter how small the chance of infection. I also still think that someone in such a condition should not pose even the slightest risk to others.
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If it concerns you so much the only way that you can guarantee your own personal safety if for you to refrain from the chalice. It is perfectly possible for a congregant to be infected with HIV and not know they’re infected. They pose a much higher risk than someone who knows they’re positive and receiving anti-retroviral therapy.
 
runningdude said:
Keep in mind for this thread, we are not dealing with a merely HIV positive individual, but an HIV positive individual with a broken tooth. Since we do not know the full extent of the injury, we can only safely advice refraining from receiving communion from the chalice.
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Yes, if it is actively bleeding there’s a risk. Personally, I would prefer it if anyone with active bleeding in or around their mouth didn’t share the chalice, whether they’ve got HIV or not.
 
Matthew_Holford said:
Yes, if it is actively bleeding there’s a risk. Personally, I would prefer it if anyone with active bleeding in or around their mouth didn’t share the chalice, whether they’ve got HIV or not.
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And can one expect that everyone will always refrain from taking the chalice if they have any type of bleeding?
 
Matthew_Holford said:
I knew that I would be wasting my time with this line of argument. Nevertheless, I stand by it. Even if it’s not a case of discrimination it’s certainly one of ignorance. Yes, if someone has a cold or flu you’ve a very good chance of catching it if they took from the chalice. You’ve a very good chance of catching someone’s cold even if they don’t partake from the chalice. It’s highly unlikely someone with flu would be at church; they’d be too ill. Chances of getting HIV: nil.
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Well said Matthew. I agree with you. I am amazed that people think you might catch HIV from the chalice.
 
Faith1960 said:
And can one expect that everyone will always refrain from taking the chalice if they have any type of bleeding?
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I would hope that they would as a common concern for other people. Unfortunately, not everyone has such concern for their fellows.
 
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