The Cup

[lakotak]

Is it proper that when there is no Eucharistic Minister to hold the cup and the priest tells us to come to the altar that we should receive the His Blood in this way, taking the cup ourselves?

 

[benedictgal]

Is it proper that when there is no Eucharistic Minister to hold the cup and the priest tells us to come to the altar that we should receive the His Blood in this way, taking the cup ourselves?

This is forbidden. According to Redemptionis Sacramentum:

[94.] It is not licit for the faithful “to take … by themselves … and, still less, to hand … from one to another” the sacred host or the sacred chalice.181 Moreover, in this regard, the abuse is to be set aside whereby spouses administer Holy Communion to each other at a Nuptial Mass.

An ordinary minister of Holy Communion (bishop, priest or deacon) should be the one distributing Holy Communion. However, if circumstances warrant, an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion will assist, especially in the distrbution of the Precious Blood (if the deacon is not available).

 

[lakotak]

This is forbidden. According to Redemptionis Sacramentum:

An ordinary minister of Holy Communion (bishop, priest or deacon) should be the one distributing Holy Communion. However, if circumstances warrant, an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion will assist, especially in the distrbution of the Precious Blood (if the deacon is not available).

Thank you for the information. This situation did happen a couple of weeks ago at a morning Mass. So when this happens, then the proper thing to do is to receive only under the species of Bread? I live in the US, and normally we have a lay person that gives the Cup at the Mass.

 

[puzzleannie]

Is it proper that when there is no Eucharistic Minister to hold the cup and the priest tells us to come to the altar that we should receive the His Blood in this way, taking the cup ourselves?

no it is a grave abuse, when I come upon this in my travels, I just pass, or if there is an opportunity, ask Father if he would like me to act as minister of the cup. He can easily appoint someone at the moment if no minister is present.

 

[lakotak]

no it is a grave abuse, when I come upon this in my travels, I just pass, or if there is an opportunity, ask Father if he would like me to act as minister of the cup. He can easily appoint someone at the moment if no minister is present.

Thanks for the info. If someone does take the cup in this manner and does drink without realizing it was an abuse would it be considered a sin and should be confessed by the person?

 

[Sarika]

Thank you for the information. This situation did happen a couple of weeks ago at a morning Mass. So when this happens, then the proper thing to do is to receive only under the species of Bread? I live in the US, and normally we have a lay person that gives the Cup at the Mass.

I think you definitely should report this. It has certain theological implications that affect other things as well.

 

[TimothyH]

What about the faithful picking up the cup themselves from the altar and then replacing it there, with a deacon standy right there, wiping the cup with a purificator between each person.

Does the deacon standing there count as distribution? Or are we to take the cup only from someon’s hands?

-Tim-

 

[benedictgal]

What about the faithful picking up the cup themselves from the altar and then replacing it there, with a deacon standy right there, wiping the cup with a purificator between each person.

Does the deacon standing there count as distribution? Or are we to take the cup only from someon’s hands?

-Tim-

Again, Redemptionis Sacramentum is quite specific. We cannot pick up the sacred vessels for ourselves. The deacon must give the communicant the chalice. The distribution of Holy Communion to the faithful is not self-service.

 

[Mike_Dye]

Thanks for the info. If someone does take the cup in this manner and does drink without realizing it was an abuse would it be considered a sin and should be confessed by the person?

An action is sinful only when the person knows that it is a sin and then commits it willingly. If the person did not realize at the time that they were commiting an abuse it would not be a sin.

 

[lakotak]

Again, Redemptionis Sacramentum is quite specific. We cannot pick up the sacred vessels for ourselves. The deacon must give the communicant the chalice. The distribution of Holy Communion to the faithful is not self-service.

Thanks for the info. If someone does take the cup in this manner and does drink without realizing it was an abuse would it be considered a sin and should be confessed by the person? Just to be clear, many who offer the Cup to the congregation for those of us here in the US are lay ministers. Should Eucharistic Ministers be lay people, or priests and deacons only? I am getting to the point, I don’t know what is acceptable at Mass and what is not anymore without trying to read all the Vatican documents. On another thread, I talked about my Pastor getting ready to have a regular town hall meeting right after Communion at the Masses on Saturday and Sunday next week.

 

[benedictgal]

Thanks for the info. If someone does take the cup in this manner and does drink without realizing it was an abuse would it be considered a sin and should be confessed by the person? Just to be clear, many who offer the Cup to the congregation for those of us here in the US are lay ministers. Should Eucharistic Ministers be lay people, or priests and deacons only? I am getting to the point, I don’t know what is acceptable at Mass and what is not anymore without trying to read all the Vatican documents. On another thread, I talked about my Pastor getting ready to have a regular town hall meeting right after Communion at the Masses on Saturday and Sunday next week.

Only the bishop and the priest are Eucharistic Ministers because they alone can confect (consecrate) the Eucharist. The deacon joins the bishop and the priest as the ordinary minister of Holy Communion. The laity (including relgious brothers and sisters) may serve as Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion, but, only if there is a genuine need.

If EMHCs are to be used, they must receive the sacred vessels directly from the celebrant. They cannot simply pick up the ciborrium or the chalice from the altar.

Reading the GIRM and RS is helpful.

 

[lakotak]

Only the bishop and the priest are Eucharistic Ministers because they alone can confect (consecrate) the Eucharist. The deacon joins the bishop and the priest as the ordinary minister of Holy Communion. The laity (including relgious brothers and sisters) may serve as Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion, but, only if there is a genuine need.

If EMHCs are to be used, they must receive the sacred vessels directly from the celebrant. They cannot simply pick up the ciborrium or the chalice from the altar.

Reading the GIRM and RS is helpful.

Thanks for your help with this.

 

[ConstantineTG]

Thank you for the information. This situation did happen a couple of weeks ago at a morning Mass. So when this happens, then the proper thing to do is to receive only under the species of Bread? I live in the US, and normally we have a lay person that gives the Cup at the Mass.

The priest can commission one of the lay faithful present as an EMHC for this one instance.

 

[TimothyH]

Again, Redemptionis Sacramentum is quite specific. We cannot pick up the sacred vessels for ourselves. The deacon must give the communicant the chalice. The distribution of Holy Communion to the faithful is not self-service.

Are monastic communities under different rules?

-Tim-

 

[Sarika]

An action is sinful only when the person knows that it is a sin and then commits it willingly. If the person did not realize at the time that they were commiting an abuse it would not be a sin.

To be more specific, it actually would be a sin (objectively), but the person involved would not be culpable (subjectively).

 

[JerrySeibert]

If the Priest gives the Chalice, " The blood of Christ" is said, to a EMHC and the partake of the Chalice, then they offer the Chalice to another EMHC … and they as well give the purificator. Is this wrong? They did not take it from the Altar thmself.
To explain, Father gives each EMHC Communion, then gives a Chalice to every other EMHC in line. Each partake the cup, then offer to the next in line, THAT EMHC keeps the Chalice. The ones who received the Chalice first are handed the cyborium with host and go to distribute.
I hope I’m making sense but is that wrong?