They ran out of the Host

[Big_Ro]

So, I was attending the evening Mass. When it was my turn to take communion, they ran out of Hosts and didn’t have any in back-up. I thought I had seen it all, but apparently I was wrong.

Has anyone else experienced this?

 

[Miriam1947]

So, I was attending the evening Mass. When it was my turn to take communion, they ran out of Hosts and didn’t have any in back-up. I thought I had seen it all, but apparently I was wrong.

Has anyone else experienced this?

Why didn’t they break the ones left so that all could receive?

 

[YoungTradCath]

Well, it happens. Usually there are reserved hosts in the tabernacle which the priest can then distribute.

 

[Bob_Aliano]

At the mission church we occasionally attend we have to place a host for each of us in a dish on our way in to Mass, if someone fails to do so they could run out, I believe the usher does place a few extra in.

 

[BusterMartin]

I have seen this on occasion before, and if the priest noticed in time he would then break the hosts into smaller pieces so that all could receive. I’m not sure if this is licit, but it is what has been done in the past from my experience.

 

[Peggy_in_Burien]

I have seen this on occasion before, and if the priest noticed in time he would then break the hosts into smaller pieces so that all could receive. I’m not sure if this is licit, but it is what has been done in the past from my experience.

It is licit to break the host into smaller pieces so all can receive.

The Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Our Lord is in even the smallest, microscopic particles. That is why the priest pays so miuch attention to the proper cleaning of the sacred vessels after Communion. This is why he has to hold his fingers a certain way, so no particle is dropped, why we used to always have the paten under our chins at the reception of Communion, so even the tiniest particle of Our Lord’s Body would not be dropped.

I have been to many Masses out in the National Parks, where the visiting priest would have us raise our hands before Mass for those going to Communion, or, later, the way described by another poster of placing an unconsecrated host into the chalice before Mass, and yet, someone always shows up extra, and Father breaks the hosts down.

 

[Bob4BVM]

I have seen this on occasion before, and if the priest noticed in time he would then break the hosts into smaller pieces so that all could receive. I’m not sure if this is licit, but it is what has been done in the past from my experience.

Yes, that certainly is licit ! The tiniest piece of Host, or droplet of consecrated wine, contains ALL of our Risen Lord.
It is also possible the priest did not realize soon enough as he might not have seen there were more people in line behind the person who received last Host. When this has happened to me personally, i simply go to the chalice to receive Jesus in the form of His Precious Blood.
Remember, when we receive Him in EITHER Form, we are truly receiving ALL of our Risen Lord. It is not possible to divide Jesus !!! He is fully present in either and BOTH species of the Eucharist.
BTW, remember that when you receive Him, you are receiving a Living Being… Adore Him !

 

[Kielbasi]

So, I was attending the evening Mass. When it was my turn to take communion, they ran out of Hosts and didn’t have any in back-up. I thought I had seen it all, but apparently I was wrong.

Has anyone else experienced this?

I never experienced it, but it was covered in religion class back when I was in school in the 60’s. The priest is supposed to break the hosts in half or smaller pieces if there are more communicants than hosts out there.

And really, the priest is also supposed to check at the beginning of mass to see how many people are there before he starts saying mass.

 

[Newbie2]

And really, the priest is also supposed to check at the beginning of mass to see how many people are there before he starts saying mass.

Easy to say, but I’ll bet very few can tell the difference between 500 and 550 people at mass.

 

[musicality]

Easy to say, but I’ll bet very few can tell the difference between 500 and 550 people at mass.

Which is why anyone handling the Hosts would break them when they realize that there are more people in line than hosts left.

 

[ProVobis]

I never experienced it, but it was covered in religion class back when I was in school in the 60’s. The priest is supposed to break the hosts in half or smaller pieces if there are more communicants than hosts out there.

And really, the priest is also supposed to check at the beginning of mass to see how many people are there before he starts saying mass.

And then multiply that number by 2. There are always plenty of latecomers.

 

[Deo_Gratias42]

I’ve never seen it happen, but I’ve heard of it before. It’s not that big of a deal. We’re not required to receive communion at every Mass. The only person who must receive is the priest. If it happens again, just make a spiritual communion.

 

[ConstantineTG]

And really, the priest is also supposed to check at the beginning of mass to see how many people are there before he starts saying mass.

Well, he’s in trouble if his congregation is mostly Filipinos or Ukrainians

We Filipinos acknowledge that we are habitually late (actually I learned that it was a cultural norm in Spain to be habitually late for anything except a bull fight. Of all the things our culture had to learn from our conquerors). We always had the perception that we’re the only ones who are bad for being late until I moved to an Eastern parish. I can say, we’re not unique in this world

But the priest always prepares a few extra for the odd chance that there’s more who would come.

 

[Cat]

It’s happened in our parish when Scott Hahn was a speaker, followed by a Mass. The priests recognized the situation before Mass, though, and called other parishes to “borrow” reserve hosts. (I hear it was quite a scramble.) Also, they broke the host into very small pieces to be able to serve everyone.

 

[FAB]

So, I was attending the evening Mass. When it was my turn to take communion, they ran out of Hosts and didn’t have any in back-up. I thought I had seen it all, but apparently I was wrong.

Has anyone else experienced this?

It can and does happen. The sacrastin before mass always has the challenge of trying to estimate the number of host needed. Week in and week out it is not so much an issue since the number who recieve is consistant. On holidays and special masses it becomes more difficult. Since the rite instructs that there should be enough host consecrated at that mass for all to recieve, some churchs as a result keep a very low resereve.
My instructions to the sacristan is to always to over estimate, but even then we have run close to running out.
On very few occations we have broken in halfs and quarters.

 

[ChrisCA]

At the mission church we occasionally attend we have to place a host for each of us in a dish on our way in to Mass, if someone fails to do so they could run out, I believe the usher does place a few extra in.

I observed people doing this at a very small parish I went to for Mass on the day of the Immaculate Conception.

I didn’t know what they were doing exactly, and I didn’t know what to do so I didn’t do that. Some people were even putting them back where others have taken to place them.

Well, the priest ran out of the Host during Communion so he went and got more from the tabernacle.

 

[Newbie2]

Which is why anyone handling the Hosts would break them when they realize that there are more people in line than hosts left.

Yes, exactly.

 

[JimG]

I’ve never seen it happen, but I’ve heard of it before. It’s not that big of a deal. We’re not required to receive communion at every Mass. The only person who must receive is the priest. If it happens again, just make a spiritual communion.

You are right. It can happen, but I’ve hardly ever seen it happen. Most often, if there are no hosts in the tabernacle, the priest or EHMC distributing communion will foresee the shortage and break the remaining hosts in half or quarters. But if he runs out, it’s not a big deal. As you say, there is no requirement to receive communion at every Mass we attend. It’s not about us; it’s about the worship of God and the re-presentation of Jesus offering himself to the Father.

 

[Miriam1947]

You are right. It can happen, but I’ve hardly ever seen it happen. Most often, if there are no hosts in the tabernacle, the priest or EHMC distributing communion will foresee the shortage and break the remaining hosts in half or quarters. But if he runs out, it’s not a big deal. As you say, there is no requirement to receive communion at every Mass we attend. It’s not about us; it’s about the worship of God and the re-presentation of Jesus offering himself to the Father.

But if he runs out, it’s not a big deal. But, it’s a big deal to me. I need the Eucharist. I can understand the running out bit but, it sure would make it a hard day for me.

 

[Deo_Gratias42]

But if he runs out, it’s not a big deal. But, it’s a big deal to me. I need the Eucharist. I can understand the running out bit but, it sure would make it a hard day for me.

“Me” “I” “I” “Me”

It’s not about you or me. Make a spiritual communion and offer it up for all the sacrilegious communion receptions that go on.