Use of reserved Hosts

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I never really thought about this, but isn’t it just a natural side effect of having so many Masses in a given week? My parish has 12 Masses a week and attendance fluctuates widely. This morning at Mass there were around 45 people, yesterday it was about half that.

This is going to get me thinking now…

Also, isn’t there a rule that there has to be something left over? Aside from the homebound I didn’t think the tabernacle was supposed to be empty unless it was Good Friday. I once asked a ICKSP priest about running out during the Mass and he told me in those instances he starts to break the Hosts into pieces and I think I remember him saying that something has to be left in the tabernacle even if it’s just a tiny particle (I suppose that could be his own personal rule though).
I was told that as well (but do not have anything 'official" otherwise we would have to leave the tabernacle open and blow out the candle.
It is very hard to predict… I am a sacristan so I notice more than I use to. Weather affects attendane. Sports schedules have an effect. School events migh make a difference. Around holidays some people leave others have family visit. Summer vacations might lower attendance. People shouldn’t be that hard on those who trie to predict. Some are learning as well.
 
I there were only one Mass a weekend or for a particular time period then you would be correct in your “rant”, but this is not the case in most parishes. The fact is that most parishes are celebrating multiple Masses for the Sunday and also daily Masses, which means this is an ongoing process and not a single event. Therefore, the number of previously consecrated hosts held in the tabernacle varies from day to day.

With that said, a parish must keep enough consecrated hosts to supply the need for communion to the sick and possibly communion services if a priest is not available. Therefore, there is often reason to use the hosts from the tabernacle in order to reduce the amount reserved, or to rotate the reserved Eucharist. Remember the accidents remain, it will stale and possibly mold in time; this is called becoming “corrupt”.

The reason you see this practice taking place in every parish you go to is the same, because it is necessary. As the GIRM points out, it is “most desirable”. But the amount of reserved Eucharist must be maintained at the proper level and freshness. How else is this done if not in the context of the Mass? Maybe a Communion consumption fest after Mass if there is too much? Or how about a multiplied “fraction rite” in the communion line when we are about to run out? No, this makes no sense. The Church has decided to make these options available to a pastor to use common sense in maintaining the proper level.

If it were as easy as counting people to consecrate the right amount for each Mass, I would be in agreement with you; but that would be far from the truth.

PS. In one of your later posts, you question unconsecrated hosts mixed with consecrated, I’m not sure why but you bring this into the conversation. First off, if you cannot trust the priests or deacons to be more faithful than to make this completely grave abuse happen then I think you have bigger problems than being bothered by using the Eucharist from the tabernacle. Your priests are not mixing bread with the Body of Christ. If they bring from the tabernacle the reserved hosts, then they are bringing the Body of Christ to be mixed with the Body of Christ.

PSS. No, the previously consecrated hosts, cannot be re-consecrated. To bring to the altar the reserved hosts before consecration would be MOST inappropriate and a grave abuse.

I think we need to pray more in Mass than watch every move our bishops, priests, and deacons make in the Mass which causes us so much pain. Mass is for giving thanks to God, that is all.
👍 Dcn Frank
 
Thank you, Deacon frank, for your elucidation on this most interesting thread. Blessings to you.
 
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