Water and Wine

[rpp]

During the preparation of the gifts at the Novus Ordo Mass, I have observed two different methods for adding the water to the wine.

I have seen some priests add the water to the pitcher then pour the wine into the sacrred chalices.

I have seen other first pour the wine into the individual chalices then add the water to each one.

I do recall one occasion where the Sacred Blood was divided after the consecration and I am pretty sure that was not, well, ideal.

Of course at the TLM, there is only one chalice, and the water is added to it after wine has been poured.

Now I am not trying to be hyper-critical here, I am just curious. Is this a personal preference thing? Are there rubrics or GIRM instructions?

Just curious.

 

[tee_eff_em]

Fractioning the consecrated wine is not permitted, as *Redemptionis Sacramentum *addressed.

As to your other question, Fr Edward McNamara at Zenit says the rubrics are “imprecise”.

In line with the June 29 column on why water is mixed with the wine at Mass, some readers asked if water should be placed in all of the chalices when more than one is used for the Eucharistic celebration.

The norms are not very precise on this question. It appears that this is the preferred option and the one that best corresponds to the tradition that water be added to the wine used for consecration. Yet, this is not specifically mandated.

Several liturgists suggest that adding water to the principal chalice alone sufficiently fulfills the symbolic meaning of the rite and the liturgical norms. They argue that the several chalices are in an analogous situation to that of the small hosts present in additional ciboria and adding water to one is symbolically adding it to all.

Both options are probably legitimate unless the Holy See states otherwise.

tee

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

During the preparation of the gifts at the Novus Ordo Mass, I have observed two different methods for adding the water to the wine.

I have seen some priests add the water to the pitcher then pour the wine into the sacrred chalices.

I have seen other first pour the wine into the individual chalices then add the water to each one.

I do recall one occasion where the Sacred Blood was divided after the consecration and I am pretty sure that was not, well, ideal.

Of course at the TLM, there is only one chalice, and the water is added to it after wine has been poured.

Now I am not trying to be hyper-critical here, I am just curious. Is this a personal preference thing? Are there rubrics or GIRM instructions?

Just curious.

The “Fraction” is a specific action during the Mass. It is when the main Host is broken and a small piece is placed into the main chalice. There is no such thing as “fractioning” the wine. This is a misuse of the term.

Water is only required to be mixed into the main chalice. It make no difference if it’s added to the pitcher before it is poured into the chalices or is added only to the main chalice after it has been poured. Water is not required to be added to any of the other chalices, although some priests do.

Pouring the Precious Blood of Christ from one container to another is strictly prohibited.