White Communion Wine?

[Mommyof02green]

We have a new parish priest and since his arrival the communion wine has changed from a red wine to a white wine. I’ve personally have never seen a white wine used; It’s has always been a red wine. Is there a white wine that is licit?

Of course I could just ask Father, but in my experience it’s been helpful to just seek knowledge on my own. Although I’m not sure where to look and find this information, that’s why I’m asking here.

Besides Father has made other changes as well, he has let several staff members go because of our parish is in the red and can not support those staff members. The last thing I want to do is come across questioning the communion wine. He’s under enough pressure getting negative criticism for the decisions he’s made to help our parish step towards the black and get out of the red.

My feeling is this would not be the best time to approach him and question the wine directly. If I had some knowledge in this area it would be different. However I just need some basic knowledge first, like is there white wine that is licit?

 

[basenji]

As long as it comes from grapes, yes, it’s valid. I used to go to a parish that used white wine in silver chalices. It was difficult to see and it also totally lacked the powerful visual association that I’d become used to.

 

[MarkThompson]

Yes, white wine (also blush or rosé) is completely licit. I have heard that this is something with significant regional variation, i.e. in some parts of the world white is near-ubiquitous and in other parts it’s red. The main advantage of white wine, from what I have been told, is that it does not stain purificators!

 

[curlycool89]

I see white all the time. All that is required is that it be grape wine.

 

[ljubim]

Wouldn’t red wine be preferable for at least having the correct color?

It’s his move, I would ask him to explain to you the significance of white wine.

 

[MarkThompson]

Wouldn’t red wine be preferable for at least having the correct color?

The correct color for what? Which color wine did Jesus use? Or do you mean to look like blood? We don’t exactly insist on bread the color of a Semitic man’s skin, do we?

 

[Corki]

Wouldn’t red wine be preferable for at least having the correct color?

It’s his move, I would ask him to explain to you the significance of white wine.

There doesn’t need to be any significance to white wine beyond that of red wine, namely that it is wine made from grapes.

If the parish is having financial difficulties, it may be that the white wine is simply more cost effective. That’s a *significant *reason to use it.

 

[Corki]

As long as it comes from grapes, yes, it’s valid. I used to go to a parish that used white wine in silver chalices. It was difficult to see and it also totally lacked the powerful visual association that I’d become used to.

Once the wine is in the chalice, it’s difficult to see no matter what color it is. It’s only while it’s still in the carafe during the offetory that there is a visual association.

 

[friarpark]

White wine makes it easier to see the Eucharistic Miracle should one happen.

 

[Cat]

I hope this will help some of you who have a hard time associating white wine with blood.

I work in a hospital lab. We test blood.

Before the blood is tested, it is spun in a centrifuge to separate the serum from the red cells. Most of our testing is done on the serum (or plasma, if an anticoagulant has been added to the test tube).

The red cells are…red. (No surprise, right?)

But the serum (or plasma), which is around half of the volume of the blood is…the color of white wine.

Here’s a link to a picture that I found on Google: google.com/images?hl=en&source=imghp&biw=1057&bih=719&q=centrifuged+blood+specimen&btnG=Search+Images&gbv=2&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&oq=&gs_rfai=

So maybe it just makes sense to lab rats like me, but I have no problem associating white wine with blood, because to me, the white wine looks like the blood that I work with everyday.

 

[SimonDodd]

Wouldn’t red wine be preferable for at least having the correct color? .

That’s a good reason to use white wine. It makes perfect sense to use blood-ish red wine if communion wine is merely symbolic of the blood of Christ. But if we believe in transubstantiation, the transformation of the wine into the blood of Christ in substance leaving only the accidents of wine, it doesn’t matter what color the wine is, because color is one of the wine’s accidents. Nothing wrong with red, but there’s nothing wrong with white, either.

 

[The_Old_Medic]

White, Red and Rose alter wines are available and are perfectly suitable for use during the Mass.

One week, some members of our parish went to Los Angeles to purchase Alter Wine for our parish. We cam back with 13 cases of different wines (1 case of each), and we tried them all and then asked the parish to vote on the three they liked best. They chose two whites and a rose.

As long as the wine meets the rules of the church (18% alcohol, and made solely from grapes with no additives), it is fine.

I would think that people would have much more important things to worry about in life, than whether or not their pastor is using illicit wine for the Eucharist. If you really wanted to know, why didn’t you ask him?

 

[centurionguard]

There doesn’t need to be any significance to white wine beyond that of red wine, namely that it is wine made from grapes.

If the parish is having financial difficulties, it may be that the white wine is simply more cost effective. That’s a *significant *reason to use it.

In my experience of working formerly ten years as Sacristan and ordering approved Mass wine according to the Priest’s preference I never saw any markedly price differential between Red and White Mass wine. Cost effectiveness rarely has anything to do with it.

For some priests its a matter of taste preference. Color takes on no real significance.

I’ve had priests who could only drink white Mass wine due to tonen ingredients comprised from the grapes during fermentation in the Red Mass wine would give them a huge headache.

 

[ljubim]

Where I live right now we’ve got a significant glass chalice problem, so this influenced my answer a bit Although we are physical creatures, and physical cues can help us when things are beyond our understanding, like bells at Mass and different gestures we make.

I like the post about making it easier to tell if there’s been a Eucharistic miracle

 

[autdrew]

I agree on the tannin issue with red, I can’t drink it and prefer white. My last parish used mostly white & my parish here uses red. I am happy to have my body,blood, soul & divinity in the Eucharist.

 

[ConstantineTG]

I hope this will help some of you who have a hard time associating white wine with blood.

I work in a hospital lab. We test blood.

Before the blood is tested, it is spun in a centrifuge to separate the serum from the red cells. Most of our testing is done on the serum (or plasma, if an anticoagulant has been added to the test tube).

The red cells are…red. (No surprise, right?)

But the serum (or plasma), which is around half of the volume of the blood is…the color of white wine.

Here’s a link to a picture that I found on Google: google.com/images?hl=en&source=imghp&biw=1057&bih=719&q=centrifuged+blood+specimen&btnG=Search+Images&gbv=2&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&oq=&gs_rfai=

So maybe it just makes sense to lab rats like me, but I have no problem associating white wine with blood, because to me, the white wine looks like the blood that I work with everyday.

Just to prop this, good post.

 

[Matthew_Holford]

As long as the wine meets the rules of the church (18% alcohol …

While I do not doubt your knowledge can you please quote a source for what volume of the wine used for Communion must be 18%. Until now I have only known that wine for Communion must be pure wine made from the fruit if the vine (i.e. grapes). I also knew that while red is mainly used by convention the colour does not matter. I was also aware that it must be alcohol-containing but I’ve never heard about the actual volume required.

 

[Digitonomy]

While I do not doubt your knowledge can you please quote a source for what volume of the wine used for Communion must be 18%. Until now I have only known that wine for Communion must be pure wine made from the fruit if the vine (i.e. grapes). I also knew that while red is mainly used by convention the colour does not matter. I was also aware that it must be alcohol-containing but I’ve never heard about the actual volume required.

I suspect the 18% is misremembered. Wine doesn’t generally get above 14% in normal fermentation. I’m not clear whether fortified wine such as port is permitted - it is still fruit of the vine.

Port wine is typically richer, sweeter, heavier, and possesses a higher alcohol content than most other wines. This is caused by the addition of distilled grape spirits (aguardente similar to brandy) to fortify the wine and halt fermentation before all the sugar is converted to alcohol and results in a wine that is usually either 19.5% or 20% alcohol.
Source

 

[FrDavid96]

While I do not doubt your knowledge can you please quote a source for what volume of the wine used for Communion must be 18%. Until now I have only known that wine for Communion must be pure wine made from the fruit if the vine (i.e. grapes). I also knew that while red is mainly used by convention the colour does not matter. I was also aware that it must be alcohol-containing but I’ve never heard about the actual volume required.

It isn’t the number 18 that has any significance. It’s generally accepted that wine cannot naturally ferment beyond 18% (or maybe, as Digitomy posted 14), so that an alcohol content above that indicates that more alcohol has been added (fortified). It isn’t the number, but the fact that something has been added to the wine.

 

[FrDavid96]

We have a new parish priest and since his arrival the communion wine has changed from a red wine to a white wine. I’ve personally have never seen a white wine used; It’s has always been a red wine. Is there a white wine that is licit?

Of course I could just ask Father, but in my experience it’s been helpful to just seek knowledge on my own. Although I’m not sure where to look and find this information, that’s why I’m asking here.

Besides Father has made other changes as well, he has let several staff members go because of our parish is in the red and can not support those staff members. The last thing I want to do is come across questioning the communion wine. He’s under enough pressure getting negative criticism for the decisions he’s made to help our parish step towards the black and get out of the red.

My feeling is this would not be the best time to approach him and question the wine directly. If I had some knowledge in this area it would be different. However I just need some basic knowledge first, like is there white wine that is licit?

Just for reference (or for fun!), you might see this link
onehda.com/Wine_Selection.php
for a listing of perfectly valid and licit altar wine selections

The color makes no difference. Most likely, this is just a matter of personal preference on the part of your new pastor.