Who consumes the left over wine?

[DallasCatholic]

Where do you get this info from?

nccbuscc.org/liturgy/cleansingofvessels.pdf

 

[guanophore]

Is it acceptable to have an extraordinary minister of the Eucharist consume the left over precious blood? I was asked this question after having someone witness this at their Church.

The title of this thread is misleading.

I was recently at a Mass where all the chalices were set aside after communion and left at the side of the alter. After Mass was dismissed, a cadre of eucharistic ministers came back in after the recession and passed them back and forth amongst each other, chatting as if they were at a wine tasting party. It was very demoralizing.

 

[Like]

It has to be the priest who a) finishes the Precious Blood and b) cleans the cups

I’m having trouble locating Newsletter October 2006 on the USCCB website but, below is copied from that newsletter. & you will note that EMHC’s are allowed to consume the remainder of the Precious Blood after Communion.
Hope this helps.

1. When Holy Communion is distributed under both kinds, what happens to what remains of the Precious
   Blood?
   “When more of the Precious Blood remains than was necessary for Communion, and if not consumed by the
   bishop or priest celebrant, the deacon immediately and reverently consumes at the altar all of the Blood of Christ
   which remains; he may be assisted, if needs dictate, by other deacons and priests. When there are extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion, they may consume what remains of the Precious Blood from their chalice of
   distribution with permission of the diocesan bishop.”

 

[Lux_et_Tenebrae]

The title of this thread is misleading.

I was recently at a Mass where all the chalices were set aside after communion and left at the side of the alter. After Mass was dismissed, a cadre of eucharistic ministers came back in after the recession and passed them back and forth amongst each other, chatting as if they were at a wine tasting party. It was very demoralizing.

The instructions state that the Precious Blood is to be consumed right after the last communicant has received, only that the empty vessels may be covered and purified after Mass. The problem is not who consumes, but when. This most obvious lapse could be corrected easily if the minister comsumes the Precious Blood before the chalice is set aside. You could also mention the lack of reverence, and bad example of EMHC to the congregation.

Lux

 

[rskempf]

At our parish, it is common for EMHC’s to add water to leftover Precious Blood, and pour it down the sacrarium (drain that leads directly to the earth).

I do not believe this is appropriate and will do some more research through the USCCB website to get the facts. Any data you have will help.

Thanks!

 

[whatevergirl]

At our parish, it is common for EMHC’s to add water to leftover Precious Blood, and pour it down the sacrarium (drain that leads directly to the earth).

I do not believe this is appropriate and will do some more research through the USCCB website to get the facts. Any data you have will help.

Thanks!

When I was an EEM, back in PA–we had to consume the wine, and actually, the Pope just came out (I think last year) with an edict that the EEM’s should NOT BE WASHING THE CHALICES after consuming the wine, and the chalices and ‘remaining’ hosts, should be left for the priest to take care of after mass. Please check with your Bishop…this was a directive from the Pope.

 

[stbruno]

At our parish, it is common for EMHC’s to add water to leftover Precious Blood, and pour it down the sacrarium (drain that leads directly to the earth).

I do not believe this is appropriate and will do some more research through the USCCB website to get the facts. Any data you have will help.

Thanks!

Definitely not, the precious blood must be consumed.

 

[Phemie]

At our parish, it is common for EMHC’s to add water to leftover Precious Blood, and pour it down the sacrarium (drain that leads directly to the earth).

I do not believe this is appropriate and will do some more research through the USCCB website to get the facts. Any data you have will help.

Thanks!

Google “REDEMPTIONIS SACRAMENTUM”, print it and give it to your pastor.

 

[John_Lilburne]

From the 2002 General Instruction of the Roman Missal (GIRM) approved for the USA, which can be accessed from romanrite.com/girm.html :
“163. When the distribution of Communion is finished, the priest himself immediately and completely consumes at the altar any consecrated wine that happens to remain; …”.
“182. … If Communion is given under both kinds, the deacon himself administers the chalice to the communicants; and, when the distribution is completed, he immediately and reverently consumes at the altar all of the Blood of Christ that remains, assisted if necessary by other deacons and priests.”
“249. … The deacon, however, consumes at the altar all that remains of the Precious Blood, assisted, if necessary, by some of the concelebrants. …”.
“284. When Communion is distributed under both kinds, …
b. Whatever may remain of the Blood of Christ is consumed at the altar by the priest or the deacon or the duly instituted acolyte who ministered the chalice. The same then purifies, wipes, and arranges the sacred vessels in the usual way.”

(If the above seem contradictory, understand that different Masses are being described, eg: “Mass Without a Deacon” etc.)

What if the extraordinary minister is not an instituted acolyte? Then normally they would not consume what remains of the Precious Blood, following n. 284(b) above.

But in the USA, approval has been given for “Norms for the Distribution and Reception of Holy Communion under Both Kinds in the Dioceses of the United States of America”. This includes:
“52. When more of the Precious Blood remains than was necessary for Communion, and if not consumed by the bishop or priest celebrant, “the deacon immediately and reverently consumes at the altar all of the Blood of Christ which remains; he may be assisted, if needs dictate, by other deacons and priests.” (Footnote 55: GIRM, no. 182.) When there are extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion, they may consume what remains of the Precious Blood from their chalice of distribution with permission of the diocesan bishop.”

What if there is too much of the consecrated wine for the proper people to consume it? The Prefect of the Congregation of Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments wrote a letter to the USCCB in 2002. This was reported on the USCCB Bishops Committee for the Liturgy Newsletter of March/April 2002:
"With respect to the second request, Cardinal Medina, Prefect of CDWDS, noted that neither an indult nor even the permission of the diocesan bishop is required for extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion to help the priest celebrant to consume what may remain of the Precious Blood after the distribution of Holy Communion. “Rather,” he wrote, “given the grave and overriding need to safeguard the Precious Blood, ministers of Holy Communion or other communicants may consume what remains of the Precious Blood in a dignified and reverent manner.”
(The full article is at usccb.org/liturgy/innews/03042002.shtml ).

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

At our parish, it is common for EMHC’s to add water to leftover Precious Blood, and pour it down the sacrarium (drain that leads directly to the earth).

I do not believe this is appropriate and will do some more research through the USCCB website to get the facts. Any data you have will help.

Thanks!

Before you do more research, tell the pastor this needs to be stopped immediately. If there is for some reason small quantities of the Blood of Christ that is not comsummable for some serious reason, they can be dealt with in this manner. But not larger quantities on a regular basis after Mass. The documents al say that ther remaining Blood of Christ from Holy Communion is to be consummed.

 

[Karl_M]

Basically, anyone who is eligible for Catholic Communion can consume the leftover Blood and Hosts after Mass is over. At my church, the EMHC’s do it, usually with the help of the Deacon-if there’s a lot, the ushers, too.

The leftover “wine,” from the decanter that isn’t on the Altar (it’s rare, but happens every now and then), is put back into the bottle, from what I’ve seen.

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

Basically, anyone who is eligible for Catholic Communion can consume the leftover Blood and Hosts after Mass is over. At my church, the EMHC’s do it, usually with the help of the Deacon-if there’s a lot, the ushers, too.

The leftover “wine,” from the decanter that isn’t on the Altar (it’s rare, but happens every now and then), is put back into the bottle, from what I’ve seen.

What is in the decanter that was not Consecrated is wine.

 

[Cristiano]

My son, an altar server, was thinking of consuming all the leftover wine. However, I kindly reminded him that a bottle half full with non consecrated wine is not to be touched by the servers or they will have to deal with the pastor and the parents.

Jokes apart in our parish the EMHCs help each other to drink the remaining consecrated specie and then hand the chalices to the instituted acolites for the ablution and final purification, after that the final washing is done by an EMHC.

IMHO I think that each EMHC should drink the leftover wine in the chalice he is assigned on the spot where he is serving after all the faithfuls have received.

I would suggest people to stop being picky and trying to correct people when the refer to the consecrated specie as the wine and tell them that it is the precious blood. I say that because they are wrong, If they want to be legalistic, then every time they should call it the Blood, Body, Soul and Divinity …So please cut people some slack. In this forum we all know what we are talking about, the use of a specific word does not automatically imply lack of reverence.

 

[guanophore]

I would suggest people to stop being picky and trying to correct people when the refer to the consecrated specie as the wine and tell them that it is the precious blood. I say that because they are wrong, If they want to be legalistic, then every time they should call it the Blood, Body, Soul and Divinity …So please cut people some slack. In this forum we all know what we are talking about, the use of a specific word does not automatically imply lack of reverence.

I think this distinction is critical to make, and although you are correct, using a different term does not automatically imply a lack of reverence, to my observation there is a very gross lack of reverence already,a nd failing to distinguish the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity is at the heart of it. One of the ways we can correct that is by careful use of language, gesture, and proper catachesis.

The lack of distinction in terms is also misleading to our separated brethren, who don’t believe in transubstantiation.

 

[Sure]

All these stories of all leftover precious Blood are a strong indication that these parishes should not be offering Communion under both species.

Redemptionis Sacramentum states clearly:

"The chalice should not be ministered to lay members of Christ’s faithful where there is such a large number of communicants that it is difficult to gauge the amount of wine for the Eucharist and there is a danger that “more than a reasonable quantity of the Blood of Christ remain to be consumed at the end of the celebration”."

 

[lizaanne]

My husband and I assisted at Mass at a local Detroit parish about a month or two ago. This parish uses glass chalices (yes, a no-no). After Mass they were left on a side table while everyone departed and the EMHCs strolled around and chatted with everyone. Still the Blood of Christ sat on the table.

So I approached one of them and asked how long they plan to leave the Blood of Jesus Christ sitting on a side table. He just looked at me as if my head was on backward, and responded that it will be handled shortly. I told him that it should be taken care of immediately. He told me that he did not care to discuss it and walked away from me.

No - I did not contact the priest. I know this priest and he would not have done anything about it. If I called the Archdiocese about this I’m sure I would be placed on such a back burner that my concern would not see the light of day.

~Liza

 

[Phemie]

All these stories of all leftover precious Blood are a strong indication that these parishes should not be offering Communion under both species.

Redemptionis Sacramentum states clearly:

First define “reasonable quantity”. If each EMHC only has to consume a small amount then I would say that they are already doing well.

 

[japhy]

At our parish, it is common for EMHC’s to add water to leftover Precious Blood, and pour it down the sacrarium (drain that leads directly to the earth).

Everyone doing that is incurring “a latae sententiae excommunication”; so saith Redemptionis Sacramentum, n. 107:
In accordance with what is laid down by the canons, “one who throws away the consecrated species or takes them away or keeps them for a sacrilegious purpose, incurs a latae sententiae excommunication reserved to the Apostolic See; a cleric, moreover, may be punished by another penalty, not excluding dismissal from the clerical state”. To be regarded as pertaining to this case is any action that is voluntarily and gravely disrespectful of the sacred species. Anyone, therefore, who acts contrary to these norms, for example casting the sacred species into the sacrarium or in an unworthy place or on the ground, incurs the penalties laid down. Furthermore all will remember that once the distribution of Holy Communion during the celebration of Mass has been completed, the prescriptions of the Roman Missal are to be observed, and in particular, whatever may remain of the Blood of Christ must be entirely and immediately consumed by the Priest or by another minister, according to the norms, while the consecrated hosts that are left are to be consumed by the Priest at the altar or carried to the place for the reservation of the Eucharist.

Here is what the rules of the Church are, regarding the remaining Hosts and Precious Blood after the distribution of Communion:

1. * (Communion under one kind, no deacon) When the distribution of Communion is finished, the priest himself immediately and completely consumes at the altar any consecrated wine that happens to remain; as for any consecrated hosts that are left, he either consumes them at the altar or carries them to the place designated for the reservation of the Eucharist. (US GIRM 163)
   • (Communion under one or both kinds, with deacon) After the priest’s Communion, the deacon receives Communion under both kinds from the priest himself and then assists the priest in distributing Communion to the people. If Communion is given under both kinds, the deacon himself administers the chalice to the communicants; and, when the distribution is completed, he immediately and reverently consumes at the altar all of the Blood of Christ that remains, assisted if necessary by other deacons and priests. (US GIRM 182)
   • Care must be taken that whatever may remain of the Blood of Christ after the distribution of Communion is consumed immediately and completely at the altar. (US GIRM 279)
   • 1. When Communion is distributed under both kinds,
        a. The chalice is usually administered by a deacon or, when no deacon is present, by a priest, or even by a duly instituted acolyte or another extraordinary minister of Holy Communion, or by a member of the faithful who in case of necessity has been entrusted with this duty for a single occasion;
        b. Whatever may remain of the Blood of Christ is consumed at the altar by the priest or the deacon or the duly instituted acolyte who ministered the chalice. The same then purifies, wipes, and arranges the sacred vessels in the usual way. (US GIRM 284)
   • When there are extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion, they may consume what remains of the Precious Blood from their chalice of distribution with permission of the diocesan bishop. (NDRHC 52)
   It would seem that 284/b excludes EMHCs from the list of who can consume the remaining Precious Blood because EMHCs are not permitted to also purify the vessels. Regardless, the GIRM and the Norms for the Distribution and Reception of Holy Communion Under Both Kinds (NDRHC) can be combined to understand these simple points:
   • If the remaining Hosts are not reserved in the tabernacle, they are to be consumed reverently at the altar by the priest. Fragments of the Hosts are to be consumed by the priest or deacon.
   • If there is Precious Blood remaining, the minister of the Chalice containing the remaining Precious Blood is the preferred person to consume it, unless he or she is an EMHC, in which case permission is needed from the diocesan bishop. The Blood is to be consumed reverently at the altar.

 

[Sure]

First define “reasonable quantity”. If each EMHC only has to consume a small amount then I would say that they are already doing well.

That would be up to the Vatican to define not me. Numerous people here have written that there are several chalices left at the end of Communion that seems somewhat excessive.

On a related note, it is totally out of keeping with the spirit of the law to have EMHC’s distributing the precious blood. Obviously, distribution under both species is a good thing, but if that also requires the use of EMHC’s in order to accomplish this it flies in the face of the concept of extraordinary because there is no NEED to distribute under both species. Don’t get me wrong, I have no problem with EMHC’s when necessary with a large crowd and few priests and deacons, but we shouldn’t “create” a necessity by introducing both species when there are not even enough ordinary ministers to distribute one species.

 

[japhy]

At our parish, it is common for EMHC’s to add water to leftover Precious Blood, and pour it down the sacrarium (drain that leads directly to the earth).

Everyone doing that is incurring “a latae sententiae excommunication”; so saith Redemptionis Sacramentum, n. 107:
In accordance with what is laid down by the canons, “one who throws away the consecrated species or takes them away or keeps them for a sacrilegious purpose, incurs a latae sententiae excommunication reserved to the Apostolic See; a cleric, moreover, may be punished by another penalty, not excluding dismissal from the clerical state”. To be regarded as pertaining to this case is any action that is voluntarily and gravely disrespectful of the sacred species. Anyone, therefore, who acts contrary to these norms, for example casting the sacred species into the sacrarium or in an unworthy place or on the ground, incurs the penalties laid down. Furthermore all will remember that once the distribution of Holy Communion during the celebration of Mass has been completed, the prescriptions of the Roman Missal are to be observed, and in particular, whatever may remain of the Blood of Christ must be entirely and immediately consumed by the Priest or by another minister, according to the norms, while the consecrated hosts that are left are to be consumed by the Priest at the altar or carried to the place for the reservation of the Eucharist.

N. 284/b of the (US) GIRM excludes EMHCs from the list of who can consume the remaining Precious Blood because EMHCs are not permitted to also purify the vessels. Regardless, the GIRM and the Norms for the Distribution and Reception of Holy Communion Under Both Kinds (NDRHC) can be combined to understand these simple points:

• If the remaining Hosts are not reserved in the tabernacle, they are to be consumed reverently at the altar by the priest. Fragments of the Hosts are to be consumed by the priest or deacon.
• If there is Precious Blood remaining, the minister of the Chalice containing the remaining Precious Blood is the preferred person to consume it, unless he or she is an EMHC, in which case permission is needed from the diocesan bishop. The Blood is to be consumed reverently at the altar.