Why can't Catholics drink wine at mass?

[Rae]

MarkInOregon:

Tom,

I would also ask you friend why so many protestants use grape juice instead of wine–is that scriptural and valid? Also why do they do it so infrequently when Christ commanded us to do it?

Exactly. Catholics are always called upon to answer questions that are asked in a ‘prove it’ manner and a ‘distrustful’ sense. And this one about receiving the wine or bread is simply mute when, in fact, they are changed into the body **and ** blood, soul and divinity.

Let’s ask, the real question that should be answered, as quoted above. Why do Protestants view the Eucharist as symbolic?

If we were to be as ‘prove it’ and ‘distrustful’ of their intentions and decision-making…then, we should know why many Protestants use ‘grape juice’ or a like substance, for communion. Who made that decision? I view it as a poor one, considering the magnitude, the awesomeness, the beauty in the gift of the Church’s Eucharist!

It took me three ‘posts’ to try and express how I feel on this ‘discussion’. I feel better now, regardless of any objections.
I am simply happy to have the Eucharist, and I trust in Christ, so therefore I trust in his Church because I trust in Him.

 

[Rae]

Okay, so I had to add one more.

I just wanted to say that, as a Byzantine Catholic, we receive
both species (bread and wine).

My two year old and infant daugther both receive the Eucharist each Sunday (it’s a beautiful sight to behold). My infant daughter is given the wine alone (which isn’t wine alone, but the body and blood, soul and divinity of Christ, after consecration), so that (being practical as some of these ‘church’ decisions are)…she won’t choke on the ‘bread’ (which retains, as we know, all of the properties of bread even though it is, in actuality, the Body and Blood of Christ).

It would seem that this is one more example of the either/or mentality of Protestants. False dichotomies. Unnecessary. You can’t pit the body of Christ (in the Eucharist) against the blood of Christ (in the Eucharist), as Christ is a whole being, both fully man and fully divine. It’s both/and, and seen in much Catholic belief, not the either/or which tears apart and contradicts Protestant belief.