Why do laity receive only the bread during Eucharist?

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I know both or either species of the Eucharist is equally valid to receive each Mass.

However, how come the wine isn’t served every Mass?

Every Catholic Mass (including a pontifical Mass AND a tridentine mass) I’ve attended, I’ve only seen the bread get distributed, no wine.

For context, every Episcopal Mass I attended, regardless of how high or low it is, you kneel for Communion and you receive both types.
 
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Episcopalian said:
I know both or either species of the Eucharist is equally valid to receive each Mass.

However, how come the wine isn’t served every Mass?

Every Catholic Mass (including a pontifical Mass AND a tridentine mass) I’ve attended, I’ve only seen the bread get distributed, no wine.

For context, every Episcopal Mass I attended, regardless of how high or low it is, you kneel for Communion and you receive both types.
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It varies. At my parish, we have both forms at every weekend Mass.
 
From a strictly literal standpoint wine is easier to spill and much harder to clean up. I think it’s very prudent to take as little risk as we can with Our Lord. It’s much easier to distribute only bread. Christ is fully present under both species though.
 
Episcopalian said:
I know both or either species of the Eucharist is equally valid to receive each Mass.

However, how come the wine isn’t served every Mass?

Every Catholic Mass (including a pontifical Mass AND a tridentine mass) I’ve attended, I’ve only seen the bread get distributed, no wine.

For context, every Episcopal Mass I attended, regardless of how high or low it is, you kneel for Communion and you receive both types.
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At my parish we receive under both species at Sunday Masses, so Sat. evening and Sun. morning.

At daily Mass the priests only distributes Hosts alone because most of those who attend don’t receive from the Chalice even when it’s offered.
 
I can’t remember being at a Mass over the past 30 years or more that both species haven’t been offered .
 
Catholics don’t receive only the bread. They receive the body, blood, soul, and divinity of Our Lord Jesus Christ under the appearance (the accidentals) of bread and/or wine. It is not necessary to receive the Blessed Sacrament in both forms. Either form is sufficient. At a Mass where both forms are offered to the laity, one may choose to partake of only one form is one so desires.
 
Oooh it must just be my limited experience then! I’ve only attended Catholic Masses in one archdiocese
 
  1. We believe that both species are all of Christ, body, blood, soul, and divinity. We DONT believe that the Eucharist is Jesus’ dried out carcass. It’s his living, glorified body as it is in heaven at this very moment.
  2. The priest is our advocate. The priest must receive under both forms and he does so on behalf of the faithful. So the church agrees with you, Jesus had both so we have both.
  3. I don’t think the Blood is ever offered to the faithful at a Tridentine mass. I don’t know what a pontifical mass is, if I’m honest, but just try a good old OF mass, and you’ll almost certainly see both offered to the people. Especially on a Sunday.
 
I can’t give dates and popes in question but it is left over from a time when the laity could only be given the consecrated hosts. It was meant to be a teaching point. It was to counter an incorrect belief that the consecrated hosts were only the body of Christ and the consecrated wine only the blood of Christ. Whichever species you receive you receive the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Christ. I think it is only since Vatican II that it once again became common for Catholics to receive from the chalice. I do believe, but may be mistaken, that the norm remains giving the host only and that there has to be some reason for giving the chalice as well.
 
My first holy communion this weekend was under both species (via intinction).

I usually only see this at high solemnities. I have never seen them offer the chalice to those at mass.
 
Episcopalian said:
I know both or either species of the Eucharist is equally valid to receive each Mass.

However, how come the wine isn’t served every Mass?

Every Catholic Mass (including a pontifical Mass AND a tridentine mass) I’ve attended, I’ve only seen the bread get distributed, no wine.

For context, every Episcopal Mass I attended, regardless of how high or low it is, you kneel for Communion and you receive both types.
Click to expand...
Catechism of Trent explains:
Why The Celebrant Alone Receives Under Both Species

It is clear that the Church was influenced by numerous and most cogent reasons, not only to approve, but also to confirm by authority of its decree, the general practice of communicating under one species. In the first place, the greatest caution was necessary to avoid spilling the blood of the Lord on the ground, a thing that seemed not easily to be avoided, if the chalice were administered in a large assemblage of the people.

In the next place, whereas the Holy Eucharist ought to be in readiness for the sick, it was very much to be apprehended, were the species of wine to remain long unconsumed, that it might turn acid.

Besides, there are many who cannot at all bear the taste or even the smell of wine. Lest, therefore, what is intended for the spiritual health should prove hurtful to the health of the body, it has been most prudently provided by the Church that it should be administered to the people under the species of bread only.

We may also further observe that in many countries wine is extremely scarce; nor can it, moreover, be brought from elsewhere without incurring very heavy expenses and encountering very tedious and difficult journeys.

Finally, a most important reason was the necessity of opposing the heresy of those who denied that Christ, whole and entire, is contained under either species, and asserted that the body is contained under the species of bread without the blood, and the blood under the species of wine without the body. In order, therefore, to place more clearly before the eyes of all the truth of the Catholic faith, Communion under one kind, that is, under the species of bread, was most wisely introduced.

There are also other reasons, collected by those who have treated on this subject, and which, if it shall appear necessary, can be brought forward by pastors.
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http://www.cin.org/users/james/ebooks/master/trent/tsacr-e.htm
 
My parish has both forms for every daily Mass. Not everyone chooses to partake of the chalice, but it is offered every day.
 
As an initial matter, it’s important to understand that even if a person just receives one species (e.g. just the Host or just the cup) he is receiving both the Body and Blood of Christ in whichever species he consumes. So if you don’t get to receive from the cup, but you do get to receive the Host, you have not “missed out” on anything. Also, once it’s consecrated, we don’t call it “bread” and “wine” though I know what you mean.

Having said that, most Masses in my area provide Holy Communion in both forms, at least on Sundays. On weekdays, some do and some don’t.

The reasons why the Precious Blood is or is not provided to the congregation are mostly logistical.

First, you need to have enough priests or EMHCs to distribute both the Body and Blood. The church might simply not have the manpower available, and so they only distribute the Body.

Second, the congregation size can be an issue. If you have a large congregation, it can be difficult to know how much Precious Blood to consecrate for everyone. Whatever is left over will have to be consumed by the clergy. At very large Masses, there is some concern about having large amounts of Precious Blood left over, leading to issues for those who must consume what remains. If you do not consecrate enough, then some people will likely be bothered by not getting to receive both the Body and the Blood. There are also issues at large Masses with having enough cups and getting the priests or Eucharistic ministers with the cups through large or crowded Masses without spills occurring. I was at a large Mass about a week ago and a priest who was helping distribute Communion and was obviously unfamiliar with the large church almost took a header with the cup right on top of another priest and communicants. Fortunately he caught himself at the last second before he and the cup fell off the sanctuary step. Obviously for the very big mega-Masses held in stadiums and the like, it is impossible to deal with cups at all in that environment except maybe for a little group of VIPS near the sanctuary.

Third, in some places there are concerns about transmitting cold, flu, other diseases via the cup, even though it’s turned and the rim is wiped for each person. During a bad flu season, churches will generally discontinue giving out the Precious Blood entirely for months.
 
mrsdizzyd said:
My first holy communion this weekend was under both species (via intinction).
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Congratulations on your first holy communion!

I was going to mention intinction. Fortunately my parish offers it at every mass, except for the Latin mass and Good Friday. Those who don’t wish it can receive in hand.
 
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