the4Rs Posted May 31, 2012 Share Posted May 31, 2012 My husband and I are wedding videographers. The vast majority of our weddings are Catholic weddings. I have been wondering something when it is time for the Eucharist to be taken by all who are attending the wedding (those of Catholic faith anyway) Here is my question.... why do some who line up only take the bread and completely walk by the cup? I am talking the vast majority of people walk right past it at each and every wedding we've filmed. Growing up attending the churches I have we always took both the cup and the bread...never just one or the other. Is it only essential to eat the bread not drink from the cup? Even after the father goes through the whole preparation and blessing and whatever else of both the bread and the wine? Is it because the cup is shared and people don't want the germs? Honestly curious and would appreciate some perspective. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TravelingChris Posted May 31, 2012 Share Posted May 31, 2012 Not a Catholic anymore but I did not take wine when it was in a common cup. As a Protestant now, I still won't do that and it is even more important for me now that I am on immunosuppressants. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
m0mmaBuck Posted May 31, 2012 Share Posted May 31, 2012 I will not drink out of a community cup. It's a germ thing for me. I won't do it. Some Churches have you dip the Host in the cup. Fine. But I'm not drinking after anyone. Growing up, drinking from the cup was always an optional part of Communion because of that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trish Posted May 31, 2012 Share Posted May 31, 2012 When I was a kid we weren't offered the cup. So it was something to get used to, but I take it now, unless the line is super long. However Jesus is considered fully present under either form, so you can do one or the other. It's probably more a matter of what people are used to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avila Posted May 31, 2012 Share Posted May 31, 2012 The body and blood is present in both species, so both the bread and the wine contain everything. It is not necessary to take both bread and wine to have body and blood, so many people choose not to. Some parishes don't even offer the option of the wine for weekly Mass. As a Catholic, it becomes a personal preference thing, but I would say most people take only the bread at most weekly Masses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LillyMama Posted May 31, 2012 Share Posted May 31, 2012 This is not an answer to your question, but I have to tell this embarrassing story. I grew up Baptist, where they passed plates of crackers and little individual cups. No prob. We just moved to a church that has you line up, walk forward, tear off bread and then, next to the bread holder, there is this other person holding a flagon of wine. Apparently you're supposed to dip your bread in. No one gave me these instructions, so I tried to bend down and drink from the cup. The poor old man holding it audibly gasped and my husband burst out laughing. I've never been so mortified. :001_unsure: Come to think of it, since my husband was raised Catholic and he knew this little bit of trivia, maybe the Catholic church expects you to dip? Hope you find your answer. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the4Rs Posted May 31, 2012 Author Share Posted May 31, 2012 Thank you! That helps me understand it better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the4Rs Posted May 31, 2012 Author Share Posted May 31, 2012 We just moved to a church that has you line up, walk forward, tear off bread and then, next to the bread holder, there is this other person holding a flagon of wine. Apparently you're supposed to dip your bread in. No one gave me these instructions, so I tried to bend down and drink from the cup. The poor old man holding it audibly gasped and my husband burst out laughing. I've never been so mortified. :001_unsure: :lol::lol: Sounds like something I would do. haha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kitten18 Posted May 31, 2012 Share Posted May 31, 2012 When I was a kid we weren't offered the cup. So it was something to get used to, but I take it now, unless the line is super long. However Jesus is considered fully present under either form, so you can do one or the other. It's probably more a matter of what people are used to. :iagree: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CLBMom Posted May 31, 2012 Share Posted May 31, 2012 I always take both. Everyone in my family including my 2 children do as well. I remember once when I was around 12 asking my Grandmother if you could get sick drinking after so many people. She asked me if I truly believed that what was in the cup was the blood of Jesus. Of course I said yes. She smiled and said "Well then you certainly don't believe that Jesus himself would let you get sick from receiving him do you?" I have yet to be able to argue that and in fact that is what I told my oldest when he recently asked the same question. I do believe the germ thing is what keeps people from taking the blood, but at my Parish the majority does take both. Although we do have a few gluten sensitive parishioners that can not take the host and only take the blood. Previous posters are correct you only "need" one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robyn Posted May 31, 2012 Share Posted May 31, 2012 The body and blood is present in both species, so both the bread and the wine contain everything. It is not necessary to take both bread and wine to have body and blood, so many people choose not to. Some parishes don't even offer the option of the wine for weekly Mass. As a Catholic, it becomes a personal preference thing, but I would say most people take only the bread at most weekly Masses. :iagree: Since the bread is made from wheat, people who are gluten intolerant can take only the wine. I tend to pass by the cup myself, usually because I have a wiggly toddler in my arms and because I won't drink from it if I am sick. Dh has an issue with drinking out of a shared cup. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oraetstudia Posted May 31, 2012 Share Posted May 31, 2012 Besides all the good answers you've already gotten -- if you receive from the cup, you are supposed to hold the chalice with both hands. I'm usually carrying a child and can't grasp it in both hands. So I usually do not receive under that species. I do bow before walking on past though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Violet Crown Posted May 31, 2012 Share Posted May 31, 2012 Intinction (dipping the Host into the cup) is not permitted in Catholic churches (actually the eastern rite Catholics practice intinction, but the priest does the dipping, not the communicant). Some of us paleoCatholics don't drink from the cup because we don't believe the laity should be handling the vessels. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluegoat Posted May 31, 2012 Share Posted May 31, 2012 Intinction (dipping the Host into the cup) is not permitted in Catholic churches (actually the eastern rite Catholics practice intinction, but the priest does the dipping, not the communicant). Some of us paleoCatholics don't drink from the cup because we don't believe the laity should be handling the vessels. Intinction is also a heck of a lot more likely to spread germs than sharing a drinking cup, no matter what is in it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oraetstudia Posted May 31, 2012 Share Posted May 31, 2012 Intinction (dipping the Host into the cup) is not permitted in Catholic churches (actually the eastern rite Catholics practice intinction, but the priest does the dipping, not the communicant). Some of us paleoCatholics don't drink from the cup because we don't believe the laity should be handling the vessels. Intinction is permitted. Self-administered intinction is illicit, only the priest should be doing the dipping and you have to receive on the tongue, but Latin rite Catholics can have communion distributed by intinction. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LMA Posted May 31, 2012 Share Posted May 31, 2012 Intinction is permitted. Self-administered intinction is illicit, only the priest should be doing the dipping and you have to receive on the tongue, but Latin rite Catholics can have communion distributed by intinction. Intinction is not permitted in many dioceses. It is only at the permission of the bishop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nova147 Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 Intinction is permitted. Self-administered intinction is illicit, only the priest should be doing the dipping and you have to receive on the tongue, but Latin rite Catholics can have communion distributed by intinction. My son received his first communion by intinction. It was the only time I have seen it done (I converted in 2004). Only the first communicants received in that manner. OP, the Church teaches that the consecrated host and chalice are both the Body and Blood of Christ, so either is sufficient. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justamouse Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 (There are gluten free host. We ahve many gluten free parishioners-they go in the sacristy and make sure their GF host is in a pyx, then when they go up they can take it from the paten.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crimson Wife Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 There is a lot of controversy over the use of GF wafers as the host. There is a low-gluten host that is theologically okay (because it contains a very minute amount of wheat) but because of the wheat content it may not be safe for a very sensitive individual. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
8circles Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 Some of us paleoCatholics don't drink from the cup because we don't believe the laity should be handling the vessels. What's a paleoCatholic? I could guess but I don't think it would be correct. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jelbe5 Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 We just moved to a church that has you line up, walk forward, tear off bread and then, next to the bread holder, there is this other person holding a flagon of wine. Apparently you're supposed to dip your bread in. No one gave me these instructions, so I tried to bend down and drink from the cup. The poor old man holding it audibly gasped and my husband burst out laughing. I've never been so mortified. :001_unsure: :lol: At the church I attend we may dip the host in the cup. But when I visited the church my parents attend the woman who was holding the wine gasped and pulled the cup back when I tried to dip. It was very uncomfortable.:glare: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MyLittleWonders Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 We are gluten free, and though I am the only one thus far taking communion (the boys will all make their first communion in the spring of '13; I pray one day dh does as well), I typically only take from the cup. (I do like to try to sit in the very front so I'm one of the first people; it's also good because sometimes they will run out.) I do have a pyx, but some Sundays are too busy or we are too late ... I need to be front and center so the priest can bring the pyx down and hand it right to me at the start of the communion line. (We really need to work on a better system for this, but I'm the only one at the parish that uses the low-gluten wafers, at least at this point in time. Plus, I'm still not 100% they are safe for me, or will be safe for the kids.) Nothing else to add that hasn't already been said. I can say I am very thankful you can receive either the blood or body as it does give those of us with gluten intolerances/allergies a chance to partake. But, at my parish, I would say 2/3s pass right by the cup. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mama2Many4 Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 I always take both. Everyone in my family including my 2 children do as well. I remember once when I was around 12 asking my Grandmother if you could get sick drinking after so many people. She asked me if I truly believed that what was in the cup was the blood of Jesus. Of course I said yes. She smiled and said "Well then you certainly don't believe that Jesus himself would let you get sick from receiving him do you?" I have yet to be able to argue that and in fact that is what I told my oldest when he recently asked the same question. I do believe the germ thing is what keeps people from taking the blood, but at my Parish the majority does take both. Although we do have a few gluten sensitive parishioners that can not take the host and only take the blood. Previous posters are correct you only "need" one. We are gluten free, and though I am the only one thus far taking communion (the boys will all make their first communion in the spring of '13; I pray one day dh does as well), I typically only take from the cup. (I do like to try to sit in the very front so I'm one of the first people; it's also good because sometimes they will run out.) I do have a pyx, but some Sundays are too busy or we are too late ... I need to be front and center so the priest can bring the pyx down and hand it right to me at the start of the communion line. (We really need to work on a better system for this, but I'm the only one at the parish that uses the low-gluten wafers, at least at this point in time. Plus, I'm still not 100% they are safe for me, or will be safe for the kids.) :iagree: This! I think many people are afraid of germs. I'm OCD about germs myself. But I believe that Jesus would not allow you to get sick by sharing the cup of his blood. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JFSinIL Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 Germs. The very idea of sharing a cup with all and sundry is just gross. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Violet Crown Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 What's a paleoCatholic? I could guess but I don't think it would be correct. My made-up word, sorry. Reactionary; ossified; unable to get with the times. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justamouse Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 My made-up word, sorry. Reactionary; ossified; unable to get with the times. ;) Hopefully as we get more gentlemen in seminary it will be less of a problem. Now if I could find a TLM around me, I'd be thrilled. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oraetstudia Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 Intinction is not permitted in many dioceses. It is only at the permission of the bishop. A local bishop may suggest that he has the right to dictate this in his diocese, as some bishops have tried to prevent the Extraordinary Form from being offered in their diocese even after the Motu Proprio. If one looks at the GIRM, however, it says nothing about that being the decision of the local ordinary. It says in paragraph 245, "The Blood of the Lord may be consumed either by drinking from the chalice directly, or by intinction, or by means of a tube or a spoon." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Violet Crown Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 A local bishop may suggest that he has the right to dictate this in his diocese, as some bishops have tried to prevent the Extraordinary Form from being offered in their diocese even after the Motu Proprio. If one looks at the GIRM, however, it says nothing about that being the decision of the local ordinary. It says in paragraph 245, "The Blood of the Lord may be consumed either by drinking from the chalice directly, or by intinction, or by means of a tube or a spoon." You're correct, and I was mistaken. This isn't 'self-intinction', however, which is what I had thought the earlier posts were referring to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oraetstudia Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 You're correct, and I was mistaken. This isn't 'self-intinction', however, which is what I had thought the earlier posts were referring to. I'm not sure even a local bishop can make self-intinction licit. I think that self-communication is always considered illicit -- although it certainly sounds like a lot of priests out there are allowing it. Sadly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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