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Original poster

Any catholics on here who can answer a question for me?

136 replies

TrySleepingWithABrokenHeart · 15/12/2019 10:39

I go to church every Sunday and although I take communion, I don’t have the wine.

Is this disrespectful of me? Or is this optional?

I feel like I have a strange fear of it for some reason. I also struggle to share cups etc with other people so the combination of these two things is the reason why.

I definitely don’t want to be disrespectful so I’d be really grateful for your opinions on this. Thanks.

OP posts:
peony2325 · 15/12/2019 18:11

@DonegalGhirl the priest places a small piece of consecrated host into the chalice during the ritual so this is probably what you saw. Some priests put a tiny piece in that one might not notice and others larger.

autumnkate · 15/12/2019 19:15

I’m surprised to hear that so few people take it! It has been offered at every mass I have ever been to and we certainly did both at every mass we had at school (convent).

june2007 · 15/12/2019 19:23

To me itseems odd to take the bread and not the wine, however to me holy communion is about one and ones relationship with God. Not about doing things to conform.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

Philosophy & religion
hiddenmnetter · 15/12/2019 19:23

Communion was traditionally never offered 'under both species' (as body + blood), but was always traditionally offered under the species of body only. It is I believe part of a priests daily obligation to consume the sacrament under both species, but for lay Catholics, unless under some other rule, the only obligation is to consume the body once per year. Different parishes often do offer under both species, a practice which I believe dates from the second Vatican council, but it is not obligatory. It was part of the drive to de-clericalise the church and make the priest seen more a part of the congregation I believe. But it is every Catholics right to receive the Eucharist under both species, or if preferred, just 1.

I remember finding out about this when I first heard about celiac disease. Apparently if you cannot receive the body of Christ daily then you are unable to be a priest.

Fantail · 15/12/2019 19:31

It’s possible that it’s different depending on the Parish, but in ours both the body and blood are offered. I side step the latter and plenty of adults do.

I’ve always received Communion in my hands.

I’m also divorced 😱. I’m pretty sure the parish priest knows this and he’s never told me I can’t receive Communion.

BennyTheBall · 15/12/2019 19:35

Bleurgh to the wine - no way am I going to sip from a communal chalice. Wine is not offered at our church anyway - only the priest takes it.

I only take communion in my hands too.

Wanderingraspberry · 15/12/2019 19:37

I don't take it either although most people at my church do. Im unconvinced that cloth is doing a lot to clean the chalice!!

PilatesPeach · 15/12/2019 19:44

At my church, there is host & wine available at every mass for everyone who has had their 1st Holy Communion. When I was younger though, it was just the bread. Thing about the host is that the priest (hopefully with clean hands) places it in your hands but as pp said above, the wine chalice is wiped with the same piece of handkerchief over and over never seems hygienic to me and puts me right off! Vast majority at mass only have the host ime.

PilatesPeach · 15/12/2019 19:48

People may have other reasons not to take the wine, maybe they are teetotal or have alcohol issues or maybe they are under 18 and their parents don't want them to have it. The wine in mass, is a relatively modern practice maybe 20 - 30 years.

CherryPavlova · 15/12/2019 19:59

Most people at our church take wine. It never used to be offered when I was growing up but is routine now.
I wouldn’t touch it with a barge pole. Too much backwash and old beard dander in it. Just grim.

Marmite27 · 15/12/2019 20:04

I’m not catholic, but I attend mass with my DH and DC (twice today infact). There’s wine, DH and his family don’t partake (Irish background interestingly enough). I just get blessed with the kids as the priest knows I’m CofE - I never thought other members of the congregation may think I was divorced Grin Maybe that’s why everyone wants to talk to me, for the gossip Wink

HowDoYouLikeThoseSuedeApples · 15/12/2019 20:18

That would be an Ecumenical matter Grin

KingaRoo · 15/12/2019 20:31

Can someone explain why Catholics take bread but no wine and protestants take both? Where did the difference come from? My understanding is that Jesus said "whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life". Why remove the wine from the equation?

AnotherCrappyDay · 15/12/2019 20:37

I don't, purely because of the hygiene reasons.

CherryPavlova · 15/12/2019 20:42

In Catholicism transubstantiation converts bread and wine to the body and blood of Christ. It’s not symbolic. The Church teaches that Christ is present "body and blood, soul and divinity" in both items. There is no need to consume both to receive the sacrament.
In practical terms it was about distribution to very large congregations and about preserving the body and blood. A host may be dropped but is easily recovered. Wine that is spilt is considered spilling the blood of Christ and wiping up with kitchen roll and a bucket of Zoflora would be sacrilegious.

KingaRoo · 15/12/2019 20:48

But doesn't that go directly against what Jesus says? Not being goady, genuinely want to understand this.

TheCanterburyWhales · 15/12/2019 21:42

In our church there is a separate set of wafers for coeliacs.

CherryPavlova · 15/12/2019 21:56

KingaRoo doesn’t what? which bit?

Captainmarvel0160 · 15/12/2019 22:01

Its totally optional to have the wine & not disrespectful.

Not to point out the obvious however people with addictions would more than likely not participate, others because of hygiene, what ever your reasons for not having the wine he up above does not judge just glad you paid him a visit.

Cherrysoup · 15/12/2019 22:22

Totally fine. My OH was horrified when he first saw this, he asked me what did people think of the backwash? 🤮

KingaRoo · 15/12/2019 22:40

@CherryPavlova when he says "...eats my flesh AND drinks my blood". But the church says only "eats my flesh" is necessary. It seems in direct contravention of what Jesus said?

soupforbrains · 15/12/2019 22:47

@KingaRoo well technically ac the non Catholic Church only represent the body and blood they would be the ones going against the instruction...

The Catholic Church is the only Christian Church which believes in transubstantiation. Thereby actually 'taking' the body and blood.

However as a previous poster mentioned, in the RC Church it is considered that through transubstantiation that either is a true part of Christ, either is considered sufficient for taking the Christ into yourself.

KingaRoo · 15/12/2019 23:14

So the Catholic church takes "eat my flesh and drink my blood" as a literal command I.e. you have to literally eat my flesh and blood (although didnt somewhere else in the Bible Jesus say do this in remembrance of me?) but doesn't take the "and" literally I.e. it can be flesh or blood?

Where did this split come from? Was transubstantiation always a thing with the early Christians or is it something that came into church practice later?

I like that we can discuss this freely on an internet forum as in some points in history you could be put to death (sometimes by Catholics, sometimes by Protestants) for asking any of these questions!

KingaRoo · 15/12/2019 23:15

Also not sure what the Orthodox churches think on this.

KingaRoo · 15/12/2019 23:16

Sorry if I am derailing the thread. Will have to do some Google research tomorrow!