On the weekend of June 10-11, the Feast of Corpus Christie, distribution of the Precious Blood of Christ to the faithful and from the chalice will be permitted at Mass throughout the Archdiocese of Louisville. It has been a little more than three years since this has been permitted due to pandemic restrictions and concerns. Each pastor will decide in consultation with parish leadership whether and when to reintroduce the distribution of Precious Blood to the faithful.
To resume distribution in our two churches, I will need to be assured we have at least two Extraordinary Ministers at each Mass. For this assurance, I will need to know that ministers have been scheduled and that we have sufficient procedures in place to request alternates when the assigned minister cannot serve.
This is a good time to reacquaint everyone with how and why we offer distribution of both forms of Holy Communion. Under canon law, the faithful have the right to decide whether to receive the Body of Christ in their hand or on their tongue and whether to receive standing or kneeling. The Blood of Christ may only be received standing and from a proper chalice. Of necessity, the chalice is shared. Those who are uncomfortable or unwilling to receive the Precious Blood from the chalice, simply refrain.
Often, I am asked if a person can take their consecrated host and dip it in the chalice, thus avoiding drinking from the common chalice. This is not permitted in canon law. This method, communion by intinction, is prominent in Orthodox churches. Communion by intinction does not mean the person “dips” the Body of Christ into the Precious Blood. It is administered by a special spoon over a purification cloth in case of any dripping of the Precious Blood. This practice is not permitted in the Roman church.
Even if you are refraining from receiving from the chalice, it is mandatory that each person passing by the chalice, stop and make a reverent gesture, i.e., a short bow, when passing the chalice. The same act of reverence should also precede receiving from the chalice.
I hope we will be able to reintroduce the chalice for the faithful on the second Sunday of June. We will announce and publicize this prior to resuming.
Fr. Gary
