Cup of salvation
Opinion
In the early days of the COVID pandemic, along with parishes throughout the world, the Archdiocese of Adelaide suspended the practice of receiving communion from the chalice and offered a dispensation from the obligation to attend Mass on Sundays and holy days of obligation for the safety and protection of the people.
Out of an abundance of caution, these two regulations remained in place even as other COVID restrictions have been removed.
Although the Body and Blood of Christ are fully present in both the consecrated bread and wine, the Church also teaches that ‘Holy Communion has a fuller form as a sign when it takes place under both kinds’. In the Archdiocese of Adelaide, communion from the chalice will be reintroduced in a way that aims to offer the greatest physical protection for the faithful and an opportunity to grow in Eucharistic formation and devotion.
Parish priests have been invited to indicate to the Community Life and Worship team if they wish to reintroduce communion from the chalice in their parish communities. The parish priests and those who will be assisting them in giving communion will undergo a training session that will include elements of spiritual, liturgical and practical formation related to the distribution of Holy Communion and resources to assist them with preparing their communities.
Nobody is ever required to receive communion from the chalice and circumstances may not always be suitable for communion from the chalice to be available, such as when there are insufficient ministers or it would be impossible to ensure that an excess of Precious Blood does not remain. Yet, the Eucharist stands at the centre of Catholic ritual practice, and the return of the chalice provides an opportunity for us all to renew our understanding of the Eucharist.
A fuller sign of communion
In the Passover meal with his disciples, Jesus offered both bread and wine to become his Body and his Blood. He instructed the disciples to ‘take and eat’ as well as to ‘take and drink’. Communion under both species is the liturgy’s response to Jesus’ instruction: ‘do this in memory of me’. The shared cup is a deep expression of unity, sacrifice and covenant because it allows believers to participate in the blood Christ shed for salvation.
Participation and reverence
The act of receiving from the chalice demands both proper respect and complete understanding of the sacred ritual. When we take communion from the chalice we respond to ‘The Blood of Christ’ with ‘Amen’ to show our assent and comprehension of the sacrament. We take the chalice from the minister, drink a little from it, and return the chalice to the minister. It is not permitted to dip the host into the chalice yourself.
The physical act of drinking from a shared cup reinforces that Eucharist exists as a shared experience between believers. The act of drinking from one cup represents our journey together toward the heavenly feast while demonstrating our oneness as Christ’s body in service to others.
Health, safety, and common sense
The pandemic has made people more mindful about public health issues and the practice of safety measures and good hygiene continue to be essential. We are encouraged to practise good hand hygiene for the sake of others. People who feel unwell or show signs of illness should refrain from receiving from the chalice. Christ is fully present in each species. If you receive one or the other, you are not deprived of any grace necessary for salvation.
The chalice receives proper care from the minister, who will wipe the inside and outside rim of the chalice with an unused portion of the purificator and turn the cup between each communicant. Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion (EMHC) are required to practice good hand hygiene through frequent handwashing with soap and water and/or the use of alcohol-based rub and to find a replacement for themselves if they are not feeling well.
The obligation to attend Sunday Mass does not apply to those who are ill, especially those who suffer from a contagious illness; those with flu-like symptoms may choose to remain at home in order not to spread the virus to others. While televised Masses do not fulfil the Sunday obligation, those who are ill are dispensed from the Sunday obligation.
A time for renewal
Whether you wish to receive the Precious Blood in the form of wine or not, the return of the chalice creates an opportunity to approach the Eucharist with deeper appreciation and mindfulness about its sacred nature. In addition to formation for parishes that wish to offer communion from the chalice, the Community Life and Worship team looks forward to the International Eucharistic Congress that will take place in Sydney in 2028. The intervening time is a period for us all to engage in Eucharistic renewal.
Orla Wright, Pastoral Support, Community Life and Worship
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