(ZENIT News / Austin, 05.19.2024).- In a move to facilitate better access to Mass for inmates and support facility staff, the Texas bishops have issued new guidelines regarding the use of sacramental wine in state correctional institutions. The guidelines were published on May 14 by the Texas Catholic Conference of Bishops (TCCB).
These guidelines aim to clarify the significance of sacramental wine for non-Catholic correctional staff who may not understand its essential role in the Mass. Jennifer Carr Allmon, the executive director of TCCB, emphasized the need for a unified set of instructions to ensure all parties involved are well-informed about the sacramental requirements.
«The Texas bishops wanted to provide these guidelines to support pastoral ministry staff entering our criminal justice facilities and to better educate facility staff on the sacramental importance of wine,» Allmon told the digital media outlet Crux. «This will help create better access to Mass for inmates in Texas.»
The guidelines are also intended to reduce the necessity of repeatedly educating correctional staff about the purpose of sacramental wine, especially given the high turnover rates among these employees. According to state data, the turnover rate for juvenile correctional officers was 71.8 percent in the fiscal year 2023, while adult correctional officers had a turnover rate of 30.9 percent in the same period.
The newly issued guidelines specify that a valid Mass requires a small amount of wine, which only the priest should consume. This practice ensures that the wine is not considered an alcoholic beverage or an illegal substance.
For instances where chaplaincy staff are responsible for providing wine to visiting priests, the guidelines stipulate that two ounces of sacramental wine should be supplied in sealed containers for each scheduled Mass. Any wine brought by a visiting priest must be consumed before leaving the facility.
Additionally, the guidelines highlight the need for secure storage of the wine, which should be kept behind two locked doors in an area inaccessible to inmates. The document concludes with an explanation of the necessity of sacramental wine for Mass.
«Catholics believe that Christ is truly present in the consecrated bread and wine used in the Mass,» the guidelines state. «All consecrated wine must be consumed by the priest at each Mass. Consecrated wine cannot be stored after the Mass.»
Furthermore, the guidelines address the handling of consecrated hosts, noting that while they must be consumed during Mass, they can also be reserved in an appropriate tabernacle with a lit vigil light nearby. It is explicitly stated that consecrated hosts should never be mixed with unconsecrated ones.
These comprehensive guidelines are expected to enhance the understanding and cooperation of correctional facility staff, thereby ensuring that inmates have the opportunity to fully participate in the sacramental life of the Church.
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