Edward McNamara, LC
(ZENIT News / Rome, 09.17.2024).- Answered by Legionary of Christ Father Edward McNamara, professor of liturgy and sacramental theology and director of the Sacerdos Institute at the Pontifical Regina Apostolorum university.
Q: Can you tell me about the rules for a priest, who is a recovering alcoholic, when he is concelebrating with a group of priests? If there is no chalice available for him with the mustum for which he has permission, he only receives the host. However, a young priest told him that he is not a valid concelebrant if he does not receive both species. He has permission of his bishop to use the mustum instead of wine when he is celebrant. What are the real facts? — E.P., Greensburg, Pennsylvania
A: The young priest in question is misinformed and has needlessly disturbed his brother priest’s conscience.
Related to this question is that of the validity of the use of mustum, or grape juice, for priests suffering from alcoholism or for some other medical reason.
This question was resolved by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith in 1994 in a letter signed by Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger which also dealt with the question of low-gluten bread.
Regarding the use of mustum for priests striving against alcoholism, this letter stated:
«A. The preferred solution continues to be communion ‘per intinctionem,’ or in concelebration under the species of bread alone.
«B. Nevertheless, the permission to use ‘mustum’ can be granted by ordinaries to priests affected by alcoholism or other conditions which prevent the ingestion of even the smallest quantity of alcohol, after presentation of a medical certificate.
«C. By ‘mustum’ is understood fresh juice from grapes or juice preserved by suspending its fermentation (by means of freezing or other methods which do not alter its nature).
«D. In general, those who have received permission to use ‘mustum’ are prohibited from presiding at concelebrated Masses. There may be some exceptions, however: in the case of a bishop or superior general; or, with prior approval of the ordinary, at the celebration of the anniversary of priestly ordination or other similar occasions. In these cases, the one who presides is to communicate under both the species of bread and that of ‘mustum,’ while for the other concelebrants a chalice shall be provided in which normal wine is to be consecrated.
«E. In the very rare instances of laypersons requesting this permission, recourse must be made to the Holy See.»
The document required furthermore that the ordinary must ascertain that the matter used conforms to the above requirements; that he grant permission only for as long as the situation continues which motivated the request; and that scandal be avoided.
The precise question regarding concelebration is addressed in points A and D. The priest in question should therefore not normally preside at a concelebration except for very special occasions. When such a situation arises, two chalices must be provided: one with mustum and another with ordinary wine.
Likewise, if the priest presides alone at a Mass for a religious community or a seminary in which Communion under both kinds is a habitual practice, then a second chalice with ordinary wine should also be provided for the assembly. If possible, a deacon or an instituted acolyte should also be present to assure that the Precious Blood is fully consumed after Communion.
The reason why the principal celebrant in a concelebration may not avail of the permission to receive only under the species of bread probably derives from the necessity to assure that the sign of the sacrifice is completed before Communion begins. The sign of the sacrifice is completed only after the presiding celebrant has consumed both species.
This is also why the presiding priest must also consume both species before Communion begins. The faithful’s exercise of their baptismal priesthood is carried out with and through the priest. Thus, their full participation in the holy sacrifice of the Mass through Communion would be incomplete if the priest fails to first complete the sacrifice by consuming both species.
As seen in point A above, the priest’s receiving under only the species of bread in a concelebration, far from making his concelebration invalid, is the preferred solution recommended by the Holy See. If possible, a small chalice with mustum may be present just for this priest, but it is not strictly necessary.
Indeed, unless the priest’s medical situation is generally known, the presence of this special chalice might be a source of confusion for the other concelebrants.
Apart from the case of priests with medical conditions, any situation in which priests are unable to receive one of the two species due to some unforeseen event does not invalidate their role as concelebrants, even though it creates an involuntary irregular situation.
This can happen, for example, if lack of foresight led to there being too few hosts or too little wine for all the concelebrants or a priest accidentally knocking over the chalice.
In such cases the priests can receive under one species and do not have to celebrate or concelebrate another Mass. The Mass as such has been validly concelebrated and each priest’s intention raised to God.
Our young priest’s confusion regarding invalid concelebration might stem from a different situation in which some priests have attempted to concelebrate from the pews, not being vested and with no possibility of receiving Communion under both species. I have observed such attempts even at papal Masses in St. Peter’s Square.
This is clearly not what the Church intends for concelebration and would not be a valid concelebration.
However, we are a far cry from the situation we have addressed above, which is blessed by the Church in her mercy for all her children.
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Readers may send questions to zenit.liturgy@gmail.com. Please put the word «Liturgy» in the subject field. The text should include your initials, your city and your state, province or country. Father McNamara can only answer a small selection of the great number of questions that arrive.
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