I have been watching the "Daily Mass" on EWTN for about a month now. I know that Christ told us to drink of the cup and eat of the bread, so why is it that only the clergy drink of the cup? Christ says for everyone to participate in this most sacred of sacrifices. Do Catholics have a "communion" where all of the congregation partakes of wine and bread? I know that twice a year our church holds communion and love feast. We wash eachother's feet, eat together, and break bread and drink wine. I think that it's a GREAT idea to hold communion(euchrist sp?) during each mass because it keeps us on the right tract spiritually, so to speak. I just wasn't sure if the average congregation member ever partakes of the cup at all in the Catholic Church. Please help. You guys/gals know, I don't! God Bless!!!

-- Shawn Gisewhite (sharvin@acsworld.net), January 25, 2004

Answers

Shawn,

Catholics don't partake of the bread and wine as you suggested. As Catholics we eat the body and blood of Christ at each Mass. Body, blood, soul and divinity. It's not only the priest who is able to receive Eucharist under both species, but also the congregation, and this is done in my parish on all Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation. At weekday Masses we tend to only receive under the form of bread, for logistical reasons. On Holy Thursday the priest washes the feet of 12 members of the congregation, commemorating what Jesus did at the Last Supper.

-- Sara (sara_catholic_forum@yahoo.co.uk), January 25, 2004.

Shawn, we believe that the body and blood of Christ is present in both the bread and the wine. Therefore, the "bread" is both the body and blood of Christ, as is the "wine." Therefore, we only NEED to partake of one.

Some churches are different. At mine, the "bread" and "wine" are offered weekly.

-- AVC (littleflower1976@yahoo.com), January 25, 2004.

love feast

pray tell, what is this?

-- Hugh (hugh@inspired.com), January 25, 2004.

When I eat the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus Christ in the accident of bread, I experience nourishment and peace. My experience with the BBSD of JC in the accident of wine is a little different; I experience power and joy. The Jesuit church in my parish offers the Eucharist in both species at every mass. The Franciscan church only offers the Eucharist in both species during Sunday masses. The Cathedral in my Archdiocese only offers the Eucharist in the form of bread.

The amount of bread or the amount of wine is irrelevant. We are getting the Whole Christ even if given only a bread crumb or a wine drop. That's why the priests are so meticulous not to lose a consecrated crumb or a consecrated drop.

The humility of Christ is infinite. Jesus so humbled Himself and became man to save us. He further humbled Himself and became bread and wine to sustain us everyday during our earthly pilgrimage. He never abandoned us.

-- TimT (TimTs@yahoo.com), January 25, 2004.

Christ cannot be divided up or die again 'The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. (Romans 6:10) so His body and blood cannot be separated and He is fully present under both species of the Eucharistic elements.

I hate to be picky but we need to be clear about this: Christ does not 'become bread and wine' as the last posting suggests, the bread and wine become Christ.

Sorry!

Adrian

-- Adrian Lowe (adrianmlowe@yahoo.com), January 25, 2004.

Adrian, correction well taken. I should have written, "He further humbled Himself and assumed the form of bread and wine to sustain us everyday ..."

Cheers.

-- TimT (TimTs@yahoo.com), January 25, 2004.