THE BLOOD OF CHRIST can now be offered to parishioners in the Diocese of San Bernardino; however, it is voluntary and up to each parish to decide how and when they will offer it.
Mary Pearson
After over 170 weeks of being unable to receive the precious Blood of Christ due to COVID-19 health risks, parishes within the Diocese are permitted to resume offering the faithful the Precious Blood from the chalice at all masses, Bishop Rojas announced in a June 26 letter to the priests of the diocese.
In his letter, Bishop Rojas emphasized that this is a “voluntary liturgical step that [Pastors] can take at any time,” and recommended, “appropriate formation and education” for extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion and parish communities. The Diocese had previously restricted reception of Communion from the cup in 2020, due to health concerns amid the Coronavirus pandemic.
Irene Mahaffey, a parishioner and extraordinary minister of Holy Communion at St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta, told the Byte, “It brought tears to my eyes to be able to receive under both species. What a wonderful gift.”
The Byte spoke with the pastors and/or liturgical coordinators from six parishes within the Diocese, all of whom affirmed that they had either already begun distributing Communion under both species, or were in the planning stages to do so in the future.
“When given the opportunity to offer the Precious Blood to our congregation, how could we refuse?” said Monsignor Tom Burdick, Pastor of Saint Mother Teresa of Calcutta in Winchester. “We have been preparing for this moment since the cup was placed on hiatus, our Eucharistic Ministers were ready and our Congregation has already returned to this wonderful tradition.”
St. Anthony Parish in Upland has also resumed the practice, according to its liturgical coordinator, Shelly Reed.
“We jumped right in,” she said, “We had a really good response at the first 11:15 am Mass.” Reed noted that the parish held a training of its extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion to prepare, and that their pastor, Father Gerald Vidad announced the change to parishioners with a 30-second video.
The contacted parishes that have not yet resumed the practice of offering the cup to the assembly primarily cited logistical concerns. At. St. Oscar Romero in Eastvale, Father Tomas Guillen told the Byte that the parish is currently challenged by the number of ordinary and extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion they have, and said they would need to train more ministers before they can offer Communion under both kinds.
“The parish had purchased new vessels with this in mind some months ago but we really need more ministers to implement this at all of our Masses,” Father Guillen said.
St. Frances of Rome in Wildomar plans to offer the cup to the faithful at all masses once they move into their new church building later this year, according to Pastor James Oropel.
In this year of parish Eucharistic Revival, Bishop Rojas’ announcement provides pastors and parishes with a unique opportunity to give the faithful a moment of Eucharistic catechesis. Father Gregory Elder took advantage of this teaching moment when Sacred Heart Parish in Palm Desert reinstated communion distribution from the chalice recently.
“[I] announced it to both daily Mass and Sunday Masses a week in advance and then when Mass began took a few minutes for catechesis.”
Father Elder made a point to emphasize to his flock that, “This is the Real and True Body and Blood of Christ.”
According to Catholic doctrine, one receives the fullness of Christ’s Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity whether Communion is received under one or both species. Receiving Communion from the cup is optional, though it is recommended that the faithful reverently bow before the chalice even when not receiving, because it is the Body and Blood of Jesus.
There do exist certain circumstances in which the Church advises against distributing Communion under both species. The COVID pandemic was an unusual example of this, but less extreme reasons might include instances in which a parish lacks the necessary amount of appropriate sacred vessels (chalices), or in cases where an excessive amount of extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion would be needed. The norms for Communion distribution provided by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops delineate these and other considerations, reminding pastors to avoid risking “even apparent irreverence toward the Blood of Christ.”
Reception of Communion under both species is a practice that has its roots in the earliest days of the Church. Today, it is the custom of most U.S. dioceses –including our own– to encourage offering the faithful Communion under both species. The General Instruction of the Roman Missal states, “Holy Communion has a fuller form as a sign when it takes place under both kinds.” In our diocese, this is done by a minister of Holy Communion offering the Precious Blood to the faithful from the chalice.
Current guidelines for parish ordinary and extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion are available on the diocesan website for the Office of Worship (SBWorship.com).
Mary Pearson is a freelance writer and parishioner of St. Martha, Murrieta.