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There’s a proper way to receive the Blood of Christ

By Adam Schwend
Liturgy & Ritual

Q.  I went to daily Mass at a parish that just leaves the chalice on the altar for us to drink from at communion.  I’ve never seen this practice before.  Is it proper?

A.  No.  What you describe is “self-communicating”, which is reserved for the priest.  The Mass is structured, much like the Church, in a hierarchical manner.  While we all join in the celebration of the Mass, we each have specific roles that vary, depending on our status (either clerics or lay faithful) and, if ordained, our order (bishop, priest, or deacon).  The role of the celebrating priest is to act in persona Christi capitas, that is, “in the person of Christ as head”.  He takes upon himself the role of Christ and offers the same sacrifice as Christ did, although in a different form.  The Eucharist is the sacrifice of Calvary;  the very same sacrifice.  Just as Christ himself offered himself on the cross, so the priest acts as Christ and offers Christ under the appearance of bread and wine.

While the deacon assists the priest during the sacrifice, the deacon is ordained to serve, not to offer sacrifice.  For that reason, the deacon is not allowed to self communicate.  He, like the laity, receives Christ from the hands of Christ, just like the apostles did 2,000 years ago. 

This is why self-communicating is not acceptable.  In the same way, extraordinary ministers are not allowed to come to the sanctuary and simply take a chalice or paten off the altar and start distributing.  They should receive the chalice or the paten from the priest.  To simply receive the Blessed Sacrament on our own, with no ordinary or extraordinary minister of Holy Communion, detracts from the hierarchical structure that the General Instruction of the Roman Missal insists upon (GIRM 294).  This is also why extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion should be used sparingly.  It is always preferable that the people receive Christ from Christ, in the form of the priest, (or his assistant, the deacon), so that the role of the priest as “in the person of Christ” is more fully revealed.

Another way some may be unknowingly self-communicating is through the practice of intinction.  This is the practice, which is prevalent in Eastern Catholic and Orthodox Churches, as well as some Protestant communities, in which the Sacred Host is dipped into the Precious Blood.  Some extraordinary, and even some ordinary ministers are perplexed at what to do when this occurs.  Those who wish to receive by intinction should follow these steps:

1.  Receive the host from the priest, deacon, or extraordinary minister
2. Walk to the person holding the chalice and present the host to them
3. The deacon, priest, or extraordinary minister holding the chalice dips the host into the precious blood
4. The deacon, priest, or extraordinary minister holding the chalice holds up the host and says “The body and blood of Christ”
5. The communicant says “Amen” and the minister places the host on the communicant’s tongue, making sure either a communion plate or the chalice is below to catch any drops or particles.

Worth noting is the fact that never is a communicant allowed to dip the host into the chalice themselves and they are never allowed to receive in the hand when receiving by intinction.

Questions for Liturgy and Ritual, as well as comments, can be sent to Adam Schwend at adams@scdiocese.org, or at 1821 Jackson St. Sioux City, IA 51102.