Adding Wine To The Precious Blood

A reader writes:

We have been attending Mass at the local VA hospital whenever we can’t attend our local parish church for daily Mass.

We have noticed that at Communion, Father will reach over to the small table next to the altar(where the water and wine are kept) and pour more wine into the chalice.

We are wondering if this is okay, and what to do about it.

The short answer is that if he’d doing this on a habitual basis then it’s not okay. It is a significant liturgical abuse, and I would take action to deal with it.

The only circumstance in which something like this is permitted is described as follows in the General Instruction of the Roman Missal:

324. If the priest notices after the consecration or as he receives Communion that not wine but only water was poured into the chalice, he pours the water into some container, then pours wine with water into the chalice and consecrates it. He says only the part of the institution narrative related to the consecration of the chalice, without being obliged to consecrate the bread again.

Now, if the priest at the hospital has forgotten to pour wine into the chalice before the consecration and detects this fact afterwards–either by taste or by sight–then it would not only be okay but would be required for him to pour in wine and then proceed to consecrate it. If you saw this happen once or twice then, as long as he did what he was supposed to, no action would need to be taken.

But if he is doing it habitually then he is either so forgetful that it is questionable whether he should be saying Masses–at least in public–or (more likely given what you say) he is committing a grave liturgical abuse.

The precise nature of the abuse depends on whether the priest has included the wine on the side table in his intent to consecrate, but either way you go, there is a grave abuse occurring.

If he has not included the wine on the side table in his intent to consecrate then what he is doing is pouring unconsecrated wine into the Precious Blood, diluting it–possibly to the point that the Real Presence ceases.

That is gravely wrong, both in itself and because of the scandal it causes the faithful.

If he is including the wine on the side table in his intent to consecrate then, since it is still in his moral presence, the consecration takes place, but in this event he is pouring the Precious Blood from one container to another, which is prohibited by liturgical law. All pouring must be done prior to the consecration, lest any of the Precious Blood be accidentally spilled.

The instruction Redemptionis Sacramentum explains:

[105.] If one chalice is not sufficient for Communion to be distributed under both kinds to the Priest concelebrants or Christ’s faithful, there is no reason why the Priest celebrant should not use several chalices. For it is to be remembered that all Priests in celebrating Holy Mass are bound to receive Communion under both kinds. It is praiseworthy, by reason of the sign value, to use a main chalice of larger dimensions, together with smaller chalices.

[106.] However, the pouring of the Blood of Christ after the consecration from one vessel to another is completely to be avoided, lest anything should happen that would be to the detriment of so great a mystery. Never to be used for containing the Blood of the Lord are flagons, bowls, or other vessels that are not fully in accord with the established norms.

If the priest needs additional wine in the chalice for his own reception of Communion or for distributing Communion to others then he should pour this wine into the chalice prior to the consecration. Doing so afterward is not permitted.

If he can’t handle a chalice with more wine in it–for example, because his hands shake–then he shouldn’t be distributing Communion to the faithful under the form of wine, anyway.

So, either this priest is so forgetful that his ability to celebrate Masses in public is in question or he is committing a grave liturgical abuse. Either way, I would talk to him about it.

Jesus tells us to solve problems on the lowest level possible (Matthew 18), so I would speak with him respectfully and politely and find out what he’s actually doing, why he’s doing it, and point out the relevant passages of liturgical law. I would also explain how this confuses and potentially scandalizes the faithful and urge him to adopt the Church’s liturgical norms for the sake of their peace of mind and being a good shepherd that does not unnecessarily disturb the sheep.

If he does not correct the matter then speaking with the bishop and, if necessary, the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments would be warranted.

Author: Jimmy Akin

Jimmy was born in Texas, grew up nominally Protestant, but at age 20 experienced a profound conversion to Christ. Planning on becoming a Protestant seminary professor, he started an intensive study of the Bible. But the more he immersed himself in Scripture the more he found to support the Catholic faith, and in 1992 he entered the Catholic Church. His conversion story, "A Triumph and a Tragedy," is published in Surprised by Truth. Besides being an author, Jimmy is the Senior Apologist at Catholic Answers, a contributing editor to Catholic Answers Magazine, and a weekly guest on "Catholic Answers Live." View all posts by Jimmy Akin