Dixie Cup Communion QUESTION from John Roberts on February 17, 2002 Can the Sacred Blood of our Lord be distributed to communicants using individual-sized cups, disposable or reusable? Our parish is considering this practice because some individuals are concerned about the spread of illness through the use of a common cup.
ANSWER by Mr. Jacob Slavek on March 2, 2002 Dear Mr. Roberts,
NO, this is not acceptable at all because it is excessive. The danger of profanation and neglect to the Blessed Sacrament is REAL and GREAT.
This (individual cups) is common among Protestants... but who really cares since all they have is wine or grape juice. We Catholics of course do NOT. We have the actual blood of Jesus Christ in the Chalice so the greatest of respect and care is demanded. We do NOT simply dispose of the cup after we are finished consuming the blood of our savior from it!!!
Thank you for caring about this, Mr. Roberts, you need to go to the Liturgy committee at your parish and tell them that NO NO NO you cannot do this. If they do it anyway, contact the Bishop.
If the concern of illness is excessive among parishioners, one option is simply to not receive Communion under the form of wine, as was the required practice for many years. Remember that the FULL presence of Body AND BLOOD, soul and divinity of Jesus is present in Communion under the form of bread.
Thanks for helping,
Mr. Slavek
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