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Timothée Hayes wrote:

Grace and peace be with you, brothers and sisters!

I want to ask for your help.

I know that intinction is perfectly acceptable when receiving Holy Communion, so long as the priest does it. However today at Mass, I was mortified when I saw three people receive the Blessed Host in their hand, take the Host, then dip Our Lord in the chalice. I do not know if the priest was aware that this was happening, but the Extraordinary Minister who was holding the chalice should have known better.

I want to write a letter to the priest who celebrated the Mass, as well as the pastor, but would first like to know where the details of intinction are discussed in Canon Law.

Thanks for your help!

In Christ,

Tim

  { Before I write to the priest, can you show me where the details of intinction are discussed in Canon Law? }

Mike replied:

Hi Tim,

Any details of intinction won't be found or discussed in Canon Law, but I do know this specific practice mentioned in your e-mail is not allowed in the Church. I would bring your concern up to the priest in a charitable manner. If you have further difficulties with the priest on this issue, you should make sure the bishop is aware of what is happening.

The following was taken from an instructional document published in March of 2004 by the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments:

Redemptionis Sacramentum

Instruction on certain matters to be observed or to be avoided regarding the Most Holy Eucharist

[103.] The norms of the Roman Missal admit the principle that in cases where Communion is administered under both kinds, “the Blood of the Lord may be received either by drinking from the chalice directly, or by intinction, or by means of a tube or a spoon”. As regards the administering of Communion to lay members of Christ's faithful, the Bishops may exclude Communion with the tube or the spoon where this is not the local custom, though the option of administering Communion by intinction always remains. If this modality is employed, however, hosts should be used which are neither too thin nor too small, and the communicant should receive the Sacrament from the Priest only on the tongue.

[104.] The communicant must not be permitted to intinct the host himself in the chalice, nor to receive the intincted host in the hand. As for the host to be used for the intinction, it should be made of valid matter, also consecrated; it is altogether forbidden to use non-consecrated bread or other matter.

I highly recommend reading all of this important document. (Redemptionis Sacramentum).

For many of the faithful, including the clergy, it will be an eye-opener.

Hope this helps,

Mike Humphrey

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