Loading ...Fearing flu, Church of England changes Eucharist
flockwoodAn extraordinary press release just arrived from the Church of England. Anglicans in the U.K. won’t be sharing a common cup (or chalice) when they gather for communion anymore because of health concerns.
Posted On : July 24, 2009 4:54 PM
By the Anglican Communion News Service
The Archbishops of Canterbury and York have written to Bishops in the Church of England recommending the suspension of the sharing of the chalice at communion.
The Archbishops’ letter follows advice from the Department of Health not to share “common vessels” for food or drink.
For those who wish still to offer both bread and wine, the Archbishops have recommended use of “personal intinction by the presiding minister” allowing the priest to dip communion wafers in the chalice before handing them out to communicants.
The full text of the letter follows:
The Feast of St Mary Magdalene
22nd July 2009
Dear Colleague,
It now seems right to offer guidance at a national level about how the Church of England’s worship might best take into account the interests of public health during the current phase of the swine flu pandemic.
The Department of Health have recently advised us that “in a pandemic it makes good sense to take precautions to limit the spread of disease by not sharing common vessels for food and drink”. In the light of this advice, we recommend those presiding at Holy Communion suspend the administration of the chalice during this wave of pandemic flu. For those who still wish to offer in both kinds, we recommend the practice whereby the presiding minister, whose hands should have been washed with the appropriate alcohol based rub before handling the elements and the vessels, personally intincts all wafers before placing them in the hands of communicants. This is a practice widely observed in Anglican churches throughout Africa. Communicants receiving in this way need to be confident that the clergy and all assistant ministers follow the relevant guidance on hygiene.
The Bishop of Ripon & Leeds circulated substantial guidance, including a summary of the government’s advice, with his letter of 23 June. Many of you have already issued local guidance based upon its content. We regard it as important that those presiding at Holy Communion are aware of this advice and of that contained in this letter. They should offer guidance to the congregation about appropriate precautions in receiving communion and exchanging the peace.
We shall keep this advice under review and will ensure that the detailed guidance provided on the Church of England website is kept up-to-date. In the meantime, wish to express our gratitude to you and those who share your ministry for the pastoral care and service offered at this time of national concern.
+Rowan Cantuar
+Sentamu Ebor
July 24th, 2009 at 10:35 am
Intinction, the dipping of the wafer into the wine, has been commonly practiced in the American church for years, but the communicant, not the priest, does the dipping. I’m sure that this is more likely to pass germs than the priest doing it himself. But here, at least in my parish, you still have the option of drinking from the common chalice.
July 24th, 2009 at 11:49 am
Intinction is much more germy than is partaking of both kinds by mouth. Plus it is so weird theologically. Much better to just not take of the cup if you are sick or bothered by it.
July 24th, 2009 at 1:27 pm
Earlier this year our diocese–well, the bishop–made this same practice as an option because of concerns about the flu.
July 25th, 2009 at 6:23 am
I always thought the alcohol in the wine/blood of Christ killed the germs.
July 25th, 2009 at 6:47 am
Probably does, perplexed, but folks get scared and panic anyway.
July 25th, 2009 at 10:21 am
Perplexed, I think the fear is not so much of getting germs from the wine as from the bread and the touching of another person’s hand.
July 26th, 2009 at 1:43 am
ALLAH THE ALMIGHTY IS ALREADY ON EARTH!!!!!
Please visit http://manaalmahdi.wordpress.com
Please refer to someone incharged for whatever religion you are. This is an extremely important message for all mankind.
Thanks.
Krulayar
July 27th, 2009 at 2:26 pm
I don’t believe one can “catch” anything from Holy Communion. I have finished the chalice in Anglican Churches, as a priest offering Communion, for 23 years, and have yet to be the worse for it. It is after all, the presence of Christ.
July 27th, 2009 at 2:57 pm
I think that sitting next to someone in the pew is far more dangerous than the common cup. In the orthodox church the priest grinds the bread and wine together, feeds people with the same spoon, then consumes the rest. If they aren’t dropping like flies, we should be OK.