Posted: April 18 2007 at 7:13pm | IP Logged

The Matter of the Sacraments

143. However beautiful the vessels and vestments we set aside for the liturgical celebrations, the matter used for the sacraments is a more fundamental responsibility of the celebrant. The principles governing the matter for the Eucharist are simple. Problems only develop when complications are introduced.

144. The bread for the Eucharist in the Roman Rite is unleavened wheaten bread.46 It should be made from the finest quality plain wheat flour mixed with pure water. It should be carefully baked so as to be a palatable food that is neither too hard nor uncooked.

145. It is prudent always to use bread prepared professionally by those who observe Church law and custom rather than to allow others to bake bread according to "recipes". Wholemeal wheaten flour may be used to emphasize the food sign but surely not the coarser forms of wholemeal where the grain is still largely intact. However, adding other kinds of flour, chemical colorings, oil, shortening, salt, sugar, honey, etc., renders the matter invalid or at least doubtful. No priest may use doubtful matter for the Eucharist. The emphasis placed on the food sign in the General Instruction refers to the texture of the bread47 and should be interpreted in terms of the cultural context. Many cultures are familiar with white bread as a staple food.

146. The traditional round form of the host is always required,48 a simple evocative symbol of unity and perfection. The large bread may be of the traditional dimensions, varying slightly from country to country (just over 7 cm. or 2-7/8 inches diameter in Rome). Such a host also fits the lunette of a monstrance. It customarily bears some sacred symbol and is usually marked in such a way as to be divided at the faction, with a section marked on the left side to form the particle to be placed in the chalice. These traditional "wafers" should be more substantial in texture than in the past.

147. A larger host to be broken into fragments may conveniently have a diameter of between 15 to 20 cm. (about 6 to 8 inches), depending on the number sharing in the "one Bread" and taking into account the dimensions of the large paten. Such a host should be marked before Mass so that it may be broken easily at the fraction. It should not be of exaggerated proportions, which could cause ridicule and obvious inconvenience. On certain occasions it may be preferable to use several large hosts.

148. When people's hosts are used, it seems preferable that they should be of substantial texture and of reasonable proportions (3.5 cm. or 1-3/8 inches in diameter in Rome), not the small particles used in some places (about 2 cm. or 3/4 of an inch). In some places these hosts are made with a sealed edge to solve the problems of fragments when the Eucharist is placed in the hand.

149. The bread for the Eucharist should always be fresh. It is strongly favored that the people receive particles consecrated at the Mass in which they participate. Moreover, care should be taken to renew the particles in the tabernacle at least every two weeks, preferably more frequently.49 In the Roman Rite there is no provision for reserving intincted Hosts, that is, Hosts which have been dipped in the Precious Blood.

46. CIC, Canons 924 #2, 926; GIRM, no. 282.

47. Cf. Inaestimabile Donum, no. 8

48. Cf. GIRM, no. 283, "forma tradita confectus", and see Inaestimabile Donum, no. 8.

49. A reasonable way of observing CIC, Canon 939.