RECEIVING FROM THE CHALICE

 

The item below is the latest guidance from the Diocese relating to receiving Holy Communion in both kinds.

 

“With infection rates now low and with a highly vaccinated population, this autumn is the time when most parishes will want to relax any remaining restrictions that were put in place during the pandemic.  A return to more normal patterns of worship will encourage back some who are still staying away.  In particular, there is no longer any good reason to withhold the common cup. The symbol of receiving from a shared cup after the pattern of Jesus at the Last Supper is a critical part of our Christian identity and we must not forget the deep implications of withdrawing this gift for an extended period. The practice at the Cathedral, where the common cup is offered and people decide for themselves whether to receive under one or two kinds, is a good pattern to follow. The use of individual cups for communion has never been canonical. If you need to offer some reassurance to your people, we have learnt since the beginning of the pandemic that the virus is transmitted through airborne particles rather than touch and that ingesting the virus kills it immediately, so the infection risks associated with receiving from the chalice are lower than with normal conversation.”

 

In view of this, I hope that all will feel able to receive in both kinds, ideally by taking the chalice in your hands and drinking from it, rather than ‘dipping’, which carries the added risk of fingers and thumbs touching the wine.  However, the decision about whether to receive from the chalice or not remains a personal one and no one should feel under any pressure either way.


Thank you.

Fr Andy