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Q:Sometimes in the Catholic Church people receive Holy Communion in both forms, the Body and Blood of Christ, and sometimes they don't. Why?
(G)
Dear G:
At Masses in the Roman Catholic Church, the priest always receives the Eucharist under both species, or forms; that is, he consumes both the Sacred Body and the Precious Blood. The most common practice today is for the congregation to be offered Holy Communion in the form of the consecrated bread only. This contrasts with the practice of our brethren in the Eastern rite Churches, such as the Ukrainian Catholic Church, who commonly receive consecrated bread which has been dipped in the consecrated wine, an act referred to as 'intinction'. On certain occasions, however, Roman Catholics may also receive Holy Communion under both species, usually by drinking the consecrated wine directly from the communion cup, or chalice.
In fact, receiving Holy Communion under both forms is a practice that goes back to the earliest days of the Church, when the Mass was celebrated by small communities of Christians, often in the home of one of the faithful. Several developments led to changes in this procedure. Swelling congregations, for example, led to the practical difficulty of distributing the Precious Blood to a large number of people in a dignified and reverential manner. Hand in hand with this, there was a growth in our understanding of the Eucharist, as expressed today in the Catechism: "Since Christ is sacramentally present under each of the species, communion under the species of bread alone makes it possible to receive all the fruits of the Eucharist". In other words, the effects of the sacrament--our intimate union with Christ, the increase of our life in grace--are in no way reduced by receiving Christ under one species alone.
The liturgical reforms of the Second Vatican Council included a partial return to the practice of receiving under both species. Although, as has been said, the whole Christ is truly present under either one of the forms, the Church recognized that receiving under both species could be a more powerful sign, in that it conforms more closely with the words of consecration: "This is my Body...This is my Blood."
There remain a number of practical problems in distributing the Precious Blood, especially to a large congregation, while maintaining reverence for Christ's true presence in the sacrament: that is, consideration of such things as hygiene, spillage, method of distribution, and the handling and storage of unconsumed consecrated wine. Mindful of this, the Holy See, within certain guidelines, has allowed the national conferences of bishops, and through them, the local bishops, to decide under what conditions and circumstances Communion under both species is to be allowed.
Generally, such distribution is permitted on special occasions, such as adult baptisms, retreats, weddings and wedding jubilees ( to the couples), and at the profession or renewal of religious vows. Even when Communion is being offered under both species, there is no obligation on any communicant to drink from the communion cup.
God bless,
Father Norbert