Crow Tastes Best When Eaten Warm
Posted by: tony on 09/16/2006 07:20 PM
Updated by: tony on 09/16/2006 07:27 PM
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Expires: 10/17/2006 12:00 AM
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 But "best" is relative to how good crow can actually taste, which, to this somewhat egotistical Catholic is pretty bad.
I had prevously mentioned about the use of innovations, such as honey or sugar to the wheat of the bread used to confect the Blessed Sacrament renders it invalid. Todd, our resident St. Blog's liturgist, offers me correction:
This discussion came up many years ago at RPI. And the simple fact is that bread can still be bread inclusive of a small amount of sugar in the recipe. It's still not the right thing to use, but it doesn't change the fact that it's still bread. Invalidity would not be in play unless and until the amount of ingredients that were not wheat flour and water turned the food into something that was not bread.
Naturally, I didn't take Todd's word for it, and I looked it up (double dose of crow for me :))
ROME, JUNE 7, 2005 (Zenit.org).- Answered by Father Edward McNamara, professor of liturgy at the Regina Apostolorum Pontifical University.
Q: Is the use of "real bread" with yeast, and other ingredients valid matter for consecration? If it is not, why is it valid matter in Byzantine Churches in union with Rome? I've seen priests "consecrate" rolls, etc., and break it for distribution; while it is not licit, does it affect the validity of the consecration? Speaking of matter for validity: Is the use of pure grape juice by an alcoholic priest who is in recovery still considered valid matter? I know an indult was available for these priests in the '70s and '80s but I thought it had been withdrawn -- which could endanger the sobriety of some of our priests. -- J.L., Sydney, Nova Scotia
A: This topic is dealt with most recently in the instruction "Redemptionis Sacramentum," Nos. 48-50, which states:
"[48] The bread used in the celebration of the Most Holy Eucharistic Sacrifice must be unleavened, purely of wheat, and recently made so that there is no danger of decomposition. It follows therefore that bread made from another substance, even if it is grain, or if it is mixed with another substance different from wheat to such an extent that it would not commonly be considered wheat bread (ed.- Emphesis mine.), does not constitute valid matter for confecting the Sacrifice and the Eucharistic Sacrament. It is a grave abuse to introduce other substances, such as fruit or sugar or honey, into the bread for confecting the Eucharist. Hosts should obviously be made by those who are not only distinguished by their integrity, but also skilled in making them and furnished with suitable tools.
So I was wrong, and it is illicit, but not invalid. In some Eastern rites in Communion with Rome, they use leavened bread. For this this is both licit and valid.
So my worry about not receiving communion in the case of a little honey or sugar in the mix was unfounded. The liturgist directing this should still get his or her hand slapped for liturgical abuse, but the Body and Blood of Jesus is confected properly.
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