Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!rutgers!aramis.rutgers.edu!athos.rutgers.edu!christian From: cms@dragon.uucp Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian Subject: Re: Receiving the host Message-ID: Date: 8 Aug 90 07:47:04 GMT Sender: hedrick@athos.rutgers.edu Organization: Computer Projects Unlimited Lines: 54 Approved: christian@aramis.rutgers.edu In article , bcsaic!carroll@beaver.cs.washington.edu (Jeff Carroll) writes: > In fact, most Episcopal parishes have a special basin in the sacristy > which drains into the ground in a way which is ecclesiastically approved > for the disposal of excess sacramental wine (I'd guess that RCs do as > well). While excess wine is usually consumed by the ministers (including > the lay chalice bearers), sometimes there is just so much (or it is just > so early in the morning) that, at the discretion of the celebrant, it is > poured into this basin. I think Chuck's story was meant to be taken more humorously. At any rate, I have a friend in my parish who used to serve as an altar boy in his Episcopal church. The old priest there constantly poured way too much wine for the Mass and then insisted that it be consumed in toto by the altar boys, who were the only ones assisting him at this early morning Mass. My friend remembers going home from Mass tipsy, walking into his house, and his father saying, "Old Father Joe celebrated again, eh?" Also, I have a good one from the Father Koesler Mysteries (you may remember the movie, The Rosary Murders); this is from Marked For Murder. In you didn't quite understand what Jeff's talking about, a "sacrarium" is a special sink which has a pipe that leads directly into the ground and is used for the washing of sacred linens (priest-wear, robes and such). I've heard of some priests who use them to dispose of sacramental wine, but the RC Church at least forbids this now, as I understand it, and insists on consumption. For washing, holy water must be poured by a deacon or higher ordained, then ordinary water can be added to it; sub-deacons do most of the washing, as my priest told me (he was ordained in the Roman Church). That may be their primary function :-). Anyway, here's the joke: A seminarian was taking his final orals for ordination. The first examining priest finished, walked out, and in came a much older priest, who threw a hypothetical at him (this is supposedly a true story). "You're celebrating Mass," the old priest said. "You've finished the consecration. Your hands are raised in prayer. Suddenly! A little mouse scurries across the Altar, grabs the consecrated Host in its mouth, and scurries away. What do you do?" Well, the young seminarian thought about it for a while and then replied: "Well, I'd burn down the Church and throw the ashes in the sacrarium!" > Jeff Carroll -- Sincerely, Cindy Smith emory!dragon!cms [Indeed my story was intended to be taken humorously, but as far as I know it is true. It was told to me by the son of the priest involved. --clh]