emmaberry Posted June 21, 2012 Share Posted June 21, 2012 Hello, today at Mass the Precious Blood was spilled on the carpet around the altar. An EMHC cleaned the Precious Blood out of the carpet with the sacristy rag used to wipe the chalice in the Mass. I have heard numerous stories of people licking any Precious Blood or Consecrated Hosts off the floor/carpet when they have been dropped. Was this acceptable? It was so sad to see this happen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhuturePriest Posted June 21, 2012 Share Posted June 21, 2012 As sad and unfortunate as it may have been, you are not required to lick the floor or the carpet, as far as I know, especially since you can get very sick from doing so. If the EMHC was directed to do what he/she did by the Priest than I would rest assured proper conduct was most likely made. I can imagine Seminaries make it a priority to teach the Seminarians such things as accidents happen. From your other thread it seems as if you are greatly troubled by this. Rest assured it was merely a mistake. Jesus understands that we humans are not perfect and he will not judge you for accidentally dropping some of the blood on the carpet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spem in alium Posted June 21, 2012 Share Posted June 21, 2012 I'm sorry to hear that such a thing happened. I am an EMHC and served in that ministry for a couple of years, and I don't remember the people who trained me ever mentioning that we should lick up any spilt Blood. Nor have I heard of this anywhere else.The trainers did, however, make it very clear that any dropped Consecrated Host or Blood should be consumed to the best of our ability. A main concern would be what the EMHC did with the rag once they cleaned the carpet. FP is right, follow the guidance of your priest. Even though it's possible to amend the situation by consuming the Host or Blood, it's still a very troubling thing to experience. I will keep you and all affected in my prayers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cappie Posted June 21, 2012 Share Posted June 21, 2012 The 'rag' is called a purifier. The Church mandates that the place be washed with water, diluting the precious blood so that it no longer has the appearance of wine and so that Christ ceases to be present, and then the water is to be poured into the sacrarium. It is not permitted simply to leave a spill alone until it dries. The General Instruction of the Roman Missal states: "If any of the precious blood spills, the area should be washed and the water poured into the sacrarium" which is a small bowl in the sacristy which has a pipe leading to the earth. If there is no sacrarium then the water would be poured onto the earth. On another matter: Remember our basic catechism. At Mass, the wine becomes the Blood. The substance of the wine becomes the substance of the Blood, but the accidents (appearance) of wine remain. Elementary, right? So the Precious Blood is actually the substance of Christ's Blood but the accidents of wine. Once the accidents of wine are no longer there, the Precious Blood is no longer there (because only wine can become and be the Blood). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhuturePriest Posted June 21, 2012 Share Posted June 21, 2012 [quote name='Spem in alium' timestamp='1340265395' post='2447028'] I'm sorry to hear that such a thing happened. I am an EMHC and served in that ministry for a couple of years, and I don't remember the people who trained me ever mentioning that we should lick up any spilt Blood. Nor have I heard of this anywhere else.The trainers did, however, make it very clear that any dropped Consecrated Host or Blood should be consumed to the best of our ability. A main concern would be what the EMHC did with the rag once they cleaned the carpet. [b]FP is right,[/b] follow the guidance of your priest. Even though it's possible to amend the situation by consuming the Host or Blood, it's still a very troubling thing to experience. I will keep you and all affected in my prayers. [/quote] Listen to whatever Spem in alium says. She's very smart. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cmaD2006 Posted June 21, 2012 Share Posted June 21, 2012 Cleaning up with the purifier is at least correct -- because those items get processed (cleaned) reverently to appropriately deal with the remaining Blood that may be on the purifier. We also don't know what happened afterwards, maybe someone appropriately dealt with it after Mass? Finally ... it does happen. When I was a postulant in another country, I knelt down and saw something funny on the floor. It turned out to be a consecrated host -- and it was obvious that the Host had been stepped on a few times. It was shocking. I did let the priest know, and we appropriately dealt with it (a host that cannot be consumed can be diluted in water and then poured into the ground, it is a similar process as to when the purificator are washed -- all of the water including the soapy water is poured directly into the ground). It is sad to experience. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IcePrincessKRS Posted June 21, 2012 Share Posted June 21, 2012 [quote name='cappie' timestamp='1340268507' post='2447031'] The 'rag' is called a purifier. The Church mandates that the place be washed with water, diluting the precious blood so that it no longer has the appearance of wine and so that Christ ceases to be present, and then the water is to be poured into the sacrarium. It is not permitted simply to leave a spill alone until it dries. The General Instruction of the Roman Missal states: "If any of the precious blood spills, the area should be washed and the water poured into the sacrarium" which is a small bowl in the sacristy which has a pipe leading to the earth. If there is no sacrarium then the water would be poured onto the earth. On another matter: Remember our basic catechism. At Mass, the wine becomes the Blood. The substance of the wine becomes the substance of the Blood, but the accidents (appearance) of wine remain. Elementary, right? So the Precious Blood is actually the substance of Christ's Blood but the accidents of wine. Once the accidents of wine are no longer there, the Precious Blood is no longer there (because only wine can become and be the Blood). [/quote] This makes sense for a hard floor, but what about the carpet? Is there some particular method of getting the water up, or would they just use the purifier to soak it up out of the carpet and squeeze as much of the liquid out as possible into the sacrarium? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cmaD2006 Posted June 21, 2012 Share Posted June 21, 2012 Icey ... I would have thought that they would have taken a few different purifiers and some water to try to keep soaking and diluting the precioius Blood out of the carpet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spem in alium Posted June 21, 2012 Share Posted June 21, 2012 [quote name='FuturePriest387' timestamp='1340295094' post='2447097'] Listen to whatever Spem in alium says. She's very smart. [/quote] Oh, [i]wh[/i][i]atever [/i]I say? You really shouldn't have said that. --- Emmaberry, I'm just wondering: did the priest say anything about what happened? Did he give any direction or guidance to the EMHCs? It's unfortunate, but these things can happen. Even if we know how to treat such events in theory, it doesn't necessarily make them easier to deal with in practice. Appropriate guidance, concern and understanding not only by the priest, but also by other EMHCs and the congregation can really go a long way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emmaberry Posted June 22, 2012 Author Share Posted June 22, 2012 (edited) Thanks for all the replies-I had never seen this happen before, and it really shook me. Technically, I know the purificatory is used to wipe up spills, but I have always had a great love for those priests/Saints I heard about who would literally lick any spills up off the floor. I always thought, "Wow-they really understand and appreciate the Eucharist." Then it happened to me and I didn't do the same! I guess that was hard to realize too--that I am not as devoted as those people. Here is a link of one of the stories I admire: [url="http://www.childrenofmary.net/littleli.shtml"]http://www.childreno.../littleli.shtml[/url]. It was extremely shocking and far more solemn than I would've thought..especially since, as a lay person, I didn't know what the protocol is for spills. Next time (if there is one..hopefully not) I won't be as [quote name='cappie' timestamp='1340268507' post='2447031'] On another matter: Remember our basic catechism. At Mass, the wine becomes the Blood. The substance of the wine becomes the substance of the Blood, but the accidents (appearance) of wine remain. Elementary, right? So the Precious Blood is actually the substance of Christ's Blood but the accidents of wine. Once the accidents of wine are no longer there, the Precious Blood is no longer there (because only wine can become and be the Blood). [/quote] I agree, but it is still the substance of the Blood until the wine dries. Are you saying that accidents happen because it is still under the appearance of the wine? [quote name='Spem in alium' timestamp='1340318378' post='2447231']Emmaberry, I'm just wondering: did the priest say anything about what happened? Did he give any direction or guidance to the EMHCs? It's unfortunate, but these things can happen. Even if we know how to treat such events in theory, it doesn't necessarily make them easier to deal with in practice. Appropriate guidance, concern and understanding not only by the priest, but also by other EMHCs and the congregation can really go a long way. [/quote] I don't think the priest was told--he literally throws off his vestments and rushes out the door in sweatpants after Mass. It is quite funny to see actually! However, the EMHC seemed to know what to do. Edited June 22, 2012 by emmaberry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IcePrincessKRS Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 [quote name='cmariadiaz' timestamp='1340311714' post='2447177'] Icey ... I would have thought that they would have taken a few different purifiers and some water to try to keep soaking and diluting the precioius Blood out of the carpet. [/quote] Thanks. That's what I was guessing would have to be the case. I can't imagine someone pulling out a steam cleaner to get up the excess liquid (once it was sufficiently watered down and no longer bearing the substance of Christ's Blood). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IcePrincessKRS Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 [quote name='emmaberry' timestamp='1340328272' post='2447287'] I agree, but it is still the substance of the Blood until the wine dries. Are you saying that accidents happen because it is still under the appearance of the wine? [/quote] I believe what Cappie is saying is that once the wine is watered down to the point that it can no longer be considered wine it stops bearing the substance of the Precious Blood. It doesn't have to dry out completely, it needs to be diluted with a sufficient amount of water. The wine bears the appearance, or "accidents", of wine even though we know that it's the Precious Blood. I am sure Cappie will come along and explain better than I could. He's a priest, he knows a lot more than me! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emmaberry Posted June 22, 2012 Author Share Posted June 22, 2012 Thanks IcePrincess--that makes sense. Thanks also to Cappie! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spem in alium Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 [quote name='emmaberry' timestamp='1340328272' post='2447287'] I don't think the priest was told--he literally throws off his vestments and rushes out the door in sweatpants after Mass. It is quite funny to see actually! However, the EMHC seemed to know what to do. [/quote] Well, I'm very glad that there was someone present who knew what to do. Props to them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cappie Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 (edited) [i]"I agree, but it is still the substance of the Blood until the wine dries. Are you saying that accidents happen because it is still under the appearance of the wine?[/i]" As a general rule, as long as the Eucharistic species have the appearance of bread and/or wine,Our Blessed Lord is present; appearances meaning the physical properties. On another point: One reason that linen is chosen as the material for purificators and corporals is because of its high degree of absorbency...less of a possibility that traces will be left behind. The way I had it explained to me was that once wine (speaking of the physical appearances here) has been diluted with water to a certain point (I forget the exact ratio) it no longer considered to have the physical appearance of wine. Edited June 22, 2012 by cappie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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