Precious Blood Spilled At Mass

[cmaD2006]

[quote name='IcePrincessKRS' timestamp='1340328501' post='2447288']
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).
[/quote]

This is a thread that I shouldn't joke around in ... but ...

Hmm. If they pulled out a steam cleaner, and throwed the resulting collection of water either in the ground or in the sacrarium that may count as legal. Except that it really isn't a dignified way of treating the Lord's blood.

I wouldn't do that of course ..... well, maybe after soaking as much as I could with a purifier and I was convinced that what I was pulling up is clear/sufficiently diluted. And still -- I'd be tempted to throw the steam cleaner water in the ground just to be safe.

All joking aside ... it is a difficult situation. I was at a Mass where the priest definitely spilled the Precious Blood on the altar. I don't know how he cleaned up afterwards. I also know of another priest who described the horror he felt when an accident happened during his Mass -- he pretty much yelled to everyone not to move while he cleaned up (or something of the sort).

[Papist]

[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]

Is it required for this process to be administered by a priest?

[cappie]

[quote name='Papist' timestamp='1340377817' post='2447424']
Is it required for this process to be administered by a priest?
[/quote]

No. It's usual for a priest to do it after Mass, but if he is called away or needs to be at another Mass, as ha[[ens more regularly now, then he can ask someone to take care of the purifying the place. (after instructing the person on the acceptable way)

[arfink]

I must admit, it remains a remarkably interesting practical question of how exactly one would dilute wine which has been soaked into a carpet and then be able to sufficiently extract the water in order to put it into a sacrarium.

It's kinda the opposite of how carpets are normally cleaned. Which is why in my parish they have been considering the complete removal of the sanctuary carpet.

[qfnol31]

I clean liquid spills often. Diluting any colored liquid is awful. Water often just pushes the old liquid out of the way.

[emmaberry]

[quote name='cappie' timestamp='1340392383' post='2447535']
No. It's usual for a priest to do it after Mass, but if he is called away or needs to be at another Mass, as ha[[ens more regularly now, then he can ask someone to take care of the purifying the place. (after instructing the person on the acceptable way)
[/quote]

My parish priest is from Mexico, and I think he is rushing to his afternoon siesta!I suppose you could consider that 'called away'..