Holy communion
 

Hi pleased to say I had nothing to drink today or did I?

Last night I went to midnight mass at a Christian church. I enjoyed it.

i took holy communion. This did not bother me because I have more or less accepted my serious quit attempt will start in January.

However i eijkd like to become a practicing Christian which would mean having the body and blood of Christ in holy communion.

This is not a nice dilemma. If I consume alcohol in a church then presumably I would not be sober.

Advice please.

I'm Catholic, tho not a regular churchgoer now.

I've taken both the Host and the wine in communion a few times since I got sober. I prayed on it.

I've never felt triggered. I did not reset my count. I believe in transubstantiation.

I ended up in recent years only taking the Host tho, simply because I'm always scared I'll drop the chalice.

I still feel as those Host only communions counted - after all I can remember back to when it was always Host only.

If you're worried about it, or you feel triggered, or you feel it's ethically wrong for an alcoholic to do so, that may be a solution for you too? :)

D

Many Catholics simply take the body of Christ (wafer) and skip the blood of Christ (wine). Personally I do not think drinking the wine is necessary if you have accepted the body of Christ.

In fact our Catholic church always provides the body of Christ but not always the blood of Christ. So it seems as though only one is necessary to provide a complete mass.

Also the extraordinary ministers who bring Christ to the home bound and sick are only given wafers, no wine, so it seems to me that the body is enough.

Im a Catholic, who was not married in the church. To get and receive the sacraments, my marriage must first be blessed by a priest, and then I need to do a full confession. Thats the way they roll there. Its protocol for doing it right. In their agenda.

Going to Mass is great. I still go, tho no longer an active member. If you feel wine may trigger you, just pass on it. I personally dont do either. Communion, or wine. But, Mass is a good thing! :)

I am a practicing Catholic and I just take the host. A lot of people just take the host.

Just the host here, they don't offer wine. Which is good because I don't think I could drink. Just me
Good for you for going to mass.

You don't have to do it, you can approach the alter for communion have the wafer but not the wine.

Your bigger dilemma is waiting until January to quit.

Thanks Carl - I actually missed that line.

Kinda makes all this intellectualising redundant, HC

If you're serious about quitting, quit today, man.
Make a stand.

D

This, 100%

In decades of attending mass and after that working for a church, I have never been offered wine at communion (or saw it offered). I was always told that it is only offered if there are very small number of people at the mass.

This may be regional, but if Catholic churches do not feel offering wine is necessary at communion, then we should be okay without it to.

Was always just 'symbolic' grape juice at my churches in the past,but i'm sure some do offer wine. Still wouldn't see a 'sip' of wine at church as a reason to continue drinking until Jan 1,HC. That's the excuse/ false reasoning mindset that kept me trapped in the cylce of poor me for longer than I wanted. Once I knocked off all the BS and owned my stuff I was able to get past the silly insanity of it.

Hey HC, dont feel bad about asking this question. I often wondered, if I was legal in the sacraments of the church, what would I do? For one, I don't choose to drink from a chalice thats germ ridden. 2, I dont want wine at all. But I know what you are talking about.

I think its great you haven't drank today. 24 man, thats all weve got. Nothing else. Glad you shared. So glad you are here. :)

Miamifella, it might be regional I don't know. I have been going to catholic church all my life and wine is always offered at communion. I live in a large city in the USA and have attended a dozen different parishes. However, I would say only about 1/2 the people drink it. I think a lot of people don't drink it because of germs. It is in no way weird at all not to take the wine.

I was raised in the RCC; I'm pretty sure you don't need to drink the wine. But you can speak with the priest privately and let him know your situation. I'm confident he can offer a solution.

Just one note- Methodist Churches have communion too, at least in the SE US where I have grown up and attended church.

I don't go to church regularly and haven't taken communion in any church in awhile, but I have only had the wafer.

That really isn't the point, though, as others mentioned. We have to get sober before any "what does x or y mean" (ie, sniffing, ingesting it in food, etc) should even be considered. IMO....it's intellectualizing and, bluntly, game playing that would fall into the category of my "it's ok to drink" thinking.

Do you want to quit drinking, period? That's the bottom line question.

I'm not religious, but I think even if you did consume a small amount of alcohol it can be seen as a test from God. If you're able to drink "the blood of Christ" and feel closer to God as opposed to triggering alcoholism I think that shows a great strength of character. Remember, it isn't the alcohol that is the problem it's ourselves. Dee's advice is on point (as always lol).

Mark 14:25
“Truly I tell you, I will not drink again from the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.”
Luke 22:16
For I tell you I will not drink again from the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.”

fruit of the vine is juice.

When I go to communion, I still take the chalice. It's a very small sip. It doesn't trigger me at all. Certainly doesn't effect me, and I don't consider it cheating or being "not sober". That being said, everyone is different. For some folks it might be an issue. Do what you think is best for your sobriety.