United States: Illicit Wine Used for Masses

June 12, 2023

Source: FSSPX News

A troubling discovery has been made in the diocese of Kansas City, Kansas, in the United States: Archbishop Joseph Naumann found that several parishes of his diocese had been using, some for several years, improper wine for the celebration of Mass, invalidating the consecration of the Precious Blood, and preventing the fulfillment of the Holy Sacrifice.

The Archbishop wrote to priests on May 31, 2023 that they should ensure their altar wine is both free of additives and specially vinified for sacramental use, reports Catholic site The Pillar, after the discovery by priests of the use of wine which was not valid material for the celebration of the Mass, and this in several parishes.

Thus, in these parishes, “for a certain number of years, all the Masses were invalid and, consequently, the intentions for which these Masses were offered were not fulfilled.” The Archbishop rightly considers that “this is a very serious situation for which we must seek the advice of the Holy See.”

It should be noted that the faithful still received Communion, since the consecration of the Holy Host was accomplished normally. On the other hand, the Mass did not take place in the case considered, because, to accomplish it, there must be the consecration of the two species.

It is necessary to consult the Holy See, which will decide whether all the invalid Masses must be repeated in their entirety, or else, by special authorization, if the unfulfilled intentions can be grouped together in a more limited number of Masses to be repeated.

Canon law specifies that the valid matter of the Holy Eucharist is grape wine. The 2004 Vatican instruction Redemptionis sacramentum sets out the liturgical tradition by specifying that this wine must be natural – without added sugar – and pure, that is to say not cut or mixed with other substances.

It is possible to tolerate very small amounts of sulphites, as a preservative, but no other additives. In Kansas City, the archdiocese found that many commercially available wines contain additives such as elderberry extract, sugars, alcohol, etc.

The Archbishop has therefore issued an executive order stating that “only commercially produced wines intended specifically for Mass may henceforth be used in the celebration of the Eucharist in all parochial and non-parochial churches, chapels and oratories in the Archdiocese of Kansas. City.”