“Ask a Priest: May an Unconsecrated Host Be Dipped Into the Chalice?”

Q: When a priest was giving out Communion at Mass he ran out of consecrated hosts. He then took some unconsecrated hosts and dipped them into the chalice and gave them to the remaining people. Is that allowed in the Catholic Church? – B.D.

Answered by Fr. Edward McIlmail, LC

A: No, this isn’t allowed in the Church.

Some priests, unfortunately, don’t realize that this is incorrect.

What is allowed is intinction, whereby a consecrated host is dipped into the chalice and given to communicants. This is one way the faithful could receive Communion under both species.

The Holy See’s instruction Redemptionis Sacramentum in No. 104 says:

“The communicant must not be permitted to intinct the host himself in the chalice, nor to receive the intincted host in the hand. As for the host to be used for the intinction, it should be made of valid matter, also consecrated; it is altogether forbidden to use non-consecrated bread or other matter.” [boldface mine]

I hope this helps.

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