“The second Eucharistic element required is wine of the grape (vinum de vite). Hence are excluded as invalid, not only the juices extracted and prepared from other fruits (as cider and perry), but also the so-called artificial wines, even if their chemical constitution is identical with the genuine juice of the grape. The necessity of wine of the grape is not so much the result of the authoritative decision of the Church, as it is presupposed by her (Council of Trent, Sess. XIII, cap. iv), and is based upon the example and command of Christ, Who at the Last Supper certainly converted the natural wine of grapes into His Blood”
Sorry, that’s not entirely accurate. Yes, it’s true of Roman Catholics. However: “E003. Norms for the Celebration of The Holy Eucharist (the Mass). The Holy Eucharist must be celebrated using only bread made from wheat flour and wine made from grapes. For pastoral reasons, grape juice or non-alcoholic wine may be substituted.” (bolding mine) From here.
Or another: “We use non-alcoholic wine so that everyone can be included.” From here.
There are many Catholic churches. Many of them, with the notable EXCEPTIONS of the Roman Catholic and Orthodox, serve or have as an option non-alcoholic wine or grape juice.
I am Jewish, but I grew up and went to school with a lot of Catholics. I know what the Eucharist/Communion is.
Then again, I have surprised people with my knowledge of Catholicism to my friends in college.
They would talk about something and then say oh you probably don’t know about “___”.
And I would say “oh yeah ____, isn’t that where blah blah blah?”
Them" but you’re Jewish.
I am Jewish, but not uninformed
The interesting part here to me is not the wine but the wafer, especially after reading a delightful little story some years back about a little girl with celiac disease who was refused a bread substitute. Her church would just not budge. Especially funny since it was right at the middle of a huge molestation scandal (or rather the media’s focus on one).
Roger that. I’m a cradle Episcopalian. It was always called “Communion” at the modest, relatively poor church I attended in my childhood, but more often is called “the Eucharist” at the much bigger, wealthier, hifalutin’ church I now attend.
Bogdan99, welcome to the SDMB. I hope you will strongly consider joining us here. We like the opportunity to talk with people who come from other cultures than those of the US, Australia, New Zealand, and Western Europe. If it is financially difficult, please let us know; I’m sure there are plenty of us who would happily contribute to your membership fee.
I’m curious as to which Orthodox you are referring: Greek, Russian, Eastern, or some flavor with which I am not familiar? Not that I’m all that familiar with any of the Orthodox faiths, mind you.
I read this title and thought “Pffft! Who wouldn’t?” Sometimes I forget not everyone grows up going to Catholic school. I’m sure there are plenty of lapsed Catholics who have no idea what it means, let alone Protestants and Jews.
Of course, it goes both ways. Everything I ever learned about Passover was from Rugrats, and the family whose Seder I went to last month still talks about my ignorance.
It may be full participation and therefore the same theologically, but I don’t know that I think it’s the same psychologically. Especially from the point of view of a child who is anticipating her first communion with all her little friends, all of whom will be recieving the wafer.
(Says the Methodist who attends a church that offers gluten-free bread for anyone who wants it. I’ve not actually noticed anyone taking it, but that doesn’t prove much. I have attended a church where someone I knew generally had a bite of rice cake rather than bread).
but you’re Jewish.