Folio 515

Leo XIII, 1878-1903

printed p. 483 · pdf p. 515

Fathers of the Vatican Council to be so opportune and fruitful that they have decided furthermore to invite it: "Let all the faithful of Christ contribute their efforts" [See n. 1819].—Moreover, let everyone remember that he can and ought to sow the Catholic faith by the authority of his example, and to preach it by continual profession.—In the duties, then, that bind us to God and to the Church, this especially should be numbered, that the industry of everyone should be exercised, insofar as possible, in propagating Christian truth and in repelling errors.

The Material of the Eucharist (Wine) 1

[From the Response of the Holy Office, May 8th, 1887; and July 30, 1890]

1937. Two remedies are proposed by the Bishop of Carcassum to guard against the danger of the spoiling of wine:

  1. Let a small quantity of eau de vie be added to the natural wine.

  2. Let the wine be boiled to the extent of sixty-five degrees.

To the question whether these remedies are lawful in the case of wine for the sacrifice of the Mass, and which is to be preferred,

The answer is:

The wine is to be preferred as is set forth in the second place.

1938. The Bishop of Marseilles explains and asks:

In many parts of France, especially in those located toward the south, the white wine which does service at the bloodless sacrifice of the Mass is so weak and impotent that it cannot be kept for long, unless a quantity of the spirit of wine (spirits of alcohol) is mixed with the same.

  1. Is a mixture of this kind lawful?

  2. And if so, what quantity of such extraneous matter may be added to the wine?

  3. In case of an affirmative answer, is it required to extract the spirit of wine from pure wine or from the fruit of the vine?

The answer is:

Provided that the spirit (alcohol) has been extracted from the fruit of the vine, and the quantity of alcohol added to that which the wine in question naturally contains does not exceed a proportion of twelve percent, and the mixture is made when the wine is very new, there is no objection to this wine being used in the sacrifice of the Mass.2

  1. ASS 23 (1890/91) 699 f. ↩

  2. A similar response was given for Brazil, August 5, 1896. (ASS 29 [1896/97], 317; AE 4 [1896], 385 a), and in a reply to the Bishop of Tarragona the quantity of alcohol was extended even to 17 or 18 percent, when the wine already naturally has 12 percent or more (ASS ibid., 318; AE ibid., 484 a). ↩