Q: My pastor and I am updating the parish procedures for communion ministers. Father has observed something and is wondering if you could give us any guidance on this. Father says that sometimes he gives the precious blood to a minister, and they might not consume it at all, or first give it to another before consuming it themselves. This just doesn’t seem right. If the minister of the cup feels they shouldn’t receive the Blood of Christ (maybe they have a cold), my opinion is that they should not serve at Mass when they are sick. We do schedule communion ministers, but I can always request a sub as we have a good number of them. Your thoughts please.
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A: I admit that it looks bad when a minister of the cup does not drink from the cup. However, there is no rule requiring them to do so. At training, I’m telling ministers that they have the same options as any communicant, but because of their role, they are modeling how to receive communion. It is best if they drink. But nothing requires them to do so.
As to passing it to someone else first and then drinking from it, well, no, that’s not how this works. First the minister drinks, then the minister ministers.
If the minister is not feeling well, then, yes, find another minister.