Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh permits cup during Holy Communion, but parish reactions split

Churches within the Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh now are permitted to make their own call when it comes to offering sacramental wine at Holy Communion.

Bishop David Zubik announced June 24 the diocese will allow each parish’s pastor to assess whether the Communion chalice should be reimplemented during Mass. The practice of offering sacramental wine from a communal cup was discontinued when the covid-19 pandemic struck in 2020.

The Catholic Diocese of Greensburg will be revisiting the discussion of whether or not to reimplement the communal cup in the fall, spokesman Clifford Gorski said.

So far, churches in the the Pittsburgh diocese are split on the decision.

The Rev. Charles Bober, pastor at St. Killian’s Parish Center in Cranberry and Holy Sepulcher Parish in Butler, said the parishes are not reimplementing the communal cup — primarily because parishioners have not expressed interest.

“I have two parishes, and, between them, there’s 1,700 people. And no one has asked,” Bober said.

Eucharistic ministers were not keen on offering the cup again, Bober said, because they have to drink whatever remains after Communion is over.

“There’s a semblance of unity when we share a cup, but … we need to be careful,” Bober said.

On the other hand, the Rev. Frank Almade, pastor of St. Joseph the Worker Parish in Pittsburgh, said he feels parishioners are ready to receive the cup again.

“We have been doing Communion under both species (the body and blood of Christ) prior to the pandemic for many years at all of our churches, so this is just what we had been doing,” Almade said. “It’s not a hard decision.”

Almade said he made sure to consult with Eucharistic ministers before making his decision. Having received mostly positive feedback, Almade estimates the cup will be reimplemented in about two or three weeks.

Almade said he has spoken with a few parishioners who were “happy and satisfied with that answer.”

“Only a small portion of people who come to Mass on Sunday actually receive from the cup,” Almade said. “However, those that do find it very spiritually nourishing. And our church encourages us to offer Communion under both species at every Mass, so I’m happy to do this.”

After undergoing chemotherapy for cancer last year, Almade is immunocompromised. But he said he is confident the church is taking the necessary precautions to keep staff and parishioners safe.

“I am very cautious myself, and I wear a mask at every Mass. And I try not to administer communion, so I’m probably more aware than some about caution,” Almade said.

Almade and Bober said their parishes will continue livestreaming Masses for parishioners who are immunocompromised, caregivers or unable to leave the house.

Diocese spokeswoman Jennifer Antkowiak said the bishop considered the popularity of livestream services — which she said are a “blessing of the pandemic” — when making the decision about the communal cup.

“He had been getting a lot of emails and messages from parishioners who really wanted to see (the cup) reinstated,” Antkowiak said. “He also knows that there are many people who are still utilizing livestream Masses … because they are still not comfortable being in public spaces, so we felt that was the best way to approach it.”

Antkowiak said there have not been any major concerns raised by parishioners or pastors since Zubik’s announcement. She said most people see this decision as a “sign of hope.”

“Many were overjoyed that it is back as an option, and many were respectful,” she said. “I think it’s a happy medium right now.”