Faith Central: Can the Communion Chalice transmit Swine flu?

Roman Catholic churches in the South West have been advised that they should not offer wine during Communion to help to halt the spread of swine flu.

Priests have also been told that they should only offer bread directly into people’s hands and not place it on the tongue. The instructions were issued by the Roman Catholic Bishop of Plymouth, the Rt Rev Christopher Budd, as a temporary measure. Two adults have been confirmed as the first cases with the virus in the city.

The Diocese of Plymouth includes 93 parishes and covers Cornwall, Devon and Dorset, stretching from Penzance and the Isles of Scilly in the west to Bournemouth in the east.

Elsewhere in Britain church leaders are ready to issue similar instructions in the event of a serious increase in the number of cases.A Church of England spokesman said: “Government guidance says that if the swine flu is spreading in a particular area they may recommend that churches stop sharing the common cup. We have been monitoring the situation but so far no central instructions have gone out to diocese.”

He added that Church laws also allowed communicants to receive bread only in emergencies. This provision is included in section 8 of the Sacrament Act 1547.

A spokeswoman for the Roman Catholic Church said that all Bishops were keeping the matter under review on a local basis.

The contingency plan for faith leaders issued by the Cabinet Office states: “In a pandemic, sharing of common vessels for food and drink should cease. For example, the sharing of the cups for Christian Communion or Eucharist. In a pandemic, situations where a faith leader may cross-contaminate others should cease, e.g. Communion on the tongue may infect the priest’s fingers.”

Priests are also advised that if they are blessing or anointing someone who has flu, or laying hands on them, they should wash their hands immediately afterwards.

Michael Fay, spokesman for the Catholic Diocese of Plymouth, said: “The Bishop thought it prudent to recommend that wine not be offered in the form of blood in the chalice. Churches were also advised to hand the sacred host to worshippers rather than place it on their tongues.”

Swine flu is commonly spread through coughes and sneezes, but can also be picked up if the virus is left on a solid surface such as a silver or gold chalice or cup.

A further 306 swine flu cases in England were confirmed, taking the total to 2,542. In Scotland 53 more people tested positive, bringing the total of those infected to 739. The total of known cases for the UK is 3,254.

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