FLU AND THE DISTRIBUTION OF HOLY COMMUNION: FURTHER ADVICE
In my letter of 26th June, I said “if the situation becomes more serious, then the Archbishops will issue advice in respect of Holy Communion to the Church of England as a whole”. This has now happened, as you may have heard on the radio or read in the press.
As of today, the Archbishops’ advice is that
“those presiding at Holy Communion suspend the administration of the chalice during this wave of pandemic flu”.
As I mentioned in my earlier letter, I am not in favour of parishioners themselves intincting, nor indeed of clergy intincting for the whole congregation. In the former case, there is the risk that people put their fingers into the chalice and so spread germs from their fingers. In the latter case, there is the risk that those receiving Communion touch the priest’s fingers with their lips and so spread germs by that route. Please, therefore, administer Communion in one kind, ie administer the consecrated bread at Holy Communion and not the chalice to your congregations from hereon until further notice. Naturally, priests should consecrate both bread and wine in Holy Communion services in the usual way but only a small amount of wine which they should consume when they administer Holy Communion to themselves.
Summary
1. Please, from hereon until further notice administer Communion in one kind at every celebration of Holy Communion ie administer only the consecrated bread.
2. Please continue to consecrate wine at Communion but only a small amount and that to be consumed by the celebrant him/herself.
3. Please do reassure your congregations, as stated in my earlier letter of 26th June, that to receive Communion in one kind ie to receive the consecrated bread of Holy Communion, is to receive Christ.
4. As usual, please maintain the best possible hygiene in terms of washing of hands, use of tissues etc
5. Where there is concern, people can “exchange the peace” without needing to shake hands or touch one another.
6. Those very few churches in our diocese that have water stoups should not use them at this time and might wish to put a note by them explaining why.
7. I remind you of my recommendation in my earlier letter about providing a “flu friend network” among the congregations where possible to serve not just people within the church but those more marginalised within our communities.
8. If and when the situation changes, I shall issue further advice.
Please do not hesitate to be in touch with me about any of the issues in this letter, or indeed any other matters you might wish to raise.
With very best wishes and prayers
Yours sincerely
+Anthony
Also see:
Herefordshire http://www.herefordshire.gov.uk/search/search.asp?formtype=basic&type=all&collection=&hits=10&sortby=&sortorder=&query=SWINE+FLU&Submit=GO
Shropshire http://www.shropshire.gov.uk/communications.nsf/open/1590CB6990E0FBDC802575A7005817C4
Telford & Wrekin http://www.telford.gov.uk/ and scroll down the page