Cruets
by Paul Turner

The practice in the past is still honored in many Catholic parishes: Glass cruets matched perfectly; you could tell which held water and which held wine by looking at their contents. Short and squat, they sat inside the finger bowl nestled by a white cloth. Servers assisting the priest or deacon first offered him the cruet of wine; he poured a few teaspoons into the chalice. They next offered the cruet of water; he added a few drops. They returned with the water cruet, finger bowl and cloth; they poured water over the priest’s fingers into the bowl and he dried them with the cloth.

Although the ceremony has not changed, the shape and arrangement of the vessels has. When communion is offered under both forms to the entire assembly, keeping the wine for Mass in a small cruet is simply impractical. A larger vessel, a carafe, is needed for the wine. The priest or deacon may pour some wine from the carafe into a chalice and then place the carafe next to the chalice on the altar. Obviously, the size of the water container can be much smaller and need not match the carafe.

Furthermore, it is less likely to see the wine on the side table at the beginning of Mass. It will be brought to the altar in procession with the bread and the gifts for the church and the poor. Placing two cruets inside the finger bowl is like storing the vinegar and oil cruets at home in the sink. It may look neat, but it does not express well the purpose of any of these vessels.

Changes in the cruets represent a significant change inour practice of communion. Matching vessels is not as important as partaking of both the Body and the Blood of Christ.

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Paul Turner, pastor of St. Munchin Parish in Cameron, MO, holds a doctorate in sacramental theology from Sant' Anselmo University in Rome.