Expert: Tom Schott - 1/27/2007

Question
Dear Mr Schott,

I hope that I am not bothering, but I would have two questions to ask regarding Catholic faith and mass:

1. Why at the Holy Mass the Eucharisty is made only with bread and not also with wine? I know that it was considered that Christ is completely simbolised and contained by the bread, but Jesus Christ  gave both to the apostles and said clearly that we should do this in His memory (Luke 22:19).
I went some weeks ago to an open-day in the Jesuit monastery in the city where I live and at the mass there the comunnion was made with both bread and wine, but most of the times only bread is used and only the priest is having communion also with wine, and I find this to be... unbiblical!

2. A friend of mine, who has been babptized in the Eastern-Orthodox church, wants to embrace the Romano-Catholic church where he has always been to; he always went to the Catholic church and mass and he is only nominally Eastern-Orthodox and he would like to change this and convert to Roman-Catholic church. But he would like to be re-baptized in this church in order to make a full conversion.
I want to ask you what is the usual procedure of a conversion to Catholicism, what are he steps that need to be made, to whom he should speak and if his desire to be baptized in the Catholic church is right, if he heas been baptized as a baby in Eastern-Orthodox church? Should he only be formally passed to Catholicism, or baptizing is possible if he desires?

Thank you very much in advance, for the answers, and where should I look for the answer - on this web page, or in my mail box?
And is it ok if I will ask you one more thing soon?
Respectfully,
Alexander.


Answer
Alexander,

 I will answer you briefly, although both these questions could be answered at much greater length.

1. I don't know where you are attending mass where "most of the time" communion is given to the people only as bread. It has been promulgated that the preferred way of communion for all is under both species (both bread and wine), and every church I've been in for the past 25 years has been this way. You are right, it is not biblical. But it is more convenient not to have to deal with the wine for all. Perhaps that's why it's being done that way where you are. It's not right, but there's not much that can be done to force a pastor to do it the right way. By the way, Jesuits do not have monasteries. Monasteries are where monks reside.

2. Your friend will definitely not be baptized again. He has already validly received the sacrament, and it can be received only once. To inquire about what he should do, he should contact the Catholic parish he's interested in joining and inquire about RCIA, Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults. Although this is not primarily for baptized Christians, many parishes use a modified form of it to bring baptized people into the the Church. In any event the people at the parish will give your friend proper guidance on what he should do. My guess is that not much will be required of an Eastern Orthodox Catholic.

Pax Christi,
Deacon Tom