Vermont Catholics urged no shaking hands, no common chalice

Parishioners in Vermont urged to stop sharing chalice, shaking hands to stop flu
Associated Press
10/27/2004

BURLINGTON, Vt. (AP) -- You can pray you won't get the flu, but Vermont's Catholic bishop is urging other steps as well.

Bishop Kenneth Angell has urged worshippers of the state's largest religion to abstain from the Mass customs of sharing a chalice of wine and shaking hands for the next six months.

Coming from a secular source, we can see a problem right away. The chalice does NOT contain wine at all - although it appears to many people to be wine, it is not wine, but the Precious Blood of our Lord, Jesus Christ.

Catholics traditionally shake hands with parishioners in pews beside them when a priest calls for a "sign of peace" during Mass. They then receive a piece of communion bread and may sip from a shared chalice.

Once again, Catholic doctrine needs to be reinforced - after the consecration, the bread ceases to be bread - it has become the Body of our Lord. Only the accidents (those things perceived by the senses-taste, looks, feel, etc.) remain for the substance has been changed by the action of the Holy Spirit. This mystery is transubstantiation

Article here.