Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted of Phoenix has backed away from his ban on using consecrated wine for Communion at most Masses, a decision that was originally met with widespread outcry.
In an explanation of his decision in a letter to the priests of the diocese, Olmsted apologized for his own misunderstanding of church documents, including new guidelines and translations for the Catholic Mass, and for any confusion arising from his previous statement made at a priests’ meeting in September.
Father Anthony Ruff, an expert on new translations for the Mass, who criticized the bishop’s previous position as a “step backward,” said he had never heard of a bishop “retracting so quickly.”
“Anything I say could sound like gloating,” Ruff said. “I think it’s for local clergy and liturgical ministers to find the right way to express their goodwill and happiness with this.”
Olmsted’s decision comes just two months after he announced that Communion would no longer include wine, which Catholics consider the blood of Christ, on a regular basis. The decision received strong criticism within the diocese and nationwide.
Olmsted was not available for comment. But, in his letter, he said the diocese mishandled communication about the new rules.
He said stories in both secular and religious media “upset many of our people and left you, especially the priests in parishes and institutions, without all the tools needed to answer questions.”
“I am sorry, too, that this mishandling has created tensions between some priests and parishes,” he wrote.
Fran Clarida, a local Catholic who started a Facebook page called Keep the Cup at Mass, embraced the reversal.
“I am grateful that Bishop Olmsted took the time to review the facts regarding his decision and listened to the concerns and needs of his priests and parishioners,” the Valley woman said.
“The way he handled it in the beginning showed poor leadership and resulted in hurting some of his priests and parishioners. Church documents were misread or misinterpreted, and a decision was made without consultation or research. But I am happy with the bishop’s final decision.”
Since about 1970, Catholics have had Communion available under both forms — bread and wine. Through consecration at Mass, Catholics believe those elements are transformed into the body and blood of Christ.
Distribution under both forms is not a requirement at all Masses. In those instances, usually at lightly attended weekday Masses, the consecrated bread alone is offered.
Confusion arose this fall as the church began distribution of new Mass instructions and translations that are more true to the ancient Latin that was used in all Masses until the mid-1960s, when the Second Vatican Council permitted Masses in local languages.
The new translations take effect with Masses on the weekend beginning the season of Advent, Nov. 26-27.
In September, Olmsted made his decision based on his understanding of the new translations of church teachings that he believed indicated lay ministers could not distribute wine or bread at Communion. Catholic churches rely on laypeople to assist at weekend Masses to speed up distribution of Communion.
But, in his letter to priests dated Monday, the bishop cited as the reason for his change of mind “two primary changes in my understanding” of three church documents that govern the new Mass translation and distribution of Communion.
He said he had misunderstood that the church was not denying permission for laypeople to distribute Communion, only that it had withdrawn permission for them to officially prepare the cups used to offer wine to the congregation.
A specific paragraph of the new General Instruction of the Roman Missal governing Communion under both forms should be interpreted far more broadly than he had done.
“The bishop could permit Holy Communion under both kinds, and I am exercising this faculty to do so,” Olmsted wrote.
Diocese spokesman Rob DeFrancesco said that the rules distributed in September were preliminary and that, after consultation, study and feedback, final norms, or guidelines, were completed. He said they will be posted on the diocese website, diocesephoenix.org, by Monday.
“There has been much needless hurt over this issue,” said Bishop Eduardo Nevares, auxiliary Phoenix bishop.
Numerous priests, estimated at two dozen or more, and several parish boards, or pastoral councils, officially objected to the restrictions.
Nevares said Olmsted consulted with others to devise the final guidelines, including Archbishop Gregory Aymond of New Orleans, chairman of the bishops’ Secretariat for Divine Worship.
Nevares said that the new rules had not been officially adopted and that, after consultations, Olmsted had now made his final decision.
“Based on this further information and in bishop’s prayer and discernment, he promulgated the new norms for the distribution for Holy Communion,” Nevares said. “Up to now, he had not promulgated his decision on this matter.”
Despite the argument that the rules had not been set, the diocese announced on its website in September that “the new norms call for the practice of less frequent distribution of Holy Communion under both kinds than the faithful may have been accustomed.”
The initial decision received widespread reaction, mostly critical.
As a result, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops recently clarified the meaning of the documents that Olmsted used to reach his initial decision.
A letter from Aymond in late October explained the two circumstances that Olmsted said he misunderstood.
The memo is private, said Sister Mary Ann Walsh of the bishops conference, but it provided documentation in support of Communion under both kinds.