PRIESTS fear that altar wine will put them over the legal limit, making it impossible for them to drive to conduct essential duties.Those working alone in rural churches fear that they may be over the legal limit if they have to drive to give the last rites to parishioners.
One priest in a rural north Galway parish said he sometimes has to finish the wine left over in the chalices. He feels that this could put him over the limit if he had to drive afterwards.
According to church law, wine which has been consecrated must be consumed as part of the Mass.
"What option do I have but drink the wine, as the chalices have to be emptied before being put back in the tabernacle?" he said.
"The only other possibility would be to ask some members of the congregation to drink the excess wine. This would be unseemly and certainly not Church practice."
Possibility
Well-known showbusiness priest Fr Brian D'Arcy from Enniskillen said priests being over the limit on altar wine is a greater possibility now than ever.
The limit in Ireland is 0.35pc breath-alcohol concentration, but this is set to be reduced in the near future according to the Road Safety Authority.
"The shortage of priests has resulted in those who are currently ministering having to say multiple Masses, and often drive from church to church to do so, having drunk from the chalice in each church," said Fr D'Arcy.
"Perhaps it could be enough for you to fail a drink-driving test. I don't like to use the word wine, as it is Christ's blood in the Eucharist -- but it still has all the characteristics of wine when in the blood stream."
But the use of non-alcoholic wine is not an option according to Fr Brian, as the Vatican banned its use in the Eucharist in the past.
The priest's comments come after claims that gargling with some mouthwashes could also put drivers over the legal limit if breathalysed shortly afterwards.
Priests say drinking altar wine is a bigger worry, as it goes into the bloodstream and takes longer for the body to process.
"After doing several Masses, I often have to drive off immediately to visit some person who may be very ill in hospital," said Fr D'Arcy.
The north Galway priest, who asked not to be named, said the problem is greater in rural parishes.
"Even if I only took a mouthful of wine from the chalice at all three Masses I feel that this could put me over the legal limit for driving.
"But if a call comes in that somebody is nearing death, I have no choice but drive to where that person is and give him or her the last rites."
Priests in larger towns and cities may be affected too according to Fr Stephen Farragher, administrator in Tuam.
"I would often have three Masses to say in the one day and while I had not thought about the impact of drinking the wine, it is probably now a factor that needs to be seriously considered," he said.
Fr Farragher said he was not sure about the strength of altar wines, but he feels that this might be an area that also needs investigating.
Another rural north Galway priest says he was stopped twice at garda checkpoints and breathalysed on both occasions.
He said that being a member of the Pioneer Total Abstinence Association and wearing the Pioneer pin did not mean anything to the gardai who held him up.
Catholic doctrine states that wine is an essential part of the Eucharist.
Permission to use "mustum" or grape juice can be granted by superiors to priests affected by alcoholism or other conditions.
But this is discretionary and a medical certificate must be presented.
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