Article II. On the Matter of Wine

I. The matter required for validity is wine from the vine, whether white or red, whether mixed from each, whether strong or weak. There is required:

1. Wine, as is clear from what was said in n. 140 and from the things to be said under 2.

2. Wine from the vine, as is deduced: 1. from the fact that Christ used that matter;¹ 2. from the Decree of Eugene IV; 3. from universal Tradition; 4. from the fact that only the assigned liquid, according to common estimation, is called true wine.

3. Whether white, etc. The reason is that all the wines assigned are true wine.

Corollary I. Valid matter is:

a) Must, that is, recently fermented wine not yet cleared from sediment; indeed, as they deduce from chapter Cum omne, De consecratione, distinction 2, and from the Roman Missal,² even wine recently expressed from grapes and not yet fermented. Vermeersch,³ however, requires that it have begun to ferment.

b) Wine from dried grapes, provided it is duly prepared, so that "from color, odor, and taste it is recognized to be true wine";⁴ in which case it is also licit to use it.

c) Wine to which a small amount of another liquid has been admixed. If a notable quantity is admixed, the matter easily becomes doubtful.

Corollary II. Invalid matter is:

a) Liquid expressed from fruits other than grapes, for example from apples, cherries, currants, or from grains, even if perhaps it is called wine; likewise spirit of wine. The same seems to have to be said of wine made by chemical art, even if it consists of the same elements as ordinary wine. The reason is that it is not wine from the vine.

b) Juice not yet expressed from grapes. Likewise verjuice or omphacium, that is, juice from unripe grapes.⁵ Likewise lora, that is, liquid from grapes previously pressed and, a great quantity of water having been poured over them, pressed again. But if water is poured in a smaller quantity, the matter will be valid or doubtful.⁶

c) Sapa or defrutum, because although it contains the substance of wine, nevertheless it has obtained the nature and use of food.

d) Vinegar, because it differs substantially from wine. If wine becomes sour from initial corruption, the matter will easily be doubtful; otherwise if it is from the fact that the grapes were not perfectly ripe.

e) It is disputed whether frozen wine is valid matter. Now it seems to have to be affirmed, both because by its nature it is drinkable, and because the Blood of Christ remains under the species of frozen wine;⁷ this proves that wine is not corrupted by freezing.

Nor should you object: just as the water of Baptism must be liquid, so also the wine of the Most Holy Eucharist. Response: I deny the parity; for the water of Baptism must be liquid by reason of washing, that is, of the proximate matter of Baptism; but drinking, by reason of which wine would have to be liquid, is not the proximate matter of the Most Holy Eucharist.

¹ Matthew 26:29.

² On Defects, title IV, n. 2.

³ Theologia Moralis, III, 371.

⁴ Holy Office, 22 July 1706 (Collectanea, n. 270); 7 May 1879 (Collectanea, n. 1518).

⁵ "Today, however, often from unripe grapes wine is made which has the appearance of true wine, sugar being added, which is lacking to the grapes. But when the quantity of sugar thus added would exceed that which is found in must, the matter would be at least illicit" (Geniot-Salsmans, Theologia Moralis, II, n. 121).

⁶ Today, after grapes have been pressed once, a solution of sugar is commonly poured over them several times, and a quantity of wine five times greater than that which would have been obtained from the berries once pressed is obtained.

⁷ Roman Missal, On Defects, title X, n. 11.

II. The matter required for liceity is wine:

1. Fermented and cleared from sediment. It would be a grave sin without grave necessity to consecrate wine not yet cleansed from sediment. Nevertheless it is permitted to use wine cleansed from sediment through evaporation and condensation, provided fermentation is not excluded.¹ Likewise it is a grave sin without grave cause to use wine notably infected with sediment. Nevertheless it is permitted to consecrate wine that is merely turbid.

2. Pure, that is, not mixed with foreign matter, for example with aromatics. Nevertheless the Holy Office² permitted that spirit of wine be admixed to weak wine, "provided the spirit has been extracted from the produce of the vine and the alcoholic quantity, together with that which the wine in question naturally contains, does not exceed the proportion of 12%, and the admixture is made when it is very fresh." Indeed the same Congregation permitted³ that the spirit of wine be increased up to 17-18 percent, if this is required for preserving very strong and extraordinarily sweet wines. The use of port wine seems illicit, because it contains too much spirit of wine, namely 18-21 percent.

3. Not becoming sour. "If the wine has begun to become sour or corrupted, or has been somewhat sharp... the sacrament is confected, but the one confecting sins gravely."⁴ These words, with several authors, are to be taken thus:

a) If the wine becomes sour from initial corruption, in which case the matter becomes doubtful, that is, it becomes doubtful whether it is wine or vinegar, proceed according to what was said in n. 147.

b) If the wine becomes sour from natural sharpness, arising from the fact that the grapes were not perfectly ripe, the matter is valid but illicit; in this case these things hold:

1. If it becomes notably sour, it is permitted to use it when grave necessity urges, provided it is certainly wine (St. Alphonsus, VI, 207).

2. If it becomes only slightly sour, per se indeed, as the Roman Missal expressly declares, it is mortal to use it; but these things are not to be urged so far that it would not be permitted to use it if other wine is lacking (St. Alphonsus, loc. cit.). Finally, one who celebrates in another's church, or as a religious subject does not have care of the wine, should proceed without scruple even if the wine is a little sour, the danger being thrown back upon the rector of the church or upon the superior.

4. A very small amount of natural water should be admixed to the wine (canon 814). The admixture, however, must be made by way of ceremony, that is, at the altar and in the chalice; hence an admixture before the sacred rite, even by the priest himself, for example made in the cruet, does not suffice. If the admixture has been omitted and this is noticed before the consecration, it must be made immediately; if it is noticed after the consecration, it must be omitted.⁵ For the rest, observe:

a) The admixture of water is not required for validity, as the Roman Missal has it.⁶ Nevertheless it is prescribed, as is clear from the Council of Trent,⁷ from canon 814, and from the rituals. Yet more probably it is not of divine law but only of ecclesiastical law; this is deduced from the fact that neither in Sacred Scripture nor in Tradition is a divine origin indicated, and ecclesiastical documents, notably the Council of Trent,⁸ rather insinuate that it is an ecclesiastical precept (St. Alphonsus, VI, 208).

b) The precept obliges under grave obligation, as the Roman Missal says.⁹ The reason is that its ends are grave, namely so that there may be signified: 1. the water and blood which flowed together from the side of Christ; 2. the union between Christ, who is represented by the wine, and the faithful, who are represented by the water;¹⁰ 3. the union of the twofold nature in Christ (St. Thomas, III, q. 74, a. 6; St. Alphonsus, VI, 208). Indeed the obligation is considered so grave that scarcely ever is it permitted to consecrate without water admixed. Natural water is required, so that one would sin gravely who used, even in necessity, water which was not natural (St. Alphonsus, VI, 208, 2).

c) Only a very little or little water must be admixed.¹¹ One or another small drop suffices, although a somewhat greater quantity is urged. Yet it must especially be guarded against that the admixture be made up to a third part of the quantity, since that would render the matter doubtful (St. Alphonsus, VI, 210).

d) The admixed water, according to the opinion of all, is converted into the Blood. But it is disputed whether it is converted into the Blood without first having been converted into wine, or whether it is converted first, at least according to common estimation, into wine, then into the Blood. Those who admit the first argue from the fact that the molecules of the admixed water remain numerically the same, or retain their individuation. Those who hold the second reason from the fact that the molecules of water do not remain numerically the same, but receive a new individuation from the greater quantity.

¹ Holy Office, 5 August 1896 (Collectanea, n. 1950); 22 May 1901 (Collectanea, n. 2113).

² 30 July 1890 (Collectanea, n. 1735).

³ 5 August 1896 (Collectanea, n. 1950); 22 May 1901 (Collectanea, n. 2113).

⁴ Roman Missal, On Defects, title IV, n. 2.

⁵ Cf. St. Thomas, III, q. 74, a. 5, ad 2; Benedict XIV, Institutiones, 77, n. 2.

⁶ Roman Missal, On Defects, title IV, n. 7.

⁷ Session 22, chapter 7.

⁸ Loc. cit.

⁹ On Defects, title IV, n. 2.

¹⁰ Council of Trent, session 22, chapter 7.

¹¹ Council of Florence; Roman Missal, Ritus servandus, title VII, n. 4.