Ever wonder why the bread we use at Mass, then consecrated into the Precious Body of the Blessed Sacrament, is different from other bread we might normally encounter, and not just Wonder Bread? The way in which the bread is made is strictly regulated by the Church, and the wine for the Precious Blood is no different. The regulations, while allowing for some broad differences (though not often seen in the USA), are very precise about the most important details to ensure that the bread is real bread and the wine is real wine that would be analogous to the same that our Lord would have used when he instituted the Eucharist.

Here is exactly what the rubric says about the bread:

“The bread used in the celebration of the Most Holy Eucharistic Sacrifice must be unleavened, purely of wheat, and recently made so that there is no danger of decomposition. It follows, therefore, that bread made from another substance, even if it is grain, or if it is mixed with another substance different from wheat to such an extent that it would not commonly be considered wheat bread, does not constitute valid matter for confecting the Sacrifice and the Eucharistic Sacrament. It is a grave abuse to introduce other substances, such as fruit or sugar or honey, into the bread for confecting the Eucharist. Hosts should obviously be made by those who are not only distinguished by their integrity, but also skilled in making them and furnished with suitable tools.”

And the wine:

“The wine that is used in the most sacred celebration of the Eucharistic Sacrifice must be natural, from the fruit of the grape, pure and incorrupt, not mixed with other substances. During the celebration itself, a small quantity of water is to be mixed with it. Great care should be taken so that the wine intended for the celebration of the Eucharist is well conserved and has not soured. It is altogether forbidden to use wine of doubtful authenticity or provenance, for the Church requires certainty regarding the conditions necessary for the validity of the sacraments. Nor are other drinks of any kind to be admitted for any reason, as they do not constitute valid matter.”

It is by tradition that the Latin Rite (Roman) Church uses unleavened bread, while some of the Eastern Catholic Churches use leavened bread.

When these rubrics are not adhered to exactly, depending on what was done (or not done), the consecration of the bread or wine either takes place in an illicit manner, or even worse, the bread and wine is considered invalid matter. Invalid matter means that it does not meet the minimum requirements for it to become what it purports to be, namely, the Body and Blood of Christ. The Church wants people to truly receive who they intend to receive in Holy Communion. To effect this, she has established these rules not arbitrarily, but to safeguard the faithful and ensure that, as Christ intended, they receive not just real bread and wine, but His “True Food and True Drink” (John 6:55).

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