Quaich

[macwilkin]

I've always wanted to get one of these, but my wife tells me that her Italian relatives will not, under any circumstance, drink from the same cup as someone because of "germs" and one of the (IMHO) ridiculous supersitions her Sicilian relatives have.

I love the idea of the common welcoming cup!

What do they think about the common chalice at Mass then? :mrgreen:

Colin: very well done indeed! A splendid way to extend the ancient right of hospitality to all who cross your threshhold.

Slainte!

Todd

[Schultz]

What do they think about the common chalice at Mass then? :mrgreen:

Todd

Already tried that one, buddy. Most of them are quite old and don't take the chalice when offered because they're just not used to it.

The younger ones (and I use that term relatively) say, "That's different," and refuse to elaborate.

*shakes head*

Sometimes you just have to smile and nod.

[GMan]

Nice Colin, very nice!

[GlassMan]

What do they think about the common chalice at Mass then? :mrgreen:

Colin: very well done indeed! A splendid way to extend the ancient right of hospitality to all who cross your threshhold.

Slainte!

Todd

When I was attending Catholic services one of my friends who was also catholic was extremely germ-o-phobic. Constantly washing her hands, wouldn't get near someone sick, wouldn't use a public restroom or drink from a water fountain. But she had no problem with the common chalice at mass. So I had to ask what was the difference. Her answer was for me a testament of faith and I was actually impressed at the power of faith to overcome something that otherwise ruled her life. What was her answer? "Since the wine becomes the blood of Christ it becomes perfect and the perfect Christ cannot transmit disease and suffering only salvation." For those who don't believe in transubstantiation it might seem silly, but to me it seems like a beautiful example of faith.

[Panache]

Colin,

A simple and likely silly question. How is the word Quaich pronunced?

Cheers

[Pour1Malt]

quaich is...

one syllable...

KW ... A (long a) ... cgh (Scots sound like clearing yer throat...)

similar the English 'quake'

[Schultz]

When I was attending Catholic services one of my friends who was also catholic was extremely germ-o-phobic. Constantly washing her hands, wouldn't get near someone sick, wouldn't use a public restroom or drink from a water fountain. But she had no problem with the common chalice at mass. So I had to ask what was the difference. Her answer was for me a testament of faith and I was actually impressed at the power of faith to overcome something that otherwise ruled her life. What was her answer? "Since the wine becomes the blood of Christ it becomes perfect and the perfect Christ cannot transmit disease and suffering only salvation." For those who don't believe in transubstantiation it might seem silly, but to me it seems like a beautiful example of faith.

Tried that one, too, Phil!

Being Ruthenian Catholic, we receive communion under both species via a spoon, a practice which horrifies by mother-in-law (who's also a nurse) because of "the germs". The fact that we're taught to not actually wrap our lips around the spoon but let the priest just drop the Precious Body and Blood into our mouths is apparently not enough.

Of course, the priest handing out communion and touching most everyone's hand and transmitting germs doesn't seem to bother her.

Some people are just hard-headed.

Now back to "quaich-talk".

What did you end up christening it with, Colin?

[jkdesq]

I did a fair bit of surfing over the issue of common Eucharistic cups and the wisedom seems to be that: i) it is wiped between people and ii) the alcohol in the wine kills and germs. I'm not sure I by the idea that wine has enough alcohol to kill anything, but any whisky should!

I'm curious how any one uses or intends to use their quaich. I too would like one, but cannot picture using if for anything other than display. I am a generation away from a culture iconoclasm, so these points of culture need to be rediscovered. What does one do with a quaich.

[GlassMan]

I'm planning on buying one for use at my wedding. I want to use it when sharing drinks with families and friends as we make the rounds of that tables.

[macwilkin]

I did a fair bit of surfing over the issue of common Eucharistic cups and the wisedom seems to be that: i) it is wiped between people and ii) the alcohol in the wine kills and germs. I'm not sure I by the idea that wine has enough alcohol to kill anything, but any whisky should!

I'm curious how any one uses or intends to use their quaich. I too would like one, but cannot picture using if for anything other than display. I am a generation away from a culture iconoclasm, so these points of culture need to be rediscovered. What does one do with a quaich.

Traditionally, the quaich was used to offer a "wee dram" to a visitor when arriving or departing a home. There's a great painting in Stuart Reid's book "Highland Clansman" that shows a Highland laird offering a quaich to a visitor arriving at the gate of his estate.

In our Scottish society, we use the quaich at our Burns Supper to give the piper his dram for escorting the Haggis, and for the person Addressing the Haggis (I always make sure to wipe and turn it, a la a chalice at the Mass!)

Glassman's idea to use the quaich at his reception to share a dram with friends and family is quite correct in the ancient right of hospitality -- once offered, it can never be taken back! :mrgreen:

I've studied the use of common chalice as well (I'm a chalice-bearer/sub-deacon) in the Episcopal Church, and most research indidcates that the alcohol and wiping the rim will kill the germs. Communion wine usually has a higher alcohol content for this very reason.

I've heard folks at church make similar comments about the common chalice as Schultz's in-laws, but every Padre I have talked to says that a handshake at the peace is far more likely to spread germs than the chalice is!

Cheers,

Todd