Committee on Divine Worship, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops

Valid celebration of the Eucharist (Mass) requires the use of a small amount of wine. It need only be consumed by the priest.

Inmates have no religious obligation to consume any of the consecrated wine which Catholics believe is the Precious Blood of Christ.

The priest offering the Mass must be allowed to consume a small amount of the Precious Blood (wine) as part of the religious ritual. The consumption of wine under these circumstances cannot be considered consumption of alcohol or ingestion of an illegal substance.

In some cases, chaplaincy staff will purchase sacramental wine using normal procurement procedures. In other cases, a visiting minister or religious volunteer with prior authorization will bring the required amount of wine for the priest’s consumption during Mass.

In cases where chaplaincy staff is responsible for providing wine to visiting priests, two ounces of sacramental wine should be provided in a closed container for each scheduled Mass.

Wine is to be stored in a secure area inaccessible to inmates, behind two locked doors (e.g., in a locked safe, cabinet, or refrigerator within a locked office).

If an institution does not provide wine or store it on site, all wine brought into the institution by a visiting priest is to be consumed prior to his departure.

Training on the procedures for storing, using, and disposing of sacramental wine will be provided to Chaplaincy Services staff, custody staff, religious contractors, trainees, and volunteers. This will avoid the unnecessary confiscation of essential sacred elements.

Catholics believe that Christ is truly present in the Body and Blood of Christ, the bread and wine consecrated at Mass, and that Christ’s presence endures after Mass. Since the Blood of Christ is not ordinarily stored after Mass, all of the Blood of Christ must be consumed by the priest at each Mass.

The Body of Christ (consecrated communion hosts) should be consumed at Mass but may be reserved in an appropriate tabernacle with a vigil light burning nearby to recall the sacred presence. Under no circumstances should consecrated hosts be mixed with hosts that have not been consecrated.

Any sacred altar vessels used to celebrate Catholic Mass are not to be used for other purposes or by other religious groups.

Additional Resources

Federal Bureau of Prisons, Program Statement 5360.10, Religious Beliefs and Practices (October 24, 2022)

Read Statement  (see page 4)

1. Purpose and Scope

548.10 (a). The Bureau of Prisons provides inmates and all faith groups with reasonable and equitable opportunities to pursue religious beliefs and practices, consistent with the security and orderly running of the institution and the Bureau of Prisons.

3. Religious Opportunities and Limitations
b. Religious Use of Wine

Inmates may be permitted to receive small amounts of wine as part of a religious ritual only when administered under the supervision of Bureau Chaplains, religious contractors, or Chapel volunteers authorized by the Bureau to perform the ritual. Wine will be stored behind two locks and accounted for with bin cards.

The consumption of wine under these circumstances will not be considered consumption of alcohol or ingestion of an illegal substance. Inmates are not allowed to give wine to other inmates.

Training is provided to Chaplaincy staff on the procurement of religious wine. Chaplaincy staff purchase the wine using normal procurement procedures. Training on the procedures for storing, using, and disposing of religious wine will be provided to Chaplaincy Services staff, religious contractors, trainees, and volunteers. This will avoid the unnecessary and potentially disruptive confiscation of essential sacred elements.

Wine will be stored in a locked cabinet in a secure area of the Chapel. For scheduled services for which wine is authorized, Chaplaincy staff will provide the wine to the contract or volunteer community minister in a two-ounce covered container. The container will be used to measure and transport the wine. The minister will dispose of the two-ounce container and any unused portion of the wine to protect against contamination or abuse.

Federal Bureau of Prisons, Technical Reference Manual T5360.01, Inmate Religious Beliefs and Practices: Practical Guidelines for Administration of Inmate Beliefs and Practices (March 27, 2002)

Read Statement  (see pages 296 and 286-287)

Outline for Religious Faith Groups: Roman Catholicism (Section B)
9. History and Theology
B. Theology
b. Sacraments of Healing (2)

[…] Only a Catholic priest with faculties from the bishop of the diocese may administer the Sacrament of Reconciliation. The rite of reconciliation is especially significant at a time of illness or impending death. The seal of confession demands absolute confidentiality, prohibiting the confessor from disclosing any information regarding the confession. Under no circumstances may institution security interfere with the seal of confession; i.e., audio- or videotaping, requiring the use of a telephone for confession, conducting an investigation, or requiring the presence of a third party.

Sacrament of Reconciliation:

  • Accommodation for sacramental confession for a requesting inmate should be made as quickly as possible.
  • Only a Catholic priest with faculties may administer the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
  • Institution staff may not interfere with the seal of Sacramental Confession – it demands absolute confidentiality.

Anointing of the Sick is the sacrament of receiving Christ’s healing love and strength when one is seriously ill or in danger of death. (See section on "Burial Rites")

Outline for Religious Faith Groups: Roman Catholicism (Section A)
6. Burial Rituals

When an inmate is dying, the Catholic priest should be called for the Anointing of the Sick, if this sacrament has not already been given. The dying person, if able, should also receive Viaticum (Holy Communion). Only the Catholic priest may administer the sacrament of Anointing of the Sick. The priest is also the normal minister of Viaticum. If the priest is not available, a deacon, Catholic chaplain, or other designated extraordinary minister of Holy Communion may give Viaticum.

When a Catholic person has died, the Catholic chaplain/contractor should be called to pray for the dead person. One who is already dead should not be given Anointing of the Sick. In the absence of a priest after the death, any Christian, preferably a Catholic, may pray at the bedside and perform a sacred ritual returning the baptized to God, from whence he or she came.

The chaplain, following the death of a person, should be available to help in any way possible – ministering to staff or inmates, or trying to contact the family. The chaplain should work closely with the executive staff in the notification process.

Celebrating a memorial mass or other memorial service for the deceased inmate helps others to better process the death of the person. The memorial service should be as early as the next day. Wherever possible, a Catholic inmate should be buried in a Catholic cemetery. If this is not possible, the individual grave should be blessed.

Cremation is permissible as long as it is not used as a symbol denying the resurrection of the body.

© 2024, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Washington, DC. All rights reserved.

The document Guidelines for the Use of Sacramental Wine in Catholic Masses at Correctional Institutions in the United States was developed by the Committee on Divine Worship of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). It was approved by the Administrative Committee of the USCCB at its September 2024 meeting as a document of the Committee on Divine Worship and has been authorized for publication by the undersigned.

Rev. Michael J.K. Fuller
General Secretary