YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio - Parishes within the Diocese of Youngstown began offering the chalice again at Mass during Holy Communion on June 5.

After the Most Reverend David J. Bonnar, the Bishop of Youngstown, spoke with medical professionals he decided to grant permission for the Diocese to return to this tradition, as other dioceses in Ohio have done.

This practice had been on hiatus since 2020 due to the pandemic.

Even though the practice is reinstated, churchgoers can decline to receive from the chalice said Reverend Michael Balash, Director of the Office of Worship and Vicar for Clergy in the Diocese of Youngstown.

"It is always an option, and not a requirement, for individuals to receive from the chalice," Balash said. "Whether one receives Holy Communion from one or both elements, the total presence of the Lord, Body and Blood, is encountered in this act of faith."

The church has always had safety measures in place to protect those that share the chalice. The rim of the chalice is wiped down after each person drinks and it is rotated "to mitigate infectious disease transmission," Balash said.

Those who are sick or not feeling well should not drink from the chalice.

For more information, visit the Diocese of Youngstown's website.