From the Revd Geoffrey Squire

Sir, - With regard to the item "Alcohol-free wine to be served" (News, 20 September), I feel that the Church Times has slipped from its usual high standards by referring to the Precious Blood of the Lord in his holy sacrament as "wine being served", as though it were something happening in a pub.

More important, however, is what happened in that church. The pure fermented juice of the grape, i.e. alcoholic wine, was most surely that which was used by Christ himself when he instituted the holy eucharist, and it has been mandatory in all churches of Catholic order, including our Church of England, throughout all the ages, and required by Church of England canon law.

Far better if that church explained the teaching of Holy Church that Christ is present in all his fullness in both species, and suggested that those who wish to do so for medical or similar reasons may receivethe holy sacrament in the form of the sacred Host only, as is permitted by canon law, rather than ignore the laws of the whole Church and create yet another Anglican novelty, and even raise doubts about the validity of those eucharists.

GEOFFREY SQUIRE
Little Cross,
Goodleigh
Barnstaple,
Devon EX32 7NR