283.

QUERY: In the GIRM no. 283 what does «eucharistic bread» mean?

REPLY: The term means the same thing as the «host» hitherto in use, except that the bread is larger in size. The term «eucharistic bread» in line 2 is explained by the words of line 4: "The priest is able actually «to break the host into parts.»" Thus line 2 is about this eucharistic element as to its kind and line 4 as to its «shape». Therefore, it was incorrect to interpret «eucharistic bread» in line 2 as a reference to its shape as though the term implies that bread in the shape designed for its everyday use may be substituted for the host in its traditional shape. The GIRM in no way intended to change the shape of the large and small hosts, but only to provide an option regarding size, thickness, and color in order that the host may really have the appearance of bread that is shared by many people: Not 6 (1970) 37, no. 24.