Communion wine decision pleases Catholic Bishop

Catholic officials are pleased with a decision to once again allow communion wine in New Zealand prisons, according to a Catholic Communications press release. Recently, Department of Corrections had held that such wine was prohibited by the 2004 Corrections act, prohibiting the celebration of Mass in prisons.

Acting General Manager Public Prisons Service, Paul Monk said that the prohibition of Communion wine in prisons was an "unintentional consequence" of the Act, and that the consumption of a small amount of Communion wine would not affect the good order of a prison. "In fact it will support the invaluable role that the Church plays in the rehabilitative process of some of our prisoners," he said.

Mr Monk confirmed the exemption will allow the consumption of Communion wine as soon as possible, while Corrections looks at how a more permanent amendment to the Act can be made.

On behalf of the Catholic Church's prison chaplaincy, Bishop Barry Jones of Christchurch, said that all the New Zealand bishops are delighted that this difficulty has been worked through. "It is good to know that the prison service realises that the Church is able to offer help to some prisoners in their rehabilitation programme," he said.

(via Scoop)