The Alaska Department of Corrections recently issued a temporary policy barring the use of altar wine in state prisons.
The move potentially disrupts the celebration of Mass for Catholic inmates.
According to The Pillar, past regulations did permit altar wine in prisons, given the approval from prison authorities. However, it’s unclear if any such approval was ever granted.
Priests in the past have faced previous issues in Alaska’s prisons and have reported having difficulties bringing altar wine into a prison for Mass.
The recently issued memo doesn’t clarify if past Mass celebrations occurred without wine, or if individual prisons had given permission for its use.
The policy’s implications for the celebration of Mass are unclear.
The Church dictates that Mass requires the offering of bread and wine. The policy mentions the possible use of a “non-alcoholic substitute (juice)” which cannot can be used for Mass.
The policy could be challenged on religious freedom grounds. Interestingly, courts have historically upheld both the religious rights of inmates and the prison’s authority to restrict alcohol.
The outcome could impact the ability of Alaska’s 4,000 prisoners to participate in Mass.
