Dr Alfred Layton's letter (The Tablet, 22 November) advocating Communion under both species by means of intinction as a "very simple solution" [to squeamishness about receiving the Eucharist from the same vessel] had its own problems at the 2012 International Eucharistic Congress in Dublin.
In the daily instruction to Eucharistic Ministers holding the chalice we were told again and again to prevent intinction as the chalice, which was available to all, was to be used by coeliacs and must not be contaminated by wheat. This arrangement, advertised widely on large screens, proved very awkward for some of our European participants but was the most practical arrangement at Masses with tens of thousands of participants.
Meanwhile I have noticed that in many Irish parishes the chalice option is reserved for coeliacs.
Alan Whelan, Beaufort, Co Kerry
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