Precious Blood to the Sick?

In the early Middle Ages, both the bread and the wine were reserved for the "Mass of the Presanctified" on Good Friday. This is not allowed today. The only time the precious blood is reserved is to bring Viaticum to the dying, or to give holy communion to a person who cannot consume the bread.

While most bishops highly regulate and forbid taking the Precious Blood to the sick, the recently adopted Norms for the Distribution and Reception of Holy Communion Under Both Kinds in the Dioceses of the United States of America, 54 says:

The Precious Blood may not be reserved, except for giving Communion to someone who is sick. Only sick people who are unable to receive Communion under the form of bread may receive it under the form of wine alone at the discretion of the priest. If not consecrated at a Mass in the presence of the sick person, the Blood of the Lord is kept in a properly covered vessel
and is placed in the tabernacle after Communion. The Precious Blood should be carried to the sick in a vessel that is closed in such a way as to eliminate all danger of spilling. If some of the Precious Blood remains after the sick person has received Communion, it should be consumed by the minister, who should also see to it that the vessel is properly purified.

The reason for this is that there are certain cases where a person may not be able to swallow a host, but may sip or swallow a liquid substance, such as the Precious Blood. Check your local ordinary (bishop) and their diocesan rulings.

For more information about reservation/transfer of the Precious Blood, please see the United States Catholic Conference Committee on the Liturgy information: CLICK HERE