Can you elaborate on this a bit more? I'm guess I'm just trying to figure out why they changed things. I even heard a visiting priest once say in effect that Jesus is sad if you don't accept the consecrated wine.
Dear Aggie Mama,
As Mershon said, when one receives the Blessed Sacrament under either species, either the Host or the Cup, one receives Jesus Christ, Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity. It is entirely unnecessary to receive the Cup to receive fully the graces from this Sacrament.
This was a point of theological difference between the Catholic Church and the dissenters at the time of the Reformation. Thus, for centuries, reception of the Cup was generally forbidden to the laity during Mass, to emphasize our belief that one receives our Lord in the entirety by receiving only the Host (or if one were to receive only from the Cup).
Even today, it may be an abuse of the rubrics if the Cup is generally offered at Mass. My understanding is that the general rule is that it may NOT be offered at the regular Sunday Mass, but that the bishop of the diocese may make exceptions as he sees fit.
As for the visiting priest who said Jesus is sad... Well, what might sadden Jesus are the priest's comments, as his words seem to evince a less-than-fully-Catholic view of the Eucharist.
sitetest
"I'm guess I'm just trying to figure out why they changed things. I even heard a visiting priest once say in effect that Jesus is sad if you don't accept the consecrated wine."
This is pure baloney. Jesus is present whole and entire under both species. Receiving under both species is not better nor more reverent, nor more holy.
Aside from the health dangers, there is also the fact that Jesus's body inevitably ends up being spilled with all of these chalices (called "cups") being handled by everyone. There is absolutely no reason nor need nor spiritual benefit objectively from receiving from both species.
Also, theologically, a case could be made for it detracting from the meaning of the ordained Priesthood. The reason they changed it was so that they could continue to employ "extraordinary" ministers of Holy Communion every single Mass, thereby making them ordinary--which also takes away from the sacredness of the ordained priesthood.