Church bans gluten-free host

[TheDoctor]

My question is, how much wheat must the host contain? Is an extremely small amount, which would meet gluten free standards sufficient? Or, does the host need to be primarily wheat in the Catholic Church?

The bread must be 100% wheat with no additives.

A quick search turned up this reference: altarbreadsbspa.com/lowgluten.php for wheat hosts with 0.01% gluten.

 

[johnnykins]

My question is, how much wheat must the host contain? Is an extremely small amount, which would meet gluten free standards sufficient? Or, does the host need to be primarily wheat in the Catholic Church?

It must be wheat bread…whatever that is…

Protestant churches are serving gluten free hosts at communion.

So what? Protestants are not Catholic. It’s also only a symbol in Protestant Churches. As a symbol, I suppose anything could be OK.

For Catholics the bread must be wheat bread - not rye, not barley and not a cookie or cake. For Latin Rite purposes it must be unleavened. If it is not wheat bread the sacrament is invalid, i.e., it was not, cannot be, confected at all. However, Catholics believe the consecrated wine, the Precious Blood alone contains the entire Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Christ as does the consecrated bread alone.

 

[pigpen]

I react to gluten. I had to come to terms with not receiving the body of Christ, and I’m a grown woman. I think we need to remember the celiac in this news item is just a little girl.

Not every parish offers Communion in both species, so it has impacted where I go to worship as well.

Gluten sensitivities are on the rise. We’ll hear more about Catholics who are unable to receive the body of Christ.

 

[maryjk]

Not sure why this is in the newspaper but here goes:

dispatch.com/content/stories/faith_and_values/2012/06/01/church-bans-gluten-free-host.html

From the article: "Before Allison Sisson received Catholic Communion for the first time, her mom talked to their priest about the girl’s celiac disease, a condition in which eating wheat gluten can cause severe damage to the intestines.

The priest ordered gluten-free hosts and held one on a separate plate for that day and when she attended Mass at Holy Spirit Catholic Church in Whitehall. Before Mass, Allison’s mom, Beth Sisson, would let the priest know they were there. Allison also wore a beaded cross made by her grandmother as a reminder.

But about four weeks ago, the word came down from the Catholic Diocese of Columbus that the hosts didn’t meet Vatican standards because they didn’t contain wheat.

A low-gluten option was available, so Allison, an 11-year-old fourth-grader at Holy Spirit School, tried it. But, she said, “it tasted disgusting.”

She has decided to receive just wine when she takes Communion, even though that makes her sad, she said. …"

I think you misunderstand what celiac disease is. It is not a matter of a preference of taste. It is a life-threatening allergy to gluten. Even tiny trace amounts of gluten can be very dangerous for people with this disease.

There are hundreds, in not thousands, of Catholics with Celiac disease that safely receive the low gluten host every week. The gluten contained within the host is low enough that it should be safe for everyone. The only problem is with possible cross contamination from the wheat hosts. It takes careful planning and prep to insure that the host remains low gluten.

It sounds like this young lady not only needs to realize that the entire Catholic Church isn’t going to change just so she can have a host that tastes good, but also needs to realized that she is not receiving “just wine” at Communion.

I am not quite sure why this is news. There is a host she can receive. She just doesn’t like it.

 

[epan]

There are hundreds, in not thousands, of Catholics with Celiac disease that safely receive the low gluten host every week. The gluten contained within the host is low enough that it should be safe for everyone. The only problem is with possible cross contamination from the wheat hosts. It takes careful planning and prep to insure that the host remains low gluten.

It sounds like this young lady not only needs to realize that the entire Catholic Church isn’t going to change just so she can have a host that tastes good, but also needs to realized that she is not receiving “just wine” at Communion.

I am not quite sure why this is news. There is a host she can receive. She just doesn’t like it.

I’m confused. I am reading that the host must be high wheat content, but also reading that a low gluten host is available. It can’t be both.

 

[maryjk]

I’m confused. I am reading that the host must be high wheat content, but also reading that a low gluten host is available. It can’t be both.

Why can’t it?

Every Sunday (and Holy Days and at daily Mass) at our parish I receive a Church approved low gluten Host. As do about 6 -8 other people with Celiac.

The rest of the parish receives a “normal” host.

 

[irishpatrick]

How can this be an issue when the Precious Blood is available and contains everything the Eucharistic contains? This is a non-issue.

 

[epan]

Why can’t it?

Every Sunday (and Holy Days and at daily Mass) at our parish I receive a Church approved low gluten Host. As do about 6 -8 other people with Celiac.

The rest of the parish receives a “normal” host.

OK, so then the host only needs a small amount of wheat. Someone else said that it must be high wheat content.

 

[TheRealJuliane]

OK, so then the host only needs a small amount of wheat. Someone else said that it must be high wheat content.

The rule is that the host must contain enough wheat so that it retains the “confection” of bread. The Benedictine Sisters worked for YEARS to get this right - enough wheat to consecrate the Host, but not enough to cause a celiac to react. It was really a miracle that it happened at all.

Story of the Low Gluten Hosts

Yes, any celiac or gluten intolerant Catholic can receive the Precious Blood, IF it is offered. The Mass my son and I sometimes attend does not have enough EMs to distribute the cup, so he misses receiving during that Mass. And of course on Good Friday no wine is consecrated. Sometimes randomly, the cup will not be distributed. It isn’t perfect, but it usually works.

I do have some of the very low-gluten hosts and a pyx to put them in, but neither of my sons seems to want to draw that much attention to themselves, to approach the priest and work out a procedure to receive it. Their choice.

The article does not speak very well of the family’s formation of their faith, since they are implying to their daughter that she is not receiving the Body, Blood, soul and divinity of Jesus through his Blood. There is nothing “less than” about receiving one species or another. Most Catholics my age NEVER received the Precious Blood and we never felt it was only half of Jesus.

Also, for this young girl to pronounce the taste of the very low gluten hosts “disgusting” is pretty insulting. The regular gluten-containing host is not flavorful - what does she expect? A Pop-Tart?

 

[Aelred_Minor]

The rule is that the host must contain enough wheat so that it retains the “confection” of bread. The Benedictine Sisters worked for YEARS to get this right - enough wheat to consecrate the Host, but not enough to cause a celiac to react. It was really a miracle that it happened at all.

Story of the Low Gluten Hosts

Yes, any celiac or gluten intolerant Catholic can receive the Precious Blood, IF it is offered. The Mass my son and I sometimes attend does not have enough EMs to distribute the cup, so he misses receiving during that Mass. And of course on Good Friday no wine is consecrated. Sometimes randomly, the cup will not be distributed. It isn’t perfect, but it usually works.

I do have some of the very low-gluten hosts and a pyx to put them in, but neither of my sons seems to want to draw that much attention to themselves, to approach the priest and work out a procedure to receive it. Their choice.

The article does not speak very well of the family’s formation of their faith, since they are implying to their daughter that she is not receiving the Body, Blood, soul and divinity of Jesus through his Blood. There is nothing “less than” about receiving one species or another. Most Catholics my age NEVER received the Precious Blood and we never felt it was only half of Jesus.

Also, for this young girl to pronounce the taste of the very low gluten hosts “disgusting” is pretty insulting. The regular gluten-containing host is not flavorful - what does she expect? A Pop-Tart?

The rule is that it must be made from nothing but wheat and water, is it not?

According to this website, the low-gluten hosts are made from wheat starch and water, a tiny bit of wheat and some other ingredent.

altarbreadsbspa.com/lowgluten.php

 

[epan]

The rule is that it must be made from nothing but wheat and water, is it not?

According to this website, the low-gluten hosts are made from wheat starch and water, a tiny bit of wheat and some other ingredent.

altarbreadsbspa.com/lowgluten.php

Wheat starch is ok. The problem is the protein which is referred to as “gluten”. Yes, it can be somewhat awkward to receive a low gluten host unless the celebrants have been notified before the service. If you are a regular parishioner, then they are expecting you.

 

[Aelred_Minor]

The rule is that it must be made from nothing but wheat and water, is it not?

According to this website, the low-gluten hosts are made from wheat starch and water, a tiny bit of wheat and some other ingredent.

altarbreadsbspa.com/lowgluten.php

Wait, what’s this about “a tiny bit of wheat and some other ingredent”? I never wrote that, and never saw it at the website. Is someone else able to edit my posts?

 

[anp1215]

It blows my mind that this made it into the newspaper.

She is deprived of nothing. Furthermore, she can receive the host if she wants, but doesn’t like the taste. How… monstrously silly.

What a waste of bandwidth on their part.

Bingo.

 

[TheRealJuliane]

The rule is that it must be made from nothing but wheat and water, is it not?

According to this website, the low-gluten hosts are made from wheat starch and water, a tiny bit of wheat and some other ingredent.

altarbreadsbspa.com/lowgluten.php

Whatever the rule, the hosts have been declared valid matter for consecration. Believe me, I was following the Benedictine Sisters’ quest to make a host for celiacs from the start, since my son was diagnosed just before he would have made his First Communion. At one point, I called them and they told me they did not believe they would ever be able to do it. I was very sad. And then, the miracle happened. If you read the story of how it happened, it was the Holy Spirit intervening, I think.

In any case, the Church has certified that these hosts are valid matter AND they are low enough in actual gluten that most celiacs can consume one every week and not have any antibody reaction.



p.s. The texture is somewhat more “cracker-like” than a regular wheat-based host. But still, bland, and it does dissolve eventually if you don’t chew it.

 

[maryjk]

p.s. The texture is somewhat more “cracker-like” than a regular wheat-based host. But still, bland, and it does dissolve eventually if you don’t chew it.

But it takes a long, long, long, long time.

 

[Aelred_Minor]

Whatever the rule, the hosts have been declared valid matter for consecration. Believe me, I was following the Benedictine Sisters’ quest to make a host for celiacs from the start, since my son was diagnosed just before he would have made his First Communion. At one point, I called them and they told me they did not believe they would ever be able to do it. I was very sad. And then, the miracle happened. If you read the story of how it happened, it was the Holy Spirit intervening, I think.

In any case, the Church has certified that these hosts are valid matter AND they are low enough in actual gluten that most celiacs can consume one every week and not have any antibody reaction.



p.s. The texture is somewhat more “cracker-like” than a regular wheat-based host. But still, bland, and it does dissolve eventually if you don’t chew it.

As far as I can tell (despite what some hacker apparently added to my post, unless I made some editing mistake yesterday, but I don’t remember writing anything of the sort) the hosts seem to be made entirely from components of wheat, no non-wheat ingredents besides water. Maybe that is why the Church has approved them.

 

[TheRealJuliane]

But it takes a long, long, long, long time.

Heh. I didn’t want to consume one since I got them for my sons, but I did taste a little bit. I thought it would dissolve…eventually.

I guess chewing is just one of those necessary evils for celiac Catholics with the low-gluten host.



I know most people do chew the Host, and it’s not forbidden, but we were taught NOT to chew the Body of Christ, ever.

 

[TheRealJuliane]

As far as I can tell (despite what some hacker apparently added to my post, unless I made some editing mistake yesterday, but I don’t remember writing anything of the sort) the hosts seem to be made entirely from components of wheat, no non-wheat ingredents besides water. Maybe that is why the Church has approved them.

Yes, that’s right. I know the phrase I heard over and over is that the host, in order to be considered valid matter for consecration, must have “the confection of bread.” That means it has to have enough wheat to be bread, and GF hosts have no wheat whatsoever (celiac Lutherans can use those with no problems).

But the nuns used wheat starch with the gluten removed. Voila! It worked. And, it could be consecrated.

:extrahappy::dancing:

 

[zenith15]

Could someone kindly point this new Catholic in the direction of information explaining WHY the sacrament is not valid unless it is made exactly and only of thus and such? I know Jesus was using unleavened bread due to it being the Passover supper, but how do we know whether or not it matters to Him what type of bread we use today, or what type exactly of wine? I just can’t imagine Him refusing those with celiac disease and/or allergy to bread/wine or alcoholism really needing to refrain from one or both species. What if it were a priest with both celiac disease and alcoholism?

 

[curlycool89]

Could someone kindly point this new Catholic in the direction of information explaining WHY the sacrament is not valid unless it is made exactly and only of thus and such? I know Jesus was using unleavened bread due to it being the Passover supper, but how do we know whether or not it matters to Him what type of bread we use today, or what type exactly of wine? I just can’t imagine Him refusing those with celiac disease and/or allergy to bread/wine or alcoholism really needing to refrain from one or both species. What if it were a priest with both celiac disease and alcoholism?

Those priests can receive mustum. If a priest cannot even receive that, I believe that is a canonical impediment to Holy Orders (if it’s known before ordination).

Jesus used wheaten bread because that’s what was used. Jesus used wine because that’s what’s used at passover (real wine, not grape juice). We are obligated to do as He did, and it’s not within our power to change it.