Gluten-free hosts aren’t gluten-free

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GospelOfMatthew

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From speaking with multiple priests, gluten-free hosts must still have a small amount of gluten in order for them to be valid hosts. I know people that can’t have these gluten-free hosts because even the small amount of gluten is too much.

They also can’t drink from the blood because of gluten contamination. (I can’t drink from the blood due to food allergies and contamination).

Why can’t they just do 100% gluten-free host, it’s discriminatory
 
I think people with this problem recieve the Precious Blood first, when there is no risk of contamination. I do not think they recieve the Body.
 
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Because it would be invalid matter. It’s not discriminatory, and you shouldn’t throw around terms that impute negative motives. Who’s discriminating? The Pope? The bishops? Do you think they really said “We should make life difficult for people who are gluten intolerant by requiring that hosts have a small amount of gluten?”

Why do you bring this up?

-Fr ACEGC
 
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I know many people who can’t receive in either form and I find this very sad. I do not understand why there must be gluten. What does it matter?
 
Because the Lord established the sacraments. They’re not ours to change. The Church, guided by the Holy Spirit, has determined that if it does not contain at least a small amount of gluten, it isn’t bread that is valid matter. Would you rather your friends worship a false Eucharist?
 
GospelOfMatthew said:
I do not understand why there must be gluten. What does it matter?
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Because for it to be true wheaten bread, it must have at least a small amount of gluten present.

From the website of the Benedictine Sisters, who produce low-gluten hosts:
" In 2004 Dr. Alessio Fasano, at the time director of the the Center for Celiac Research at the University of Maryland, maintained that the amount of gluten contained in one of the Benedictine Sisters’ low-gluten altar breads (tested at < .01 percent) was so minute that someone diagnosed with Celiac Sprue Disease would have to consume 270 wafers daily in order to reach the danger point. A test done in 2016 indicated the gluten content was even more minimal - less than .001 percent."

Here’s a question that I haven’t seen answered: what percentage of celiacs will experience physical effects from food with < .001% gluten content?

Some people cannot ingest alcohol, due to medical or other issues. Some people cannot ingest gluten. It’s part of the human condition.

(p.s., part of the problem, I think, is the public perception that there are “gluten-free” hosts. I’m thinking that this term is used due to the fact that government labeling regulations use that term. You realize, don’t you, that “gluten-free” foods aren’t 100% gluten free… right? )
 
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My wife and I attend Mass with a woman who has celiacs. She always consumes the regular host even though “gluten-free” is offered after. I finally asked her about it last Sunday and she said that she has never felt the effects of gluten on her from the regular host.

Does anyone here know when “gluten-free” hosts became available?
 
Because bread presupposes [at least a trace amount of] wheat.

Just as mustum presupposes a trace amount of fermentation.

There are ways to assist such people - have them ask their priest, rather than you generalizing in hypothetical questions on an Internet forum.

Peace to those who love the Eucharist,
Deacon Christopher
 
GospelOfMatthew said:
Why can’t they just do 100% gluten-free host, it’s discriminatory
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So is refusing to allow non-Catholics to receive the Eucharist (not to mention preventing blind people from driving). Lots of things are discriminatory what matters isn’t so much whether they are or aren’t but what the reasons fro the discrimination are. In this case, as others have said, the hosts must be made of wheat flour - not any other kinds of flour - to keep as close as possible to what our Lord used. The Church tends to be particularly protective when it comes to stuff to do with the Eucharist basically because of its importance. This might help.

Being celiac myself, I’m only too aware of the difficulties; that said, very few celiac sufferers wouldn’t be able to tolerate even a tiny amount of gluten. Interestingly, some countries (such as the US) will allow something to be labelled GF as long as it doesn’t contain more than 20ppm (parts per million) whereas others require no detectable trace of gluten - in effect, less than 3ppm with anything between this and 20ppm considered “low gluten”. The breads produced by the Benedictine Sisters contain 10ppm.

Finally, to answer @Weave’s question, the first norms regulating what can be used and when came out in 1995 so sometime before then.
 
No good, have you ever noticed that the priest usually breaks the Eucharist over the chalice?
 
Well of course they cant be gluten free!
And while it’s sad many people who are ill cannot recieve.
 
I think host cannot be gluten free, just be low gluten.

People who have celiac desease have to remove cereals, such as wheat from their food. I see no alternative.

And hosts have to be made with wheat.
 
InThePew said:
, very few celiac sufferers wouldn’t be able to tolerate even a tiny amount of gluten.
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Childhood friend was diagnosed with Celiac way before there was any sort of Gluten Free Food Industry.

She would save up and about once a month have a couple of beers because she just loved beer and knew she could splurge every know and then.
 
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