Gluten Intollerant Extra Ordinary Minister of the Eucharist

[whatsmyname]

I can’t eat gluten either. My previous church offered gluten free hosts (which may have been the absolute worst thing I have ever tasted). I do not believe my current church does, but I’ll ask when I finally get to take communion. I won’t ask them to buy them for me because I don’t like to cause a scene. I’d rather get sick than be the center of attention. A group of nuns developed the approved low gluten hosts after years of trying to find a recipe that would work.

Headline from this week’s church bulletin:“Eucharistic Ministers Volunteers Needed”
Each Sunday, they also make an announcement before each mass, “We need 3 more eucharistic ministers, 3 more volunteers today.”
I really need to stop reading these forums. They point out that my church does just about everything wrong and then I focus too much on what’s being done wrong and not enough on what’s right.

 

[Corki]

I realize that there are many parishes that only offer one “species” (although I’ve never been to a mass that only had wine) but it is odd here in Oklahoma at the very least. We aren’t talking about a small parish where you usually only see the host. We are talking about a several thousand people church in an upscale town. Pretty big church. It’s odd to me b/c I had never heard of reserving wine for only G.I. people. I wouldn’t think that gluten would pass from mouth to cup but who knows.

Having a very large number of people at Mass is one of the very good reasons to distribute Communion under just one species. The bigger the congregation, the harder it is to estimate how much wine to consecrate. There is also more “logistics” to worry about with a large number of cups to be moved to the altar, etc.

It sounds like the parish you attended is one that has decided it is most prudent to distribute Communion under one species but has made a generous accommodation to that practice for individuals who cannot consume the host. Sounds like a pastor who is really on the ball.

 

[Jack007]

Thank you everyone for clarifying the terms I used. I have decided not to receive any host,** just the blood of Jesus**

huh???

Jesus is completely present in both bread and wine.

 

[CatholicSooner]

Having a very large number of people at Mass is one of the very good reasons to distribute Communion under just one species. The bigger the congregation, the harder it is to estimate how much wine to consecrate. There is also more “logistics” to worry about with a large number of cups to be moved to the altar, etc.

It sounds like the parish you attended is one that has decided it is most prudent to distribute Communion under one species but has made a generous accommodation to that practice for individuals who cannot consume the host. Sounds like a pastor who is really on the ball.

It might just be the midwest but it has acutally been the exact opposite in my experience. The larger churches (more funds I guess) always have wine and host. The smaller ones only have the host. It might just be the part of the world that I am in but that is my experience

 

[CatholicSooner]

huh???

Jesus is completely present in both bread and wine.

I think you know what he meant. I mean what do they say when you receive the liquid form of Jesus?

 

[Jack007]

I think you know what he meant. I mean what do they say when you receive the liquid form of Jesus?

Yes, I understood.

wine. consecrated wine.

 

[andrewstx]

I am really confused about all this gluten intolerant business. Ten years or so ago it was unheard of. Now it seems that many are GI. What happened?

It seems to be good for business, tons of items in the market claim to be gluten-free and have a higher cost. I realize that their are GI people, but their numbers are small. But a trip to the market will make you think that most are GI. Is this somewhat a fad, and an unethical grab for more profits?

 

[Phemie]

I realize that there are many parishes that only offer one “species” (although I’ve never been to a mass that only had wine) but it is odd here in Oklahoma at the very least. We aren’t talking about a small parish where you usually only see the host. We are talking about a several thousand people church in an upscale town. Pretty big church. It’s odd to me b/c I had never heard of reserving wine for only G.I. people. I wouldn’t think that gluten would pass from mouth to cup but who knows.

In my experience it’s the bigger churches that don’t offer Communion under both species. My small parish always does but our Archdiocesan Cathedral parish doesn’t.

 

[porthos11]

I am really confused about all this gluten intolerant business. Ten years or so ago it was unheard of. Now it seems that many are GI. What happened?

It seems to be good for business, tons of items in the market claim to be gluten-free and have a higher cost. I realize that their are GI people, but their numbers are small. But a trip to the market will make you think that most are GI. Is this somewhat a fad, and an unethical grab for more profits?

I think it may have something to do with the fact that here in North America, we’re too clean. We no longer have reasonable exposure to pathogens such that our immune systems go haywaire, to the point of attacking the body itself or otherwise good substances. This may be why I’ve never heard of anyone with peanut allergies before coming to Canada. Heck, one can’t bring peanut butter sandwiches to school anymore, but in the Philippines, peanut vendors abound around schools and to be honest, I’ve never heard of peanut allergies where.

Just sayin.

(Disclaimer: I am neither a physician nor a nutritionist).

 

[CatholicSooner]

I am really confused about all this gluten intolerant business. Ten years or so ago it was unheard of. Now it seems that many are GI. What happened?

It seems to be good for business, tons of items in the market claim to be gluten-free and have a higher cost. I realize that their are GI people, but their numbers are small. But a trip to the market will make you think that most are GI. Is this somewhat a fad, and an unethical grab for more profits?

you are correct…it is a big money maker. There are some that have real intolerances like you mention but the market is feeding off of it being “healthy”. Research has shown that unless you have specific intolerances, gluten free items do not have an affect on you. So those that claim to feel so much better after getting off gluten, really just have it in their heads.

 

[whatsmyname]

I am really confused about all this gluten intolerant business. Ten years or so ago it was unheard of. Now it seems that many are GI. What happened?

It seems to be good for business, tons of items in the market claim to be gluten-free and have a higher cost. I realize that their are GI people, but their numbers are small. But a trip to the market will make you think that most are GI. Is this somewhat a fad, and an unethical grab for more profits?

It is both a moneymaking fad and an actual problem. Gluten intolerance has increased about 4-fold in the last 50 years. 1 in 133 are thought to have Celiac with some population groups being closer to 1 in 33. Italy has been particularly hard hit. Wheat has changed dramatically, with our modern wheat containing many more chromosomes and much higher levels of gluten than older varieties. And, in general, we eat a terribly unhealthy diet and are exposed to much higher levels of toxins than in the past leading to a general decline in health; autoimmune disease which was almost unknown a couple generations ago is rampant, and many autoimmune symptoms can be lessened by eliminating gluten from the diet…

Most celiacs know that the majority of the overpriced gf processed junk food on the market is best avoided. If you see somebody buying all that overpriced processed garbage non-food, you can be pretty sure they’re either in it for the fad, or they are newly diagnosed and haven’t yet discovered that those foods will exacerbate their illness. On the other hand, I’m grateful for the fad because it means I can eat in restaurants occasionally and I can find a variety of substitute foods like gf grains, pastas and flours that weren’t available a few years ago. Sometimes, you just get tired of baking your own crackers and want to buy a box of them.

 

[oldgraymare2]

Sounds like you might have celiac. I don’t seem to have that but I discovered have a bad allergy to gluten. For me it caused bad skin patches on my hands. Just mentioning it incase someone out there has had psoriasis or rough, cracking skin problems. Might be worth stopping all gluten intake for a couple of weeks and see what happens.

Thanks for mentioning this, ArchAngeles. I have psoriasis, and I didn’t even think about any food issues as being a contributor to it.

 

[PolycarpMeans]

It is only the appearance of bread. Its substance is flesh, both human and divine.

I am gluten intolerant. It is genetic. It is miserable. I experience dreadful intestinal difficulties when I consume wheat products.

…But the Host has never, and will never cause me pains in this regard. Even if He did, it would be a joy and an honour to suffer for the sake of the Sacrifice.

Eat It anyway. Even if you fear It may kill you (it won’t), consider any suffering His presence brings (which it won’t) to be a blessing, a severe mercy.

Priorities.

[Edit: P.S. If you don’t believe this… that’s fine. But if you aren’t 100% convinced that it is the flesh of God and Man in the person of Jesus Christ, and is in your mind still bread… you shouldn’t be receiving the Eucharist at all in any form anyway, lest you “eat and drink condemnation.”]

 

[Phemie]

It is only the appearance of bread. Its substance is flesh, both human and divine.

I am gluten intolerant. It is genetic. It is miserable. I experience dreadful intestinal difficulties when I consume wheat products.

…But the Host has never, and will never cause me pains in this regard. Even if He did, it would be a joy and an honour to suffer for the sake of the Sacrifice.

Eat It anyway. Even if you fear It may kill you (it won’t), consider any suffering His presence brings (which it won’t) to be a blessing, a severe mercy.

Priorities.

[Edit: P.S. If you don’t believe this… that’s fine. But if you aren’t 100% convinced that it is the flesh of God and Man in the person of Jesus Christ, and is in your mind still bread… you shouldn’t be receiving the Eucharist at all in any form anyway, lest you “eat and drink condemnation.”]

Now you are implying that those who do react to the Host simply don’t have enough Faith. That’s a wild accusation, considering that the incidences haven’t changed with consecration. You will get drunk if you consume too much of the Precious Blood and you will likely have pain if you have Celiac and consume the Host. My 93 year old friend, who has never received from the Cup because it doesn’t feel right to her, only receives Communion a few times a year because she’s miserable for several days after receiving.

 

[Phemie]

Now you are implying that those who do react to the Host simply don’t have enough Faith. That’s a wild accusation, considering that the incidences haven’t changed with consecration. You will get drunk if you consume too much of the Precious Blood and you will probably have pain if you have Celiac and consume the Host. My 93 year old friend, who has never received from the Cup because it doesn’t feel right to her, only receives Communion a few times a year because she’s miserable for several days after receiving.

 

[Elizium23]

It is only the appearance of bread. Its substance is flesh, both human and divine.

I am gluten intolerant. It is genetic. It is miserable. I experience dreadful intestinal difficulties when I consume wheat products.

…But the Host has never, and will never cause me pains in this regard. Even if He did, it would be a joy and an honour to suffer for the sake of the Sacrifice.

Eat It anyway. Even if you fear It may kill you (it won’t), consider any suffering His presence brings (which it won’t) to be a blessing, a severe mercy.

Priorities.

[Edit: P.S. If you don’t believe this… that’s fine. But if you aren’t 100% convinced that it is the flesh of God and Man in the person of Jesus Christ, and is in your mind still bread… you shouldn’t be receiving the Eucharist at all in any form anyway, lest you “eat and drink condemnation.”]

You exhibit a misunderstanding of how the Eucharist works, and your accusation at the end of the post is offensive to me. I believe in the True Presence as taught by the Catholic Church.

 

[KD8TZC]

We used to have a priest at our parish who had been assigned to South America for some time. He came down with an intestinal bug that he never could shake and was very limited on what he could eat. I think rice was one of the things he could eat and not get sick, but just a little bit at a time.

Anyhow, I recall that he would just take a very small piece of the host and consume it and he was okay with that. Now, I know that won’t work for most people who are in the communion line, unless the priest knows in advance and remembers to just give you a very small piece.

That has also been my question with though who receive a gluten free (or gluten reduced) host. How does the person know to give you that or do you have to tell them each time?

Thanks,

John

 

[pensmama87]

We used to have a priest at our parish who had been assigned to South America for some time. He came down with an intestinal bug that he never could shake and was very limited on what he could eat. I think rice was one of the things he could eat and not get sick, but just a little bit at a time.

Anyhow, I recall that he would just take a very small piece of the host and consume it and he was okay with that. Now, I know that won’t work for most people who are in the communion line, unless the priest knows in advance and remembers to just give you a very small piece.

That has also been my question with though who receive a gluten free (or gluten reduced) host. How does the person know to give you that or do you have to tell them each time?

Thanks,

John

At our parish there is a daily communicant who cannot consume the normal hosts. The priests, ushers and EMHCs know who she is. The hosts she consumes are kept in the ushers’ office to make sure they are kept separate from the regular ones (unconsecrated, one is only consecrated if she is there).

I am not sure how they handle it for Sundays, but we do have a EMHC designated to distribute to the disabled (they are encouraged to sit in certain areas of the church and to let ushers know they will need someone to bring communion to them.) It would make sense to me if a person requiring a low gluten host sat there and informed an usher of their needs. Or, since we have the cup, they could just skip receiving the host (I’ve seen this done).