How to receive only wine at Eucharist

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Lilla321

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Hi there. Happy Easter to all! I joined the Catholic Church on Holy Saturday and received my First Communion. It was wonderful beyond words!!! The only issue was that I could only receive the wine and not the bread and even though I explained this to the Deacon before Mass, he forgot for a minute and it was a bit awkward as he was trying to hand me the bread. I understand, though, there was a lot going on that day.

My question is…Next time I receive the Eucharist, how do I let the person know that I am only receiving the precious blood and not the body? Do I say something? Do I cross my arms and receive a blessing before moving on to the blood? Or are there usually separate lines?

I pray that one day I can receive both, but for now, I just want to know how best to go about this.

Thank you in advance and God bless you!
 
Lilla321 said:
Hi there. Happy Easter to all! I joined the Catholic Church on Holy Saturday and received my First Communion. It was wonderful beyond words!!! The only issue was that I could only receive the wine and not the bread and even though I explained this to the Deacon before Mass, he forgot for a minute and it was a bit awkward as he was trying to hand me the bread. I understand, though, there was a lot going on that day.

My question is…Next time I receive the Eucharist, how do I let the person know that I am only receiving the precious blood and not the body? Do I say something? Do I cross my arms and receive a blessing before moving on to the blood? Or are there usually separate lines?

I pray that one day I can receive both, but for now, I just want to know how best to go about this.

Thank you in advance and God bless you!
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First, welcome to the Church! I’m assuming this is due to a gluten allergy? That’s pretty common, and there are a couple of things you can do about it. One way to deal with it would simply be to come forward with everyone else for Communion, and then, when you can step out of line, just move over to the person ministering the Precious Blood. Most people won’t even notice that you’ve stepped out of line.

The other way you can deal with a gluten/wheat allergy is to request a gluten free host. Father can simply put your host in a pyx (used to hold a small number of hosts) so that it doesn’t come in contact with the regular hosts. You can then come forward to receive as normal. As a practical bit of advice, I’d recommend letting your priest know where you’ll be sitting so he knows to whom he should give the pyx.

Again, this is pretty common and the Church has a number of different ways to handle this.

Blessings!
 
My parish also has gluten free hosts placed in a pyx for the consecration. My advice is to make friends with the sacristician, who can make sure to put out a gluten free host for you.

Of more difficulty is if you can handle no gluten at all (as gluten free hosts are actually very low gluten). Then you really do need the wine only, in which case you need to discuss this with your priest.
 
If this is because of a gluten allergy then you can talk to your prist about getting low gluten hosts for communion as gluten free hosts do not meet church standard because they often times have all kinds of additives in them.
 
I have celiac disease, and for many years (before the low gluten host) I could only receive the cup. Additionally, I had to be first in line due to cross contamination from those receiving the host before the cup. I simply sat on the end of the pew close to where the cup minister stood. As everyone lined up to receive the host, I simply stood and approached the cup. It was very unobtrusive and I doubt anyone but the cup minister noticed. If I was out of town, I would line up to receive the host, at least 2nd in line. While the person ahead of me received, I would step around him and approach the cup minister. No one ever questioned whether I had received the host first. It was very easy to receive in a non-disruptive way. Now the low gluten hosts have changed everything for most of us with celiac. The level of gluten in them is generally too low to set off the autoimmune reaction.
 
Thank you very much for your answers! I do appreciate it. Yes, it is a health concern. I will talk to our Priest about the low-gluten option as that would be such a blessing. For now, I will step out of line and then receive the Precious Blood. It’s a good idea to sit close to the front. Thank you!
 
Lilla321 said:
Hi there. Happy Easter to all! I joined the Catholic Church on Holy Saturday and received my First Communion. It was wonderful beyond words!!! The only issue was that I could only receive the wine and not the bread and even though I explained this to the Deacon before Mass, he forgot for a minute and it was a bit awkward as he was trying to hand me the bread. I understand, though, there was a lot going on that day.

My question is…Next time I receive the Eucharist, how do I let the person know that I am only receiving the precious blood and not the body? Do I say something? Do I cross my arms and receive a blessing before moving on to the blood? Or are there usually separate lines?

I pray that one day I can receive both, but for now, I just want to know how best to go about this.

Thank you in advance and God bless you!
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Welcome!

I would recommend simply bringing it up to the priest and ask how he would like for you to handle it. As others have said, it can be easy enough (depending on how your parish handles the distributions of Communion) to simply bypass the Precious Body and go receive from the Cup. Your priest may have other options for you, though.

Usually, when receiving for the first time at the Vigil, there is more attention on the Candidates and Catechumen, so it was probably more awkward then than it will be on a regular basis.
 
I just wanted to add my voice to those reassuring you that this is easy for the priest or EMHCs to deal with. There is no need to feel you are being conspicuous, and certainly don’t ever feel a nuisance - far from it. Speaking as an EMHC, we are delighted that provision is made for you, and it seems to be less and less unusual by the week.
 
CANON III.–If any one denieth, that Christ whole and entire -the fountain and author of all graces-is received under the one species of bread; because that-as some falsely assert-He is not received, according to the institution of Christ himself, under both species; let him be anathema.
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Christ is wholly present under both species. One does not have to receive both the Sacred Host and Precious Chalice to fully receive Christ. I personally do not agree with offering the Chalice to laity, because it is redundant and open to greater sacrilege, but health concerns are a different matter. Someone who can’t eat solid food or someone with a gluten allergy should receive from the Chalice if possible. If both species are offered, I don’t see why anyone would be mad at you for only approaching one. I’ve never got dirty looks for only receiving the Sacred Host… hmm

I believe they make low-gluten hosts that can be validly consecrated and are safe for most people. Gluten-free hosts are invalid matter.

Pax tecum!
 
I would talk to the pastor before just receiving the wine on your own. The gluten free host is most likely available at all parishes. You don’t want to be thought of as an alcoholic. 😉
 
truetofaith said:
I would talk to the pastor before just receiving the wine on your own. The gluten free host is most likely available at all parishes. You don’t want to be thought of as an alcoholic. 😉
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“Gluten-free hosts” are invalid.
Who cares what other people think? Our minds should be on CHRIST, not whether or not people think we are alcoholics for receiving from the Holy Chalice.
 
When most people say “gluten-free host”, what they really mean is “low gluten host”. There has to be some gluten in it in order to qualify as wheat bread and be valid matter for the consecration.

Low gluten hosts work for some people with gluten allergies, but not all. If the gluten allergy is severe enough, even the little amount of gluten in the low gluten hosts is too much.
 
smead2942 said:
“Gluten-free hosts” are invalid.
Who cares what other people think? Our minds should be on CHRIST, not whether or not people think we are alcoholics for receiving from the Holy Chalice.
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OK…low gluten host…Is it valid to only receive the Blood & not the Body of Christ? 🤷
 
truetofaith said:
OK…low gluten host…Is it valid to only receive the Blood & not the Body of Christ? 🤷
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Christ is present, Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity in both the Host and the Precious Blood so receiving either is receiving validly.
 
Lilla321 said:
Thank you very much for your answers! I do appreciate it. Yes, it is a health concern. I will talk to our Priest about the low-gluten option as that would be such a blessing. For now, I will step out of line and then receive the Precious Blood. It’s a good idea to sit close to the front. Thank you!
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If you can’t reach the priest before Mass, ask one of the ushers if you have special needs. He might be able to get the word to the priest.
 
Lilla321 said:
Thank you very much for your answers! I do appreciate it. Yes, it is a health concern. I will talk to our Priest about the low-gluten option as that would be such a blessing. For now, I will step out of line and then receive the Precious Blood. It’s a good idea to sit close to the front. Thank you!
Click to expand...
At my parish, they have a small chalice where they place low-gluten hosts and the people who need the low-gluten free hosts walk up with the EMHCs.

At another near by parish, the parishioner who cannot receive gluten sits in the front pew and the Priest or Deacon hands her the chalice before handing out hosts to everyone else. She never leaves the pew.

Simply talk with your pastor to figure something out. And make sure you introduce yourself to all the Deacons and priests (if you have more than one).

When traveling to another parish, you MIGHT want to consider simply refraining from Communion that day.

Hope this is helpful.

God Bless, Happy Easter & Welcome Home! 🙂
 
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