Missionary priests and matter for Eucharist

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HomeschoolDad

HomeschoolDad

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How did missionaries in the past (when there were no mail or shipment services) maintain a supply of wheat hosts and wine to celebrate Mass in the mission field?

Even if the priest took some with him, they would eventually run out, and wheat and/or grapes are not accessible everywhere. Also, hosts would eventually go stale and be at least doubtful matter for the Eucharist.

I know that native substitutes for wheaten bread and grape wine could exist, but they would be invalid matter (e.g., rice flour or some sort of liquor).
 
From what I have read, communion bread was baked locally because it has to be fresh. Wheat is a staple that was pretty much available almost anywhere. I presume if the priest was growing his own food on a mission he’d also sow some wheat.

For wine, they would take a supply and then if more wasn’t available where they were, they’d also try to grow some grapes and make their own wine going forward.
 
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Well, presumably the mission was being established with the idea of staying there and building a community, so they’d want to be self-sustaining.
 
I assumed you would be in the "‘going forward’ is part of the decay and collapse of the English language’ school of thought! I am plainly wrong 🙂
 
I wonder about all those Spanish Jesuits who traveled to distant lands in the sixteenth century, such as St. Francis Xavier in China and Japan or José de Anchieta evangelizing the indigenous tribes in the jungles of Brazil. Can they really have carried supplies of wheat with them wherever they went? And barrels of wine? Or did their superiors back home in Europe arrange a dispensation of some kind for them?
 
In terms of quantity, a relatively small amount of wine could go a long way. Only the priest needs to drink from the chalice for a valid Mass, so a few drops could be used if wine was scarce.
 
I was thinking of missionaries such as the North American Martyrs, but same basic scenario. How would a priest carry more than a small amount of wheat (or hosts) and a small bottle of wine when traveling through strange lands on foot?
 
Wheat is native to the Middle East and Asia. Just like Columbus brought wheat to the Americas and soon was grown all over, I assume the Jesuits would take it along to grow it wherever they went.
 
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