Procedure for receiving low-gluten communion

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In my experience, it is not straightforward to ensure that one is given the low-gluten host if needed. Even in cases, when it was agreed that a low-gluten host will be given, an ordinary host was offered at first, and there was a need of reminder. In some cases, there were multiple ministers for communion, and not everyone of them knew about the low-gluten hosts.
I think there should be a straightforward procedure for receiving a low-gluten host in the communion line, even if the priest and the parishioner do not share a common language. One possibility is using signs like these two:
http://s17.postimg.org/4dgizo1qn/glutenfreesign.jpg
It would need a public guideline of some kind to make it common practice, so that every priest would know about it.
How do you think this should be organized, so that the low-gluten hosts will be given to the right people without unnecessary disturbance?
 
My parish we have ony Two parishioners who have to have gluten fee host so at mass I put in a pix for mass and if he’s not there we sut level in the tabernacle until he is there
 
A couple of things strike me about the signs, but perhaps they’re based on my misperceptions.
  1. They seem to imply that low gluten hosts are consecrated at every Mass. I was under the impression that they were only used when someone – the priest or sacristan – knew they were needed.
  2. I was also under the impression that they had to be kept in a separate pyx. If that’s the case, then the person wanting them would have to be in the right line in order to receive them.
It seems like either way, there has to be communication before Mass to make sure that low gluten hosts are available and for the person to know where to go to receive one. And that removes the need for a sign.

It must be a burden to be in this position.
 
My sister has celiac disease. She prefers to either receive only the Precious Blood or refrain from receiving if she isn’t at her home parish- it is awkward and sometimes embarrassing to request and even receive the low gluten host. She has had to go up ahead of everyone else in one parish- by herself and with too much attention drawn to herself in her opinion. She doesn’t want the Eucharist to be turned into any sort of spectacle- so if she is in a parish where the Precious Blood isn’t available, or where it appears that intincture (sp?) is happening, she simply refrains. But I agree with the PP that it has to be asked about ahead of time, and planned on. There is a special pyx she has at her home parish that is waiting for her in the line she goes in. That way the regular host doesn’t contact hers. It’s very complicated, and for her, somewhat private.

My son hasn’t had his First Holy Communion yet, but he is gluten intolerant. I am not sure how we will handle it! It’s coming up this spring so I need to meet with the DRE and ask what to do.
 
savedbygrace71 said:
My sister has celiac disease. She prefers to either receive only the Precious Blood or refrain from receiving if she isn’t at her home parish- it is awkward and sometimes embarrassing to request and even receive the low gluten host. She has had to go up ahead of everyone else in one parish- by herself and with too much attention drawn to herself in her opinion. She doesn’t want the Eucharist to be turned into any sort of spectacle- so if she is in a parish where the Precious Blood isn’t available, or where it appears that intincture (sp?) is happening, she simply refrains. But I agree with the PP that it has to be asked about ahead of time, and planned on. There is a special pyx she has at her home parish that is waiting for her in the line she goes in. That way the regular host doesn’t contact hers. It’s very complicated, and for her, somewhat private.

My son hasn’t had his First Holy Communion yet, but he is gluten intolerant. I am not sure how we will handle it! It’s coming up this spring so I need to meet with the DRE and ask what to do.
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Have u asked your parish to buy them for her so that at mass she can just go up to the pyxs with a pix of the gluten free alter bread. I seen lodes of people who come to my parish do it .
I hope the can be a help to you god bless
 
At our Latin Mass, the procedure is simple and effective. The regular Hosts are distributed first.

As the lines thin out, those who wish to receive low-gluten hosts line up, but they wait until everyone at the communion rail is gone. They do not kneel as soon as someone stands up. This leaves the Communion rail empty and Father sees those who need to receive low-gluten Hosts ready to receive. He then departs for the Tabernacle and obtains the separate ciborium containing the low-gluten hosts. Only when Father leaves do the communicants kneel and receive.

Now I’m not certain exactly how, but at an Ordinary Form Mass where Communion is received standing with no Communion rail, but there’s probably a way to adapt this method.
 
Tinkinen said:
In my experience, it is not straightforward to ensure that one is given the low-gluten host if needed. Even in cases, when it was agreed that a low-gluten host will be given, an ordinary host was offered at first, and there was a need of reminder. In some cases, there were multiple ministers for communion, and not everyone of them knew about the low-gluten hosts.
I think there should be a straightforward procedure for receiving a low-gluten host in the communion line, even if the priest and the parishioner do not share a common language. One possibility is using signs like these two:
http://s17.postimg.org/4dgizo1qn/glutenfreesign.jpg
It would need a public guideline of some kind to make it common practice, so that every priest would know about it.
How do you think this should be organized, so that the low-gluten hosts will be given to the right people without unnecessary disturbance?
Click to expand...
I guess I am confused a to how this symbol would be used. You mention the communion line. Are you suggesting that communicant carry this little sign as show it to the priest just before receiving? Or are you suggesting it be used as a communication aid so that a person with a gluten issue can have a discussion with the priest or sacristan before Mass even if there is a language barrier? The former seems to be overly complicated while the latter might be a good idea. Of course, there would need to be some way for the priest to let the person know if they did not have low gluten hosts on hand.

Now, I like the symbol and I can see it being used as a label on the top of a pyx to signify that the hosts within are low gluten. We have a few parishioners with gluten issues. They place their pyxes on the altar before Mass begins. But this is only really practical in a fairly small parish and where the communicants are known to the priest. Unfortunately, there are hosts marketed as gluten free that are not valid matter. If some one unknown to the priest were to just bring his/her hosts and put them on the altar, how would the priest know if they were valid or not?
 
There are actually two separate problems: we need to ensure that low-gluten hosts are available and that they are given to the right people. The sign could help with both. Even if the parishioner has communicated in the sacristy, that a low-gluten host should be available, it is not always hassle-free to receive it. As I mentioned, some priests have tried to offer an ordinary host, and it is up to the communicant to remind the priest. Holding the sign in the communion line could help here to be an unequivocal message. It can be difficult to remember the face of someone the priest has met for the first time, among maybe hundreds of communicants.

I have once been to a restaurant that takes gluten-free customers seriously. They had a policy that all gluten-free meals have a flag attached to them, and gluten-free customers should refuse a meal that does not have the flag. I like this policy because it provides a layer of protection against mistakes.

I have some experience of non-Catholic (mostly Lutheran) church services. Many local non-Catholic parishes do not require any notification in advance for gluten-free communion. I think gluten-free communion is almost always prepared according to some estimate, and these hosts can be asked at the communion rail at any time. It is often announced before the distribution of the communion where gluten-free communion can be received, for example, “people wanting gluten-free communion join the leftmost line”. I think several of their procedures are quite straightforward, and the Catholic parishes could take advice from them. It is important to have a straightforward procedure, which avoids hassle.
 
We only have one priest, and the Deacon will inform Father that the one of only about 3 parishioners with this need are present. He then consecrates their host along with the others, and places it in a pyx. The people know to get in his line. No fuss, no difference in receiving procedure. I think this is very effective, and there has not been (to my knowledge) any mix-up.
Another thing that our parish dies, is to purchase the ones that look very different from the general use hosts. It’s pretty obvious which ones are low gluten. This is a way to double check that no mistakes are made.
I suppose if your parish has a large number of people who need these, it could pose logistical issues, but our parish does not have this need for many people.
For children at First Communion, we give a choice: the special hosts, or simply receive from the cup. The decision is made by the parents, the Communicant, and the Pastor during the preparatory process, and rehearsed.
Those distributing the Precious Bleed at the First Communion Mass are briefed in advance.
 
This seems to add layers and layers of complications to something that just isn’t that complicated. Why would we do that?
 
maryjk said:
This seems to add layers and layers of complications to something that just isn’t that complicated. Why would we do that?
Click to expand...
It is not clear what you are referring to. What is your solution?
 
Tinkinen said:
In my experience, it is not straightforward to ensure that one is given the low-gluten host if needed. Even in cases, when it was agreed that a low-gluten host will be given, an ordinary host was offered at first, and there was a need of reminder. In some cases, there were multiple ministers for communion, and not everyone of them knew about the low-gluten hosts.
I think there should be a straightforward procedure for receiving a low-gluten host in the communion line, even if the priest and the parishioner do not share a common language. One possibility is using signs like these two:
http://s17.postimg.org/4dgizo1qn/glutenfreesign.jpg
It would need a public guideline of some kind to make it common practice, so that every priest would know about it.
How do you think this should be organized, so that the low-gluten hosts will be given to the right people without unnecessary disturbance?
Click to expand...
So, are you the distributor for these?
 
Tinkinen said:
It is not clear what you are referring to. What is your solution?
Click to expand...
I don’t see this as a problem in need of a solution. 🤷

If the communicant has made arrangements with the priest, he/she simply follows those arrangements. If there is a doubt about the host, the communicant can simply refrain from receiving at that particular Mass or receive just from the Cup (if available).
 
pianistclare said:
So, are you the distributor for these?
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I ignore this as an insult. I don’t think I indicated that I am selling anything.

This particular symbol is actually trademarked, so it could be problematic to use that symbol in some jurisdictions, except in uses that are not subject to trademark law, such as in private.
 
Tinkinen said:
I ignore this as an insult. I don’t think I indicated that I am selling anything.

This particular symbol is actually trademarked, so it could be problematic to use that symbol in some jurisdictions, except in uses that are not subject to trademark law, such as in private.
Click to expand...
It’s a fair question. that’s the thing about forums. You get to post, and so do others. 🤷
I’m baffled by your second sentence. Someone is manufacturing these. Why wouldn’t they be available for purchase and use anywhere? Makes no sense.
 
Tinkinen said:
No, it is not. It is insinuating and off-topic. The rules of the forum discourage off-topic posts.
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Now even more confused.

Didn’t you post this image in the original post? How is it off-topic to ask the origin of the image?

Didn’t you suggest that this be used broadly by Catholic parishes? How is it off-topic to consider how to do that? If it’s a trademark or a copyrighted image, wouldn’t the first step be to secure permission to use the image?

What is it that you believe the question is insinuating?
 
Corki said:
Didn’t you suggest that this be used broadly by Catholic parishes? How is it off-topic to consider how to do that? If it’s a trademark or a copyrighted image, wouldn’t the first step be to secure permission to use the image?
Click to expand...
Not exactly. I presented a problem statement. The image is an initial contribution, intended to open discussion on ways to solve the problem. This particular symbol, the Crossed Grain Symbol, cannot probably be used since it is a trademark, I think, of the Coeliac UK society. But it was not the point, as this particular symbol would not have to be used.
Corki said:
Didn’t you post this image in the original post? How is it off-topic to ask the origin of the image?

What is it that you believe the question is insinuating?
Click to expand...
People often ask if someone is selling a product if they want to insinuate that the poster has an agenda to gain profits and that their opinion is self-interested and illegitimate. In this sense, the comment can be regarded as an insult, as I did nothing to indicate that I was selling anything. It would also be derailing the topic if some people recommended praying the rosary, for example, and their motives were questioned by asked if they profit by selling rosary beads.

However, if the comment was to be understood in the literal sense, that is, the poster wanted to know where to buy such signs and if I happened to have them for purchasing. This intention would still not contribute to the topic, and would be served better by a private message, for example.
 
Tinkinen said:
Not exactly. I presented a problem statement. The image is an initial contribution, intended to open discussion on ways to solve the problem. This particular symbol, the Crossed Grain Symbol, cannot probably be used since it is a trademark, I think, of the Coeliac UK society. But it was not the point, as this particular symbol would not have to be used.

People often ask if someone is selling a product if they want to insinuate that the poster has an agenda to gain profits and that their opinion is self-interested and illegitimate. In this sense, the comment can be regarded as an insult, as I did nothing to indicate that I was selling anything. It would also be derailing the topic if some people recommended praying the rosary, for example, and their motives were questioned by asked if they profit by selling rosary beads.

However, if the comment was to be understood in the literal sense, that is, the poster wanted to know where to buy such signs and if I happened to have them for purchasing. This intention would still not contribute to the topic, and would be served better by a private message, for example.
Click to expand...
Speaking of derailing…🤷
 
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