Proper form for bread for Eucharist

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BaronGZ

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I have recently been in a discussion at my parish where for a particular Mass, the plan is to use a home made bread for Communion.

To my knowledge (from the Pastor), the recipie contains “wheat, water and a little bit of milk”. (The recipie had been chosen because it did not crumble as much as many others had.)

Another parishoner who was concerned initially over the potential use of leavened bread was relieved to hear about the lack of leaven, but still considered the bread in use to be illicit to a degree, but valid.

The canons that I can find referring to the making of bread read like this:
Can. 924 §2. The bread must be only wheat and recently made so that there is no danger of spoiling.

Can. 926 According to the ancient tradition of the Latin Church, the priest is to use unleavened bread in the eucharistic celebration whenever he offers it.

I don’t see how the recipie as described above is “illicit” because of a little bit of milk. The Canons are explicit about wheat and no leaven… but are there other rules about other ingredients?

The recipie seems valid… should there be more concern?
 
I’m glad someone asked about this:

My daughter was just diagnosed with Celliac Disease, which basically amounts to an allergy to wheat gluten. Is there any allowed exceptions to the wheat host when it comes time for her first communion? Or will she forever be limited to taking the Blood but not the Body of Christ?
 
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Regenhund:
… will she forever be limited to taking the Blood but not the Body of Christ?
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I can understand your concern that your daughter would not be able to taste the Body of Christ, but technically, if your daughter is limited to receiving only the Blood of Christ she is in no way receiving any less of Him. CCC 1377 states, “…Christ is present whole and entire in each of the species and whole and entire in each of their parts…”

I don’t know if there are any allowed exceptions to the wheat host…

God bless,
Bea’(name removed by moderator)
 
Host may be made only from wheat flour and water. Absolutely no other ingredient is permissible, including milk, sugar, baking soda, salt, and honey, and no other grain may be substituted for the wheat.

If any other ingredient is present in a “notable” amount (that is, an amount that can be noticed), the bread is invalid matter, and a Mass that uses the bread would be an invalid Mass.

The use of leaven in the Western rite is illicit, but it does not make the hosts invalid matter. (If it did, then the hosts used in the Eastern rites would be invalid matter, since those rites use leavened hosts.)
 
Karl, I trust your reply – but reading Canon Law as BaronGZ cites there is no mention of what exactly should be in the host – certainly wheat flour, but something else (obviously water) must be added to make it substantial. Can you please provide an official source for this information?

Our parish makes its own bread using more than plain wheat flour and water and I’d like to have some information to provide if I decide to bring this up at a worship commission meeting.

Thanks for any info!

'thann
 
Redemptionis Sacramentum

On certain matters to be observed or to be avoided
regarding the Most Holy Eucharist
  1. The Matter of the Most Holy Eucharist
[48.] The bread used in the celebration of the Most Holy Eucharistic Sacrifice must be unleavened, purely of wheat, and recently made so that there is no danger of decomposition.[123] It follows therefore that bread made from another substance, even if it is grain, or if it is mixed with another substance different from wheat to such an extent that it would not commonly be considered wheat bread, does not constitute valid matter for confecting the Sacrifice and the Eucharistic Sacrament.[124] It is a grave abuse to introduce other substances, such as fruit or sugar or honey, into the bread for confecting the Eucharist. Hosts should obviously be made by those who are not only distinguished by their integrity, but also skilled in making them and furnished with suitable tools.[125]
 
I’m familiar with Redemptionis Sacramentum, too – but still there is no specific mention of not using milk, or for that matter water.

I vaguely recall reading something “official” about this a year or two ago, but for the life of me I can’t remember where.

'thann
 
“It is a grave abuse to introduce other substances”

Did you miss this part?
Just because milk isn’t mentioned doesn’t make milk permissable. Do you expect the bishops to list every substance known to man to make sure people get the idea?

:banghead:
 
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cmom:
It follows therefore that bread made from another substance, even if it is grain, or if it is mixed with another substance different from wheat to such an extent that it would not commonly be considered wheat bread, does not constitute valid matter for confecting the Sacrifice and the Eucharistic Sacrament.[124] It is a grave abuse to introduce other substances, such as fruit or sugar or honey, into the bread for confecting the Eucharist.
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Karl Keating:
If any other ingredient is present in a “notable” amount (that is, an amount that can be noticed), the bread is invalid matter, and a Mass that uses the bread would be an invalid Mass.
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Okay this is for clarification, not arguement per se –
The recipie has “a little bit of milk”… I don’t know how I would notice milk in the recipie – I wouldn’t be able to taste it since it would be in small quantities. Unless by “noticed” we are actually meaning measurable – e.g. 2 tsp measures – as opposed to “oops, I got a single droplet of milk in the mixture.”

I don’t think that the Redemptionis Sacramentum document “slam dunks” this answer because it also says “to such an extent that it would not commonly be considered wheat bread.” I don’t believe that the recipie (in as minimal of a desciption that I have been given) would be considered a non-wheat bread. <Note: I argue this because it is likely the most typical counter reply that I would recieve.>

Karl, in which documents did you find your information? (I know someone else already asked that, but at this point more info to send on to the parties in error is better.)

Thanks,

BaronGZ
 
cmom said:
“It is a grave abuse to introduce other substances”

Did you miss this part?
Just because milk isn’t mentioned doesn’t make milk permissable. Do you expect the bishops to list every substance known to man to make sure people get the idea?

:banghead:
Click to expand...

Your reply was unnecessarily harsh and I don’t appreciate the “smiley.” I am not a dolt.

The document does not mention water, either – therefore according to the strict sense of the document only wheat flour should be used. Period. NO OTHER SUBSTANCE.

'thann
 
I apologize.

does this help:
use of white bread for hosts
Question from Sean on 07-02-2003:
Mr. Donovan,
In the Code of Canon Law, can. 924, #2, it reads: “The bread must be wheaten only, and recently made, so that there is no danger of corruption.” Does this mean that all consecrations performed with white bread hosts are invalid, or illicit? Does it also apply to wheat hosts that have been bleached? In any event, is there some kind of censure for those supply houses which, despite knowing canon law, continue to provide illicit and possibly invalid matter for consecration?

Thanks, Sean

Answer by Fr. John Trigilio on 07-19-2003:
The flour is bleached before the hosts are made and baked. Unbleached flour will make darker hosts than bleached flour. As long as it is wheat flour, bleached or unbleached, and only water is added before baking, then it is valid matter for the Latin Rite. Byzantine and Eastern Catholics used leavened bread.

I can’t locate the particular canon, my computer is on strike.
 
I have celiac and receive only the Precious Blood; however, be sure it is the chalice that does not have the host crumbled into it and try to receive at the beginning of the communion line so that it is not contaminated by lipstick, chapstick, etc. These can contain wheat and molecules count. I sit at the end of one of the pews near the front on the same side and am able to get the Precious Blood first.

I also understand that Benedictine sisters somewhere in Missouri have developed a low gluten host that still satisfies the requirements for valid matter. I understand that some people bring a host to mass in a pix and it is placed on the altar and they receive communion last. I think permission may be needed from the diocesan bishop for this.

God bless,
oremus
 
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oremus:
I have celiac and receive only the Precious Blood; however, be sure it is the chalice that does not have the host crumbled into it and try to receive at the beginning of the communion line so that it is not contaminated by lipstick, chapstick, etc. These can contain wheat and molecules count. I sit at the end of one of the pews near the front on the same side and am able to get the Precious Blood first.

I also understand that Benedictine sisters somewhere in Missouri have developed a low gluten host that still satisfies the requirements for valid matter. I understand that some people bring a host to mass in a pix and it is placed on the altar and they receive communion last. I think permission may be needed from the diocesan bishop for this.

God bless,
oremus
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A bishop does not have the authority to allow the use of a host that is made with anothering other than wheat flower and water.

It would be a grave liturgical abuse if someone was placing a pyx filled with say rice-based host(s) from home to be consecrated. Truly abominable.
 
There was a case several years ago, I think in New England, where a family very publicly left the Catholic Church and joined a Protestant denomination because their daughter had celiac disease and was not permitted to receive a host made of something other than wheat. The parents were very irate and thought the Church should allow their daughter to receive Communion using another kind of host/bread. It was made very clear that only wheat and water were permitted for making hosts.

Peace,
Linda
 
Yes, In the Byzantine (Eastern) Catholic Rite Churches we do use leavened bread in the form of a cube which is presented also with the precious blood on a spoon.

I do not know specifically know what the ingredients of the host but I am sure it is wheat and water too.

Christ is Risen! Indeed He is Risen! 👍
 
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LindaS:
There was a case several years ago, I think in New England, where a family very publicly left the Catholic Church and joined a Protestant denomination because their daughter had celiac disease and was not permitted to receive a host made of something other than wheat. The parents were very irate and thought the Church should allow their daughter to receive Communion using another kind of host/bread. It was made very clear that only wheat and water were permitted for making hosts.

Peace,
Linda
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They became Lutherans. Their pastor explained that their daughter would receive the entire Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ by consuming the Precious Blood.

They then carped about germs and continued to demand rice-based hosts. The pastor went so far as to offer the use of an extra chalice for the sole use of the daughter – an extraordinary display of consideration and kindness.

They still left.
 
Oh! I am so excited to hear this as I was given a breakfast biscuit (yes, a biscuit) for communion on a cruise last year. The priest didn’t bring enough hosts, so he, uh, improvised. I figured that something was fishy, but I never really looked into it again as it was definitely a one time thing.
 
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Regenhund:
I’m glad someone asked about this:

My daughter was just diagnosed with Celliac Disease, which basically amounts to an allergy to wheat gluten. Is there any allowed exceptions to the wheat host when it comes time for her first communion? Or will she forever be limited to taking the Blood but not the Body of Christ?
Click to expand...
My grandson has the same problem. The pastor told my daughter that he would simply receive under the species of the Sacred Blood.

This satisfied them.

Now, as an aside, are they 100% sure it is celiac? After many (many, many) tests, the doctors decided (just two weeks ago) that what my grandson has is not celiac but an allergic to milk protein (which often has the same symptoms).

I’ll keep your daughter in my prayers. :praying:
 
Maybe we should take a moment to reflect on the theological reasons behind the criteria for valid matter.

Here are some thoughts:
  1. God chose bread and wine for a reason.
  2. The passover meal was fulfilled.
  3. The passover was instituted by God. Elements of this were designed to anticipate the Last Supper.
  4. Melchizedek took bread and wine. This was part of God’s design. Melchizedek was a type of Christ.
  5. Bread is made by thrashing wheat. Wine is made by crushing grapes. Is this a type of Christ’s scourging?
 
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