Question regarding celiac sprue and the Eucharist

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Mary_Gail_36

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I have a question regarding my sister.

She recently has received a diagnosis of possible celiac disease. If confirmed she will not be able to consume gluten.

I understand there are special low gluten hosts. How would she obtain one? I don’t think this is something she would do herself, but possibly inform the Parish?

Also, she frequently visits on the weekends, and attends Mass at my parish. She is from the next state, so she’s from a different parish and dioceses. What should I do to facilitate her receiving the special low gluten host.

Finally, would she be able to just receive the Precious Blood if it was not possible to obtain the host?

Thank you. Hope I was clear.
 
Low gluten may not be low enough - it depends on how severe her illness is. She can receive from the Cup only, but she should talk with the priest beforehand, so she doesn’t end up with the Cup that has a piece of the Host in it.
 
Mary_Gail_36 said:
I have a question regarding my sister.

She recently has received a diagnosis of possible celiac disease. If confirmed she will not be able to consume gluten.
Click to expand...
I’m just going by what I’ve heard from others.

If it turns out that your sister does in fact have a problem with gluten then her choices (besides refraining from receiving) are as you stated: to have a low gluten host or to receive from the chalice only.

As I understand it, there is a considerable difference between have a sensitivity to gluten and having an all out allergy. For those who are merely sensitive, a low gluten host might be enough. For those with a true allergy, even a low gluten host or the Precious Blood co-mingled with the Host can cause a serious reaction.

In my parish they provide low gluten hosts for those who need them but receiving has to be arranged in advance. Our pastor has asked those who have a problem with gluten to talk to him (or his staff) so he can give them further direction. We almost always have two chalices at each Mass so there would be at least one which had not been co-mingled with the host.

I believe there are travelers who bring their own low gluten host with them and then give it to the priest to be consecrated prior to Mass.

If a parish does not generally offer the Chalice to the congregation, they might still have special provision for those with a gluten allergy to receive from a chalice set aside just for those with allergies. (But that would require sufficient notification prior to Mass beginning.)

In any case, the secret is to speak to the particular parishes and see what can be done for the particular problem of the particular person.
 
Talk to the pastor.

Very low gluten hosts are very easy to obtain from popular Catholic supply sources. They’re also available from some Benedictine nuns. I don’t have their contact info, but whenever this question is posted, those who have it will post a link to their information.

I use these autom.com/category/s?keyword=TS924

The same answer applies to both parishes. Talk to the pastors of both churches and they will work-out something with you. No one here can tell you what that might be. I’ll venture only so far as to say that it will probably be the same arrangements for everyone else at those parishes who need very low gluten hosts.

If there is no pre-existing arrangement, the priest will simply work with you to find one. It’s not difficult. However, there’s no single way of doing this. If that’s the case and you need ideas, I’m sure people will be posting them soon.

If a family travels much, I suggest that they buy a small quantity of these and have them available when traveling. There is no guarantee that every parish has them available immediately.

At my own parish, we have one person who needs low-gluten. I found an extra paten (one from an old chalice) in the sacristy that was otherwise not being used–it was a bit distinctive so it was clearly distinguishable from the patens I usually use. When that person comes to Mass (she comes to different times depending on her schedule that week), she takes a low gluten host from the supply, places it on that designated paten and then puts the paten on the credence table. At the offertory, I put the paten on the corporal. Very simple. Nothing complicated about it.
 
SMHW said:
I’m just going by what I’ve heard from others.

If it turns out that your sister does in fact have a problem with gluten then her choices (besides refraining from receiving) are as you stated: to have a low gluten host or to receive from the chalice only.

As I understand it, there is a considerable difference between have a sensitivity to gluten and having an all out allergy. For those who are merely sensitive, a low gluten host might be enough. For those with a true allergy, even a low gluten host or the Precious Blood co-mingled with the Host can cause a serious reaction.

In my parish they provide low gluten hosts for those who need them but receiving has to be arranged in advance. Our pastor has asked those who have a problem with gluten to talk to him (or his staff) so he can give them further direction. We almost always have two chalices at each Mass so there would be at least one which had not been co-mingled with the host.

I believe there are travelers who bring their own low gluten host with them and then give it to the priest to be consecrated prior to Mass.

If a parish does not generally offer the Chalice to the congregation, they might still have special provision for those with a gluten allergy to receive from a chalice set aside just for those with allergies. (But that would require sufficient notification prior to Mass beginning.)

In any case, the secret is to speak to the particular parishes and see what can be done for the particular problem of the particular person.
Click to expand...
Thank you for your answer. I probably will speak with my parish in case that her tests are positive.

I am a bit concerned about purchasing hosts, I wouldn’t want to purchase the wrong type inadvertently. I understand that other faiths do use a completely gluten free host, but these types might not be valid matter.

I’ll speak to the parish.
 
FrDavid96 said:
Talk to the pastor.

Very low gluten hosts are very easy to obtain from popular Catholic supply sources. They’re also available from some Benedictine nuns. I don’t have their contact info, but whenever this question is posted, those who have it will post a link to their information.

I use these autom.com/category/s?keyword=TS924

The same answer applies to both parishes. Talk to the pastors of both churches and they will work-out something with you. No one here can tell you what that might be. I’ll venture only so far as to say that it will probably be the same arrangements for everyone else at those parishes who need very low gluten hosts.

If there is no pre-existing arrangement, the priest will simply work with you to find one. It’s not difficult. However, there’s no single way of doing this. If that’s the case and you need ideas, I’m sure people will be posting them soon.

If a family travels much, I suggest that they buy a small quantity of these and have them available when traveling. There is no guarantee that every parish has them available immediately.

At my own parish, we have one person who needs low-gluten. I found an extra paten (one from an old chalice) in the sacristy that was otherwise not being used–it was a bit distinctive so it was clearly distinguishable from the patens I usually use. When that person comes to Mass (she comes to different times depending on her schedule that week), she takes a low gluten host from the supply, places it on that designated paten and then puts the paten on the credence table. At the offertory, I put the paten on the corporal. Very simple. Nothing complicated about it.
Click to expand...
Thank you for your answer.

Hopefully, her tests are negative.
 
Mary_Gail_36 said:
Thank you for your answer. I probably will speak with my parish in case that her tests are positive.

I am a bit concerned about purchasing hosts, I wouldn’t want to purchase the wrong type inadvertently. I understand that other faiths do use a completely gluten free host, but these types might not be valid matter.

I’ll speak to the parish.
Click to expand...
You’re absolutely right in what you just wrote.

However, since you did ask about traveling, I’ll add this part. The hosts I linked are certified as valid matter by the Church. The parish where you’ve visiting might not have any low-gluten ones available and a few minutes before Mass is too late (obviously) to order them. I would suggest making a printout of the webpage to show the priest that they come from an approved source.

(see my next post).
 
Bonnie said:
Low gluten may not be low enough - it depends on how severe her illness is. She can receive from the Cup only, but she should talk with the priest beforehand, so she doesn’t end up with the Cup that has a piece of the Host in it.
Click to expand...
At the church I attended as a child, there was a woman with very severe Celiac disease. She received Communion from the cup only (the one without the Sacred Host) - BEFORE anyone else had received from the cup.
 
Here’s a link to the Benedictine Sisters who make low-gluten hosts.

Sad to say, in my experience, priests aren’t always very clued up about low-gluten hosts and, even when you provide the host for them, some seem confused about what to do with it which can make for a very frustrating experience in the communion line. The attached document might be worth printing and giving to your local priest for a bit of education.

Also, in answer to your second question, receiving the precious blood alone is a perfectly acceptable alternative. It occasionally attracts the odd look or comment from EMHC but that’s about it.
 
My son was diagnosed with Celiac Disease at 6 years old. He places an unconsecrated host in a pyx on the altar before Mass, then comes up first in the communion line. This way, he receives directly from his pyx and is first to receive from the cup. It is a struggle knowing he can’t receive the Eucharist with everyone else, but my parish has made extraordinary efforts to provide him with the Sacrament.

I get the unconsecrated hosts from the Benedictine Convent of Perpetual Adoration in Clyde, MO. Part of their vocation is baking low-gluten altar breads for the Church. Their’s are certified acceptable for consecration in the Roman Catholic Church.

When your sister works with her pastor or liturgical minister, they will accommodate her. The Deacon who helps us said that accommodating Celiac is no different from accommodating someone who is deaf, in a wheelchair, or other disability. It’s the pastor’s job to ensure his flock is taken care of.

I hope your sister’s test results are negative, but it’s not the end of the world for her as a Catholic if they are positive. This website has a lot of good information:

catholicceliacs.org
 
pamnbam said:
My son was diagnosed with Celiac Disease at 6 years old. He places an unconsecrated host in a pyx on the altar before Mass, then comes up first in the communion line. This way, he receives directly from his pyx and is first to receive from the cup. It is a struggle knowing he can’t receive the Eucharist with everyone else, but my parish has made extraordinary efforts to provide him with the Sacrament.

I get the unconsecrated hosts from the Benedictine Convent of Perpetual Adoration in Clyde, MO. Part of their vocation is baking low-gluten altar breads for the Church. Their’s are certified acceptable for consecration in the Roman Catholic Church.

When your sister works with her pastor or liturgical minister, they will accommodate her. The Deacon who helps us said that accommodating Celiac is no different from accommodating someone who is deaf, in a wheelchair, or other disability. It’s the pastor’s job to ensure his flock is taken care of.

I hope your sister’s test results are negative, but it’s not the end of the world for her as a Catholic if they are positive. This website has a lot of good information:

catholicceliacs.org
Click to expand...
Thank you. I hope your son is doing well.

It turns out that her tests did come back positive (blood work and biopsy) I gave her the information from the thread.

I actually need to be tested as well. :o
 
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