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lucybeebee
Guest
I recently saw on the web site of a local parish a poll for individuals interested in wheat-free hosts. I thought that the hosts always had to be wheat. Is this permissible?
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FrDavid96
Guest
They must always be made of wheat. Anything else would not be “valid matter” and would not become the Body of Christ.
On the other hand, it’s possible to make wheaten hosts which have a very low gluten content, for people who can’t tolerate gluten. Might this be what the “poll” was about?
Will you consider providing a link to the website? Some of us would be curious to see it.
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Phemie
Guest
I hope that was a mistake because in order to have valid matter only wheat will do. Maybe they meant “gluten free”? That’s what’s often used for those who suffer from celiac disease. They’re actually “low gluten” because without any gluten at all you don’t have bread and without bread there is no consecration.
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Phemie
Guest
I found the website and the article is seriously misleading.
cathedralofchristtheking.org/eng/
It’s at the Cathedral so you’d think they would be more careful with the way they present things. They use low-gluten and wheat-free interchangeably, which we all know is wrong. A low-gluten host will help if you’ve got celiac disease but I doubt it helps if you’re allergic to wheat.
cathedralofchristtheking.org/eng/
It’s at the Cathedral so you’d think they would be more careful with the way they present things. They use low-gluten and wheat-free interchangeably, which we all know is wrong. A low-gluten host will help if you’ve got celiac disease but I doubt it helps if you’re allergic to wheat.
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Br.Rich_SFO
Guest
I’m not sure why the pyx and why would they be required to receive after Mass, instead of at communion time? A separate Ciborium for the LG Hosts and a separate location/line for those requiring them. As far as I know they can als be reserved in the tabernacle just like the regular Hosts. Those requesting them I believe need to speak with the pastor and supply the necessary medical documentation.
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GodIsGracious
Guest
[emphasis mine]
There are breads that are not made of wheat at all. Amaranth, rice, potato flour, etc. There are other flours that can make breads. Those flours are made of grains that have no gluten in them.
They would not, however, be valid matter to consecrate.
Just saying that there can, and IS, bread out there not made from wheat.
Incidentally, my boyfriend has Celiac disease so he cannot have anything with any gluten in it. He can, however, take “regular” communion and have no ill effects.
He receives with everyone else. I do not, however, suggest this for everyone. This is his decision to make. He’ll tell you, “That’s because it’s not bread, it is the Body and Blood of Christ.”
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Phemie
Guest
My mistake, I should have said “no valid bread”. Rome has already ruled that ‘no-gluten’ wheat hosts are not valid matter. ‘Low-gluten’ hosts are.[emphasis mine]
There are breads that are not made of wheat at all. Amaranth, rice, potato flour, etc. There are other flours that can make breads. Those flours are made of grains that have no gluten in them.
They would not, however, be valid matter to consecrate.
Just saying that there can, and IS, bread out there not made from wheat.
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Sr_Sally
Guest
At my parish there are just a few folks who seem to have a problem with gluten or receiving the Body of Christ. We don’t usually offer both species, but the priest will consecrate a separate small chalice of the Precious Blood and they receive from that chalice alone. That is another way of helping those whose medical conditions make it difficult for them to receive the Body.
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FrDavid96
Guest
The reason for the separate pyx is because (for some) even the smallest crumb of regular-gluten bread can cause problems. I can see one pyx, but one for each person? This might tie in with the “receiving after Mass” part, but I’m with you 100% in that this part makes no sense. People with celiacs should be receiving at Mass just like everyone else.
Yes, they can be reserved in the tabernacle, but they don’t last as long as regular hosts. I tried a low-gluten host in a pyx once, (not consecrated, and not in the tabernacle!) just as as experiment, and it was fine after 2 weeks. I never tried it for any longer, but didn’t see any point in that.
As for documentation, I take people at their word. If they say they have celiacs, that’s good enough for me. The parish has 4500 families, so (statistically) there might be a significant number of people who need low-gluten hosts.
As I read the text on the webpage, there are many “problems” with how things are worded.
Hopefully, the words on the webpage aren’t an accurate reflection of how things are actually being done at the parish.
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Lisa44
Guest
Hi,
I think the article in question was referring to low gluten hosts.
I was told by my Priest that I could not recieve under the species of wine (I hope I worded that correctly) alone. Because, the first time I did this the chalice was not washed and had residual gluten. I asked the Priest if I could use a seperate chalice that was clean and he got rather perturbed. He said he couldn’t wash the chalise and then told me that I couldn’t recieve and it wasn’t necessary for salvation.
Anyways. I didn’t want to upset my Priest so I take his advise and I didn’t worry about it. But then when I went for confesssion he told me he wasn’t going to give confession at that time anymore and when I asked him what times he had confession he said he wasn’t sure and then he hurried away.
I can’t help but wonder if he thinks I’m some sort of devil or something? He also asked me for a doctors note saying I had Celiac Disease.
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Lisa44
Guest
Hi,[emphasis mine]
There are breads that are not made of wheat at all. Amaranth, rice, potato flour, etc. There are other flours that can make breads. Those flours are made of grains that have no gluten in them.
They would not, however, be valid matter to consecrate.
Just saying that there can, and IS, bread out there not made from wheat.
Incidentally, my boyfriend has Celiac disease so he cannot have anything with any gluten in it. He can, however, take “regular” communion and have no ill effects.
I’m guessing your boyfriend is an asymptomatic celiac. This means he doesn’t have immediate symptoms from ingesting gluten. The problem is that even if a Celiac is asymptomatic, he is still incuring intestinal damage. No doctor will advise this to be done and you might want to read some medical literature before you start advocating pious Catholics with Celiac Disease to ingest gluten once a week.
I don’t mean to sound impatient but your knowledge of the disease is limited. Recent studies show intestinal damage at 50 ppm in all Celiacs. Recent studies are also showing that most Celiacs intestines never recover from mucosal damage either, this is due to non-compliance with the diet. The medical advice for Celiacs is a zero gluten diet.
The species of gluten is still present under the consecrated host. Just like the species of wine is still present under the consecrated wine.
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GodIsGracious
Guest
[bolded emphasis is mine]
That’s not true. And I knew someone would say that.
The part about the species of gluten still being present under the consecrated host is true, the part about my boyfriend being asymptomatic is NOT true.He has symptoms alright. I’ve seen him injest gluten, even the tiniest bit of something we thought was gluten free only to find it was not, he’s gotten sick. He has symptoms alright. And it’s BAD. And the reaction WILL happen within a 1/2 hour. I promise you, he has symptoms.
The fact that he CAN receive the consecrated bread and NOT have a reaction to the gluten is what brought us both back to the Catholic church. We consider this a miracle. He first took communion after 5 years of having been diagnosed - and he had no reaction. Whose to say that someone with Celiac will always have a reaction to the body of Christ in wheat form? This is why I say and said I would not suggest this to every Celiac or those with gluten/wheat allergies/intolerances. Your mileage may vary. I don’t have it, but he does, and we live with it everyday, in how we eat, cook, even so much as the lotion I use when I’m around him. I know quite a bit about it.
BTW, I had only believed that the host was the body and blood of Christ because it was something I was taught. Now I know, by this alone, having witnessed what I witnessed. I can honestly say that had I seen him have a reaction to the host that I would definitely have had doubts, and most certainly not believed, that communion was THE body and blood of Christ. Infact, we hadn’t even attended church in at least 5 years. Longer for him. So my belief in the Catholic church being The One True Church was in very serious doubt. I have no doubt now.
And thinking about it, I think I’m no longer going to talk about this to anyone anymore. They don’t believe. Which I don’t get. I don’t understand why someone can’t believe that this can happen for someone with Celiac. They can believe that bread and wine can become body and blood, because for all intents and purposes it is STILL “just” bread and wine, yet they don’t believe that that same bread and wine that they profess to be of Jesus Christ’s body and blood can sheild someone receiving it from the physical components that could be dangerous to the person receiving it. I was just sharing a miracle that we see. I guess sharing this experience is against forum rules anyway of “personal revelations.” So, I’ll stop now.
Good luck finding your solutions.
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Lisa44
Guest
Hi[bolded emphasis is mine]
That’s not true. And I knew someone would say that.
He has symptoms alright. I’ve seen him injest gluten, even the tiniest bit of something we thought was gluten free only to find it was not, he’s gotten sick. He has symptoms alright. And it’s BAD. And the reaction WILL happen within a 1/2 hour. I promise you, he has symptoms.
The fact that he CAN receive the consecrated bread and NOT have a reaction to the gluten is what brought us both back to the Catholic church. We consider this a miracle. He first took communion after 5 years of having been diagnosed - and he had no reaction. Whose to say that someone with Celiac will always have a reaction to the body of Christ in wheat form? This is why I say and said I would not suggest this to every Celiac or those with gluten/wheat allergies/intolerances. Your mileage may vary. I don’t have it, but he does, and we live with it everyday, in how we eat, cook, even so much as the lotion I use when I’m around him. I know quite a bit about it.
BTW, I had only believed that the host was the body and blood of Christ because it was something I was taught. Now I know, by this alone, having witnessed what I witnessed. I can honestly say that had I seen him have a reaction to the host that I would definitely have had doubts, and most certainly not believed, that communion was THE body and blood of Christ. Infact, we hadn’t even attended church in at least 5 years. Longer for him. So my belief in the Catholic church being The One True Church was in very serious doubt. I have no doubt now.
And thinking about it, I think I’m no longer going to talk about this to anyone anymore. They don’t believe. Which I don’t get. I don’t understand why someone can’t believe that this can happen for someone with Celiac. They can believe that bread and wine can become body and blood, because for all intents and purposes it is STILL “just” bread and wine, yet they don’t believe that that same bread and wine that they profess to be of Jesus Christ’s body and blood can sheild someone receiving it from the physical components that could be dangerous to the person receiving it. I was just sharing a miracle that we see. I guess sharing this experience is against forum rules anyway of “personal revelations.” So, I’ll stop now.
Good luck finding your solutions.
You knew someone would say that eh.
I can’t possibly comment on his situation then as it is outside the realm of ordinary reality and into the realm of the miraculous.
I think as long as you tell people “do not try this at home” then you should be safe telling your story. Otherwise, its a bit like telling people not to wear a helmet cycling in busy streets because when you fall Jesus will catch you.
I’m not diminishing your story, I’m just saying we can’t expect miracles.
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