Why does this one family do this?

[JD27076]

Hi…

When I was altar serving one time… I remember seeing that one family request that the priest place the Consecrated Host in a pyx, and put the pyx in the ciborium, and when my priest is distributing communion, instead of offering the Body, the priest gives each family member of that 1 family a pyx and they consume the Host from the pyx.

What is the point of doing that?

I don’t see how its more sanitary because only the priest will even dare ‘reach’ into the ciborium to retrieve a host.

Unless maybe its a gluten-free host and the priest wants to make sure that the boy only gets gluten free but I believe it was a regular host if I saw correctly.

Thank you.

 

[Trishie]

Celiac hosts don’t look so different from ordinary ones.
If one family member is celiac, it is a possibility that more members of that family are, as it is a genetic autoimmune issue. The other possibility is that the family are wheat-intolerant and need the very-low gluten special celiac host. It could even be that, knowing it feels awkward to be singled out, other members of this family act in solidarity with the person with celiac disease, in which wheat, barley, (oats), and rye are actually poison to the person’s system.

I am celiac, therefore don’t find the situation you mention to be odd, although I’ve often thought that those who know nothing of celiac disease or gluten intolerance are possibly confused with a celiac comes to receive communion. I have sometimes in the past placed a pyx with a very-low-gluten host on the altar
Personally, I don’t like to bother a priest as it does require special attention, so often receive only from the chalice.
I just go up from a close position…and that too must be puzzling for some people.

 

[theyoungmonk]

Just to be clear, is he putting a consecrated Host in the pyx after the consecration, or is he consecrating the Host in the Pyx itself? Also I am guessing the family are all sharing one pyx not each having a pyx to themselves?

 

[englishredrose]

Out of a point to note Trishie and don’t mean it in any other way but I wish you would speak to the priest and make sure you having the gluten free host because there may be someone else in the congregation who is too afraid to speak to the priest and have a seperate host put for them. Possibly not but how can we make sure everyone is included if they do not include themselves as such…It isn’t special attentions at all and it isn’t really being any more humble etc by passing by that and just making it harder for anyone who is shy to have their need heard. If all Catholics did as you did then there wouldn’t be any need for the host would there and well I think it is time people were able to ask for one to be put aside though if severly gluten even that one would become crosstaminated as the priest uses one hand for each host and wouldn’t have time to wash his hands in between the hosts. but i am just highlighting if one Catholic thinks they are doing their priest a favour by not asking then what about the other Catholics. Perhaps all hosts should be gluten free then there wouldn’t be an issue:thumbsup:

 

[FrDavid96]

Hi…

When I was altar serving one time… I remember seeing that one family request that the priest place the Consecrated Host in a pyx, and put the pyx in the ciborium, and when my priest is distributing communion, instead of offering the Body, the priest gives each family member of that 1 family a pyx and they consume the Host from the pyx.

What is the point of doing that?

I don’t see how its more sanitary because only the priest will even dare ‘reach’ into the ciborium to retrieve a host.

Unless maybe its a gluten-free host and the priest wants to make sure that the boy only gets gluten free but I believe it was a regular host if I saw correctly.

Thank you.

The part about putting the pyx inside the ciborium sounds a bit odd (that is, awkward but not illicit). Maybe there’s some practical reason to do it this way. It’s not important though.

Overall it does indeed sound like he/they cannot tolerate gluten.

One important point:
The Church never uses “gluten free” hosts because these are not valid matter for the Eucharist. The Church does permit “(very) low gluten” hosts, as these have been determined to be valid matter.

 

[holyfamily1]

I have always been curious to know what you do if you need a low gluten host, thereby it being in a pyx, but you want to receive Holy Communion on the tongue.

 

[FrDavid96]

I have always been curious to know what you do if you need a low gluten host, thereby it being in a pyx, but you want to receive Holy Communion on the tongue.

Everyone’s situation is different.

My own parishioners who are gluten intolerant do receive on the tongue because in their particular case, the chance of a small crumb doesn’t hurt them (which is rather rare)–I’m still very careful though. For others, this is much more severe. Whatever the case may be, and whatever the preference of the communicant (tongue or hand) there’s always some way to work things out.

 

[RoseMary131]

Hi…

When I was altar serving one time… I remember seeing that one family request that the priest place the Consecrated Host in a pyx, and put the pyx in the ciborium, and when my priest is distributing communion, instead of offering the Body, the priest gives each family member of that 1 family a pyx and they consume the Host from the pyx.

What is the point of doing that?

I don’t see how its more sanitary because only the priest will even dare ‘reach’ into the ciborium to retrieve a host.

Unless maybe its a gluten-free host and the priest wants to make sure that the boy only gets gluten free but I believe it was a regular host if I saw correctly.

Thank you.

We could only be guessing an answer for you.

The family may have no problem with you telling them that you notice they receive the Eucharist from the pyx and asking them if they eat “gluten-free” or if they mind sharing their story with you. Celiac may be the reason they do this.

More parishes are beginning to have low gluten host available at Mass. Some parishes will have an announcement in the bulletin that those wishing to receive the low-gluten host should be in a specific “communion line.” The pyx with the low gluten host would be available in that line. The person simply points to the pyx before receiving.

The priest most likely consecrates the host in the pyx. Some priest may give the host to the person from the pyx. If the priest is not touching the host to give it to the person, maybe the person is very sensitive to gluten and this prevents the priest from cross-contamination since he has “gluten” on his fingers. Some people who can not have gluten - only receive from the Cup. They may have a separate chalice from which they receive.

Some families purchase their own low-gluten host, store them in the freezer, bring a pyx to Mass with their hosts in it, and place it on the altar before Mass begins.

Some people on the autism spectrum also eat a gluten-free diet.