Why the bread must be wheat bread

[RonWI]

In the non-Catholic religion forum, there is a thread that started out discussing whether the Eucharist should include both bread and wine, but turned into a discussion about people allergic to wheat. I started this thread because it seems to me that this is a more appropriate place and to keep the other thread on track.

Here is a fascinating article – by a rabbi of all people – about why the bread used in the Eucharist must be wheat bread, and why alternatives like rice bread are unacceptable.

chroniclesmagazine.org/Chronicles/August2001/0801Neusner.htm

 

[stbruno]

This information is from the Archdiocese of Boston’s website
“The tradition begins with Jesus who at the last supper used wheat bread and wine made from grapes. He gave his command: “do this in memory of me.” The Church has kept this command ever since as she has celebrated the Eucharist and, like Christ, has only used wheat bread and grape wine. The Church teaching has consistently been that it has no authority to change what Christ instituted. Although it is not possible here to give a full scriptural and historical examination of this practice, the Church believes that the use of bread made of wheat is of divine origins.
One is then left with the question of how to address this serious problem of people with celiac disease. Gluten is naturally present in wheat flour and a principal binding agent in the formation of true bread. And, a host without some amount of gluten present is not considered valid matter for the eucharist. What can be done for those with celiac? A solution to this problem may now exist. The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith has given approval for the use of low-gluten hosts (Prot. 89/78-174 98). A very low-gluten host has been developed by the Congregation of Benedictine Sisters of Perpetual Adoration in Missouri. Some consider this confection to be safe for use by those with celiac disease. The valid use of these hosts has been attested to by the Bishops’ Committee on the Liturgy in their November 2003 Newsletter. In an article written in Gluten-Free Living (Vol. 9 no. 2, 2004)Ann Whelen quotes Carlo Catassi, MD, who is an expert in celiac disease, concerning the amount of gluten contained in these hosts. The article states: “Of the hosts Dr. Catassi said, ‘This dose would have no clinical or histological effect even if taken on a regular basis.’” In this limited space it is not possible to present the science to support this statement but it is contained in two articles in *Gluten-Free Living *(Vol. 9 no. 1, 2004), the first by Sister Jeanne Crowe, “Catholic Celiacs Can Now Receive Communion,” and the second by Ann Whelen, “Make your own decision.” A follow-up article is also by Ann Whelen, “Low-Gluten, no gluten” (Vol. 9 no. 2, 2004). It is of course important to remember that when dealing with any medical issues, particularly ones that may have serious consequences, it is appropriate to encourage the person to seek proper medical advice from an individual’s own physician. In presenting this information there is no intention to render a medical opinion for what someone with Celiac disease should do.”

 

[Ray_Marshall]

Bishop Dennis Schnurr of Duluth suffers from Celiac disease. Here is a portion of an article from the Catholic Spirit, the paper of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis that was published on September 2, 2004.

A cross to bear

For Bishop Dennis Schnurr of Duluth, celiac sprue is a cross he says he is willing to bear. He learned in 2002 that the stomach conditions that had plagued him for 30 years were due to celiac and not lactose intolerance or other explanations he had heard from doctors.

Now that he is on a gluten-free diet, he said, “life is much better.” . . . .

As a bishop, he celebrates Mass every day. He said he is able to break off a small portion of the host and eat it during Communion.

“If I take that, I don’t have any visible, physical repercussions from it. The doctor says we still have to monitor that and make certain that it doesn’t exacerbate the situation even more.”

A low-gluten host developed by Benedictine sisters in Clyde, Mo., has become available in recent years and is the only low-gluten altar bread approved for use at Mass in the United States. University of Maryland celiac researcher Dr. Alessio Fasano has said the gluten level is safe for most celiac sufferers, but that in some cases, even the .01 percent in the bread is too much.

Bishop Schnurr said he recognizes that “celiac sprue affects everyone differently, and the severity varies from one person to the next.”

“I have a firsthand appreciation for the great dilemma that it places someone in,” he said. “At the same time, and not wanting to sound crass or lacking in compassion, the church has to be very diligent in making certain that it is very faithful to the words of Christ: ‘Do this in memory of me.’”

“I also understand,” he added, “that for some of these situations, everyone must take up their cross. We always have to look beyond and ask ourselves, . . . what can I learn from this cross? How can I grow in holiness from this cross? So that has to enter this discussion as well.”

For those who grieve the loss of taking the Eucharist and the grace the sacrament confers, Bishop Schnurr said, “We also have to recognize that where a cross is given to us, God gives us more graces than we need to overcome that cross.”