Gluten-free Communion Wafers Not Holy, Says Catholic Diocese in Ohio

The researchers are obviously not talking about those Celiacs for whom even a crumb can cause horrible pain and diarrhea. Even worse, the silent damage that is done to the body even without having a noticeable "reaction". Once again, the Catholic Church is showing extreme lack of compassion for its parishioners in favor of archaic dogma.

So ask for a separate chalice of wine to be consecrated. My sister does this. It is not archaic dogma any more than the fact that it is Jesus if validly consecrated is. Are you Catholic? If you are then you are in name only. There were many saints who were not celiac who were yearning for Holy Communion (Blessed Imelda Lambertini, or any of the martyrs in prison or any who are in mission territory). If you truly yearn for Christ, develop a rapport with your pastor and figure a way for you to receive.

Shannon you are right the Bible never says wheat. That is why so many people are leaving the Catholic religion. I would never be able to take the host. I do let the priest no before mass that I can not take the host and he brings me down the wine.

The Bible does say wheat because that is what was used at the Last Supper: the Passover meal.

This is a pretty good article on this topic. The low-gluten hosts from the Benedictine Sisters have become a common presence in the parishes near me. Some parishes order their own, and some celiac parishioners buy their own low-gluten hosts and bring a host to church to give to the priest before Mass, usually in its own separate pyx (a little gold-plated box--your priest can explain). Catholics do have to be VERY careful not to use the wheat-free, completely gluten-free hosts. Receiving the Precious Blood (after the consecration it is NOT wine) from the cup may also be an option for celiac disease Catholics. Ask the priest before Mass. Jesus is truly present body, blood, soul and divinity, in either "kind" of the Eucharist.

True.

How Christian is it to deny holy communion to those who are gluten intolerant? It isn't at all Christian. It's bigoted and hypocritical and mean.

No one is denying anyone anything. Try asking the priest for the Precious Blood. Form a rapport with the priest and work it out.

Unfortunately, the author of this article either didn't understand the whole story or chose to sensationalize it. If you go back to the original newspaper article you will see that parish had allowed the child to receive non-wheat communion wafers (there are lots of companies out there making them) and when the pastor was reminded that they needed to use the wheat-starch wafers, the child rejected them because she didn't like the way they tasted. The headline and opening of this story suggests that 1) the position of the Catholic Church is that vlg wafers are no longer allowed and 2) that the child was being denied Communion under the species of bread. Neither is true. There is enough pain associated with celiac disease already, we don't need to add to it with inaccurate information.

Thank you! Good job!

Uh.....Jesus himself made an anology of eating his actual body and drinking his blood to wine and bread. I am pretty sure that the analogy would work just as well with gluten free wafers! As long as they are prepared and presented in a traditional Catholic mass! I guess the real hard-core Christians should be eating real human flesh and drinking real blood eh? The rest of us are just pretending right?!

Amen!

My understanding is that when the bread and wine are consecrated during the mass they become the actual flesh and blood of Christ. Given human beings are not made of gluten, I do not understand the controversy. Why would anyone with Celiac disease, who truly believes it is the body of Christ they are eating, need worry about gluten? Just another contradiction of the church. I am so looking forward to the explanation for this one.

You're right, the bread and wine do become the Body and Blood of Christ when they are consecrated. Just like Jesus was 100% man and 100% God, the consecrated host is 100% bread and 100% the Body of Christ.

Incorrect. There are plenty of archaeological artifacts, contemporaneous writings and traditional accounts of how all food was prepared. Rice was not used for bread. Wheat was. In fact, wheat *IS* mentioned in the New Testament, many times. No mention exists, however, for any other grain used in making bread.

I have 2 family members who must have gluten free everything. Even the slightest bit of gluten makes them seriously ill. I do not believe for one moment that Jesus would restrict the celebration of the Eucharist by limiting people's participation because of wheat or no wheat. When the bread and wine become the body and blood of our lord it matters not that the host was wheat. Or are you implying that our lord couldn't change any other bread type into his body? That would be like saying Jesus is able to do miracle after miracle but not any bread into his body but wheat. I think not. And you do pontificate a bit.

First of all, relax. Catholics have a much different understanding of the Eucharist than Protestant churches do. It is not meant to make us "feel good". It is a sacrament that requires both proper matter and form to be valid. The gluten-free hosts truly do NOT meet Vatican standards because they must be made of wheat. There is a very profound theological reason for this, and it has nothing to do with a lack of compassion. In fact, it is the greatest act of COMPASSION the world has ever known. We believe that Christ died for the redemption of our sins, and the Eucharist (Greek for "Thanksgiving") is the way to distribute that grace to mankind. Jesus Himself said "Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood will have eternal life" (Jn 6:54). The Eucharist is His flesh and Blood. Christ followed the Old Testament practice of using wheat bread for temple use. The Catholic Church has approved low gluten hosts, but it cannot allow hosts to be made of grains other than wheat.

My lord are you full of yourself? And just so it is clear, low gluten hosts are just as bad as wheat hosts. Try to understand gluten FREE. And yes, the church could permit

Non wheat. They have changed or modified other parts of our practices; this could be done as well. It is rule bound Catholics like you that are keeping many away from our faith. Reminds me of some tight hat nuns I had in school.

Once again people are mistaking humans for the Divine. The Pope does not tell the Holy Spirit what to do. My option is communion by intent -- it is an option sanctioned by the Church. While receiving the Body and Blood of Christ is important, Christ always made clear his care and concern for the ill. Christ will not abandon those wish to believe but who cannot abide by human misinterpretation of His divine will.

Celiac Catholics don't have that "option"

The Bible does say wheat because that is what was used at the Last Supper: the Passover meal.

Even if it said barley or rice, once it becomes our Jesus's body it doesn't matter. If that is the case, it doesn't have to be wheat now does it? Another archaic practive that should be changed. But according to you and Bill, the fourth wise man, it has to be that way. Most Catholics think otherwise.

Non celiac here - Just finished attending a Gluten Summit with the latest research. It has been found that only 1 crumb from a crouton can set off an auto immune response from gluten and the effects of that response can last up to 6 months in some. We are not just talking about gut issues here but brain, joints, thyroid... wherever the gluten immune response attacks. For those that have a brain autoimmune disorder that flares up in response to gluten, a small amount of gluten destroys the brain over time. I just can't agree that Jesus would want this in order to protect the "wheat law"...