More Churches Offering Gluten-free Communion Bread Options

I visited a Lutheran church that offered gluten-free communion bread as an option. Unfortunately the priest was using the same hands to offer both! The people officiating need to understand the cross-contamination issue or offering gluten-free bread for communion is pointless.

Jesus was a very poor Jew. He relied on the charity of others. We really do not know what kind of peasant bread he ate at that time. If it is turned into body and blood, it no longer is bread. What difference does it make what it was before?

Christmas Eve of 2011, our future daughter in law could not receive communion (celiac) making her feel like an outsider and awkward. Fall of 2012 I mentioned it to a minister and asked if they could have one gluten-free station. The ministers decided to have all gluten-free bread and noted it in the program. Two weeks ago, the communion bread was gluten-free, this past week it wasn't. We are Baptist and communion is offered by intinction most of the time.

I visited a Lutheran church that offered gluten-free communion bread as an option. Unfortunately the priest was using the same hands to offer both! The people officiating need to understand the cross-contamination issue or offering gluten-free bread for communion is pointless.

Additionally, in the Catholic church, the priest breaks bread over the wine chalice and people are allowed to dip the host in the wine during communion. So even though the church says parishioners can receive full communion with wine only, that too is sadly cross contaminated. Celiacs are the new lepers of the Catholic community; we are unworthy to receive the sacrament.

I am currently in a church that does not offer gluten-free communion. I did visit a church locally that offered gluten-free communion in small baggies which were sealed and that seemed to work. The church we attended before moving offered gluten-free communion, which was served separately by the pastor (who had not touched bread with gluten) to those who indicated their need. That worked well and was most appreciated. I was not able to take full communion for over 25 years before that option was offered!

I have complications from celiac disease - I have collagenous sprue and I can tolerate the low gluten host with no problems. It only has a minute amount of wheat - 0.01. I assume it would work for almost anyone.

I go to a small, country Methodist church which always offers gluten-free wafers. Unfortunately, same issue as above comment - same hands used to give them out as is tearing pieces for the bread.

Additionally, in the Catholic church, the priest breaks bread over the wine chalice and people are allowed to dip the host in the wine during communion. So even though the church says parishioners can receive full communion with wine only, that too is sadly cross contaminated. Celiacs are the new lepers of the Catholic community; we are unworthy to receive the sacrament.

I've had the same experience with the Catholic church. I was offered a 20ppm gluten-free host, but since I am very sensitive to gluten, I wasn't comfortable with that. The Priest told me that should be sufficient. He wasn't open to changing the way the wine was handled so I could receive a truly gluten-free communion.

Los Altos United Methodist in Los Altos, Ca used to offer gluten-free bread as an option but I had to get my own elements from a small plate on the altar. Now all of the elements are gluten-free as part of the belief that all should be welcome at the table.

I am a Catholic, and my church in South Carolina order wafers with very little gluten. It is not what I am supposed to eat, but I do want to receive communion. It is very important to me.

I can only hope it does not cause a problem with my celiac disease.

Additionally, in the Catholic church, the priest breaks bread over the wine chalice and people are allowed to dip the host in the wine during communion. So even though the church says parishioners can receive full communion with wine only, that too is sadly cross contaminated. Celiacs are the new lepers of the Catholic community; we are unworthy to receive the sacrament.

I am a Catholic from Pakistan. The congregation there only receive the host, except on special feasts when they dip the host in the chalice. I contacted the bishop with my problem and he gave my parish priest permission to consecrate a little wine in a separate small glass at the time of the consecration so that the host was not broken into it.

I was happy to see that in the U.S., in the churches I've been to, the priest only breaks the host into the main chalice from which he receives so the other chalices are free of contamination.

The low gluten host is not a good option. Actually, Christ may well have broken bread made of barley which was the grain of that area, but that is gluten too!

My sons are celiac and we are Catholic. Our church consecrates both the main chalice and a pitcher of wine. Then the pitcher is poured into glass cups so my kids know that it is free of wheat. Also, our priests put the low gluten host into a pyx. When my boys go up to communion, they pick the pyx up themselves, open it and receive communion, put it in their pocket and after mass return it to the priest. I truly believe that Jesus would never ask someone to eat something that would make them sick, nor would He ever ask someone born as a child of God with a disability to not receive communion. I truly think the Pope is missing something requiring low amounts of gluten. Hopefully it will change in the future. However, our Dr. at the University of Chicago Celiac Research Center feels that the very low amount of gluten in the Benedictine Sisters hosts is safe and my boys haven't had any problems as well as clean yearly blood tests