Gluten-free Communion Wafers?

[teacherkd]

This may seem a little over the top, but what do I do about communion at church? I don't want to refuse, for reasons of belief, but I don't think I want to get glutenated over a ritual, either.

[Mydietgirl]

This may seem a little over the top, but what do I do about communion at church? I don't want to refuse, for reasons of belief, but I don't think I want to get glutenated over a ritual, either.

I am newly diagnosed about a month ago, and it was suggested to me to talk to my priest about getting the blood (wine) instead of the body (bread). If they know you are coming to that service ahead of time they can have some wine set aside for you.

[CaraLouise]

My church provides a separate cup and gluten free rice crackers for communion for those who can't have wheat. I have worked with two churches to set up gluten free communion and would love to talk to you about it if you have any questions.

[hez]

If you are Catholic you are getting a "complete" communion with just the wine. My understanding is that in the Catholic church the bread must have wheat. A rice cracker would not be acceptable. There are a group of nuns somewhere in the US that make a low gluten wafer that might be acceptable to the church.

If you are not Catholic most churches seem to be accomadating if you go talk to the priest/pastor and explain the situation. Ener-g makes a gluten-free host and plain rice crackers also work.

I encourage you to be open and honest with your priest/pastor to find a solution.

Good Luck,

Hez

[MaryJones2]

Ener-G makes gluten-free rice wafers: Open Original Shared Link

Here are the sisters that make the low gluten host: Open Original Shared Link

Here is a good article from CSAceliacs on communion: Open Original Shared Link

[samcarter]

The Catholic Church accepts the low gluten hosts made by the Benedictine sisters. They will not allow a rice host to be used; they require at least .01 percent of wheat for the wafer to be "licit" for Communion.

In the Eastern Catholic Church, of which I'm a member, we use a regular loaf of bread, cut up and placed in a cup with wine. We receive from a spoon. I have decided to accept the risk of CC and accept only the wine from the spoon, and my priest is happy to oblige. He has asked me to try to develop a gluten free loaf, but i'm not sure it would be possible; according to our rules the bread for Communion can only consist of flour, water, salt and yeast...most gluten free loaves require oil and eggs to make up for the gluten. Still, I'm pondering the possiblity.