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Celiac.com 01/08/2025 - For Catholics with celiac disease, safely partaking in Holy Communion can be a deeply personal and complex issue. The unique challenge lies in balancing religious practices with medical requirements. Here, we explore the intricacies of low-gluten hosts and their safety, offering practical advice for individuals and parishes. Understanding Gluten-Free Standards and Church Accommodation Celiac disease requires strict dietary adherence, but the Catholic Church accommodates these needs by allowing low-gluten hosts for communion. Australia, in particular, upholds some of the world’s strictest gluten-free standards. The Coeliac Society of Australia has confirmed that low-gluten hosts—though not entirely free of gluten—are likely safe for many individuals with celiac disease. The key to understanding their safety lies in the numbers. People with celiac disease are typically advised to limit gluten intake to less than 10 milligrams per day. While this threshold may vary slightly, it is a useful guideline. Comparatively, a typical slice of bread far exceeds this amount, containing thousands of milligrams of gluten. Low-Gluten Hosts: A Breakdown of Gluten Levels Low-gluten hosts, such as those manufactured by companies like Cavanagh Altar Breads, weigh about 33 milligrams each and contain between 5 and 70 parts per million (ppm) of gluten. At the lower end of this spectrum, a host would contain approximately 0.0002 milligrams of gluten—an amount significantly below the daily safe limit. Even at higher ppm levels, the amount of gluten in these hosts is minimal, especially since they are consumed infrequently. The Coeliac Society of Australia supports this conclusion, though individuals with heightened sensitivity may need to proceed with extra caution. Addressing Gluten Reactions Despite these assurances, some individuals still experience reactions to low-gluten hosts. There are two primary reasons for this: heightened sensitivity or cross-contamination. For those who are hypersensitive, consuming the Blood of Christ only—an acceptable alternative under Catholic doctrine—may be the safest option. However, cross-contamination during the liturgy is a more common issue. Preventing Cross-Contamination During Mass, there are several opportunities for gluten to inadvertently transfer to a low-gluten host. For instance, when the priest breaks the Eucharistic bread (the fraction rite), crumbs may fall near or into the pyx containing low-gluten hosts. This risk can be reduced by positioning the pyx away from the main altar bread. Handling practices also play a role. The priest or minister distributing communion should avoid direct contact with the low-gluten host to minimize contamination. The Australian Catholic Bishops Conference recommends handing the pyx directly to the communicant rather than touching the host itself. Managing the Chalice and Cleansing Rituals For individuals receiving the Blood of Christ, additional precautions are necessary. The chalice used for celiac communicants should be separate from those used during the rite of commingling, where a fragment of the host is added to the wine. This ensures that gluten does not accidentally enter the chalice. Cleansing practices also require attention. If a chalice is improperly cleaned after a previous service, trace amounts of gluten could remain. Assigning a specific acolyte to handle celiac-safe chalices and ensuring thorough cleaning are effective ways to mitigate this risk. Collaboration Between Individuals and Parishes Successful navigation of low-gluten communion requires open communication between individuals with celiac disease and their parish. Discussing specific needs with the priest and clarifying the available accommodations can prevent misunderstandings and enhance safety. Parishes can further support congregants by training liturgical ministers on best practices for preventing cross-contamination. Dedicating specific chalices and maintaining clear protocols for cleaning vessels are simple yet impactful measures. The Importance of Medical Monitoring Finally, individuals with celiac disease should continue regular medical monitoring, even if they appear to tolerate low-gluten hosts. This allows for early detection of potential damage and ensures long-term health. Consulting with healthcare providers about any symptoms or concerns provides an additional layer of protection. The Goal: Safe Communion for All Low-gluten hosts offer a viable option for many Catholics with celiac disease, enabling them to fully participate in the sacrament of Holy Communion. By understanding the gluten content, implementing safeguards against cross-contamination, and fostering dialogue between parishioners and clergy, the Church can ensure that all members can partake safely. For those living with celiac disease, these measures represent both a physical and spiritual opportunity to embrace their faith without compromising their health. Read more at: catholicweekly.com.au Watch the video version of this article:
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(Celiac.com 05/14/2000) Some bishops conferences (e.g.: Chile) have allowed communicants to take communion in the form of consacrated wine alone. Nowadays, in some countries (the U.K. for instance), wafers made of wheat which contains only traces of gluten - and hence probably not deletereous for the celiac patient - are being made. The Vatican has allowed the use of such wafers through a statement of the Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith of June 19th, 1995. The Bishops Conference of England and Wales, for instance, has stated recently that they follow the 1995 norms on low-gluten altar breads from the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. In implementing these norms, the Conference established a certificate for those affected by the coeliac condition. This is then administered in the local diocese. The following comes from the report of the English and Welsh bishops meeting of November 1997. Certificate for coeliac sufferers: At its Low Week 1996 meeting, the Bishops Conference asked that its advisory panel on the coeliac condition draw up a suitable certificate for use by those with the coeliac condition to show that they have received permission for the use of low-gluten altar breads as valid matter for the celebration of Mass. Such a certificate was approved by the Bishops Conference. Britain has one of the highest rates of the coeliac condition in the world. This certificate enables sufferers to present a low-gluten host for consecration, particularly when traveling and in regions where they are not known by the priest. Those with the condition may obtain the certificate by applying to their parish priest. - Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, norms concerning the use of low-gluten altar breads and mustum [non-alcoholic wine] as matter for the celebration of the Eucharist, 22 June 1995. I. Concerning permission to use low-gluten altar breads: A. This may be granted by Ordinaries to priests and laypersons affected by celiac disease, after presentation of a medical certificate. B. Conditions for the validity of the matter: 1. Special hosts quibus glutinum ablatum est are invalid matter for the celebration of the Eucharist; 2. Low-gluten hosts are valid matter, provided that they contain the amount of gluten sufficient to obtain the confection of bread, that there is no addition of foreign materials, and that the procedure for making such hosts is not such as to alter the nature of the substance of the bread. II. Concerning permission to use mustum: A. The preferred solution continues to be Communion per intinctionem, or in concelebration under the species of bread alone. B. Nevertheless, the permission to use mustum can be granted by Ordinaries to priests affected by alcoholism or other conditions which prevent the ingestion of even the smallest quantity of alcohol, after presentation of a medical certificate. C. By mustum is understood fresh juice from grapes, or juice preserved by suspending its fermentation (by means of freezing or other methods which do not alter its nature). D. In general, those who have received permission to use mustum are prohibited from presiding at concelebrated Masses. There may be some exceptions however: in the case of a Bishop or Superior General; or, with prior approval of the Ordinary, at the celebration of the anniversary of priestly ordination or other similar occasions. In these cases, the one who presides is to communicate under both the species of bread and that of mustum, while for the other concelebrants a chalice shall be provided in which normal wine is to be consecrated. E. In the very rare instances of laypersons requesting this permission, recourse must be made to the Holy See. III. Common Norms: A. The Ordinary must ascertain that the matter used conforms to the above requirements. B. Permissions are to be given only for as long as the situation continues which motivated the request. C. Scandal is to be avoided. D. Given the centrality of the celebration of the Eucharist in the life of the priest, candidates for the priesthood who are affected by celiac disease or suffer from alcoholism or similar conditions may not be admitted to Holy Orders. E. Since the doctrinal questions in this area have now been decided, disciplinary competence is entrusted to the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments. F. Concerned Episcopal Conferences shall report to the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments every two years regarding the application of these norms. Thanks are given to Tom Horwood, Esq., Catholic Media Office, The Bishops Conference of England and Wales, and to Ernesto Guifaldes, M.D. of the Pontificia Unicersidad Catolica de Chile. According to the UK Coeliac Society you can now obtain gluten-free Communion Wafers from the following: Eiren Religious Supplies Concord House Union Drive Sutton Coldfield West Midlands IB73 5TE UK
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