Celiac Disease and Low Gluten Hosts

We know that there are people in our parish who have Celiac Disease and may be allergic to the hosts we consecrate.  To provide them with a chance to receive our Lord in the Eucharist, we have always been willing to give an extremely low-gluten host produced by the Benedictine Sisters.  Since I have been at St. Peter’s, no one has made such a request. The Benedictine Sisters are the largest religious producers of altar breads in the United States, making almost 9 million hosts each month.  The low-gluten breads are produced in a separate facility in order to prevent cross-contamination.  The low-gluten breads are made from water and wheat starch that has had most of the gluten removed.

In 2004, Dr. Alessio Fasano, at the time director of the Center for Celiac Research at the University of Maryland, maintained that the amount of gluten contained in one of the Benedictine Sisters’ low-gluten altar breads (tested at < .01 percent).  The gluten content was so minute that someone diagnosed with Celiac Sprue Disease would have to consume 270 wafers daily in order to reach the danger point.  A test done in 2016 indicated that the gluten content was even more minimal - less than .001 percent.  There is also a video on YouTube on the matter.  Simply search “Celiac Disease and the Catholic Church: Low-Gluten Host” on YouTube and you will find it.  We have also made this information available on our website.  Scan this QR code to be directed to the videos.  

I would advise any parishioner who has Celiac Disease to take this information to their doctor and see if they can use the low-gluten hosts which the Sisters produce.  We will also search for other bread bakers who offer even a lower gluten content.  If your doctor says you can not even tolerate the level of gluten content stated above, I would ask that they let me know and we will explore other options.  Of course we want every parishioner to be able to receive Holy Communion.  

Please follow the procedure below if you need to request Low-Gluten Communion Hosts:
Please inform the priest or sacristan, in the Sacristy, 10-15 minutes before Mass begins so that things can be prepared for you. A low-gluten host will be placed and consecrated in a pyx which is not used for hosts containing gluten.  This is to avoid cross-contamination.  The host will be consecrated on the altar and the celebrant will place the closed pyx in the presider's paten.  The recipient of the low-gluten host should stand in the priest's Communion line, and when they come up to receive, they will be handed the closed pyx, once again to avoid any cross-contamination from handling hosts containing gluten.  The person receiving the low-gluten host then opens the pyx in front of the priest and self-communicates. 

Please watch the video below from the Center for Celiac Research and Treatment for more information about low-gluten Communion Hosts.