Catholics: Avoiding Cc For Communion

[NicoleAJ]

I'm getting married next March in a Catholic church in Miami. For the last three years I have simply avoided taking communion, but for my wedding, I would like to receive communion. I've found the site for the Benedictine Sisters' low gluten host, and I was wondering, from those of you who have used it, how you avoid cc with your alternative host. I imagine there is a type of vessel approved for holding the host during the mass, so I was wondering where you might find one. I know similar issues have come up here in the past, but so often the topics turn to politics, and it is difficult to scan through to find the information. I really hope not to discuss the reasons why Canon law requires wheat, but I'd just like some info from fellow Catholics who use the low gluten hosts.

[pnltbox27]

at my church they keep the low gluten host in the freezer and when i get to church i tell the father or deacon im here and they get one and put it on a separate tray, plus i usally try to sit in the first few rows as to get mine out of the way quicker. i have had no issues so far... good luck on your wedding

[gfgypsyqueen]

I know I have seen eucharist holders or containers for sale in the past. I thought ener-G or some company made gluten-free hosts and sold a container so the priest never actually touches it. Google Eucharist container? Or call the local religious store and ask them to special order one for you. I know they exist, but I can't remember where I saw it.

Congrats on the wedding!

[hez]

I would think that since this is your wedding it would be fairly easy for the priest to handle this. You and your soon to be husband should be the first to receive communion. You might want to talk to the alter guild about providing a clean vessel and avoid the purchase of one. Congradulations!

Hez

[zarfkitty]

I bought my own pyx (wafer container) at a Christian Bookstore. It's just the right size to hold wafers snugly... mine holds 9 wafers but I only put one at a time in it. My Pastor actually communes me out of the pyx, turning the container over into my hand so that he never actually touches the wafer. The pyx is an appropriate vessel for holding the host (in your purse or on the altar).

HTH!

p.s. google or ebay "pyx" for lots of choices in lots of price levels. I paid $7 for mine but they can get really fancy.

[CarlaB]

Having your own pyx is a great idea!

On regular Sundays, I just receive the chalice. I play flute in the choir and communion is distributed to the choir first. It's no problem for me to receive the chalice before it's contaminated.

When we visit another church, I just sit up front.

You cannot receive from the priest's chalice because there is a piece of the Host floating in it.

[NicoleAJ]

Thank you all for your responses. The pyx sounds like a great solution. I know that I'll be receiving communion first, but I would like to avoid any potential problems. I'm not getting married in my own parish but rather in the church I attended in college (since my parents still live in Miami and are doing much of the planning), so the easier I can make it on the pastor, the better. I really appreciate all of the suggestions.

[zansu]

depending on the logistics of how the priest serves, maybe the whole wedding party can do the low gluten then the priest can switch to the regular. A little more money, a lot more safety and less confusion.

[debmidge]

depending on the logistics of how the priest serves, maybe the whole wedding party can do the low gluten then the priest can switch to the regular. A little more money, a lot more safety and less confusion.

that's an excellent suggestion for this situation - and no one at ceremony would ever know and it would keep the ceremony smooth flowing as no "changing" of anything. Good work!

[michelleL]

I know I have seen eucharist holders or containers for sale in the past. I thought ener-G or some company made gluten-free hosts and sold a container so the priest never actually touches it. Google Eucharist container? Or call the local religious store and ask them to special order one for you. I know they exist, but I can't remember where I saw it.

Congrats on the wedding!

Ener-G does do gluten-free wafers - I saw a box of them at my local gluten=free store...

[CarlaB]

Ener-G does do gluten-free wafers - I saw a box of them at my local gluten=free store...

That is a great idea about the whole wedding party receiving them. I'm sure you're going to have to buy more than one anyway.

The Ener-G are fine, but NOT for the Catholic Church. There is only one approved for Catholic Mass, and it's low-gluten. For other denominations, that's a good suggestion.

[chatycady]

Will that low gluten wafer make you sick? I thought any amount of gluten caused the autoimmune response?

[NicoleAJ]

Chatycady,

From what I've read, because the low gluten wafer contains only .01% gluten, it is safe. Apparently, it would take 270 wafers in one day to trigger an autoimmune response. That being said, I'm going to order them and test them out just to doublecheck that I tolerate them, but I imagine I will.

[SunnyDyRain]

Chatycady,

From what I've read, because the low gluten wafer contains only .01% gluten, it is safe. Apparently, it would take 270 wafers in one day to trigger an autoimmune response. That being said, I'm going to order them and test them out just to doublecheck that I tolerate them, but I imagine I will.

I was going to suggest something like that, but I didn't know catholic church policy on eating the wafer thingy without the ceremony. I know catholics are strict and sometimes have odd rules. Last thing you want is to get sick on your wedding night!

I was born methodist, we let it all fly, my mother's minister is celiac also, and she does communion for her self first with a gluten free cookie, then breaks the bread for the rest of the congeration. My mom often feels jealous that she gets a cookie and all she is stuck with is plain white bread.

[NicoleAJ]

Someone can correct me if I'm wrong, but the unconsecrated host is just a food product and can be eaten, but once it has become the body of Christ, that is when there are specific rules for how it can be consumed. I believe at the practice for my first communion that they gave us an unconsecrated host so that we wouldn't make a face during the ceremony when we realized its funny texture.

[CarlaB]

Yup, the unconsecrated Host is just bread.

[Mr. Ed]

I was recently diagnosed with Celiac Disease. I've read where Catholics with the disease cannot receive communion because the wafer is made of wheat (gluten). If, as we were taught, the wafer is transformed into Christ's body, it should no longer contain wheat. So what's the problem?

Ed Rothacker

Columbus, OH

[bbuster]

Chatycady,

From what I've read, because the low gluten wafer contains only .01% gluten, it is safe. Apparently, it would take 270 wafers in one day to trigger an autoimmune response. That being said, I'm going to order them and test them out just to doublecheck that I tolerate them, but I imagine I will.

The .01% is a maximum potential gluten content. It is likely well below that.

Also, they recently made them a little smaller than before. It's smaller in diameter than a normal host, and seems to be quite a bit lighter in weight.

My son has received these as much as 3 times per week and continues to have negative bloodwork and no signs of reaction.

(We also use a pyx)

[knitaddict]

Oh no! I never even THOUGHT about Communion! Ugh--something ELSE to worry about! I don't suppose it would suffice if I just took the blood of Christ, would it?? Ugh---why does gluten have to be in EVERYTHING?!?!?!

[TrillumHunter]

Oh no! I never even THOUGHT about Communion! Ugh--something ELSE to worry about! I don't suppose it would suffice if I just took the blood of Christ, would it?? Ugh---why does gluten have to be in EVERYTHING?!?!?!

It is absolutely fine and FULL COMMUNION to receive only the Precious Blood. Avoid the largest chalice that the priest uses during the Consecration as it has a small bit of the Precious Body in it.

My whole family does this every week.

[leadmeastray88]

I had a discussion with my priest about this, and he says that it is FULL COMMUNION to take only the wine and not the bread. We have several Celiacs in our parish so I don't feel self conscious bowing to the communion distributor before taking the wine. I felt awkward the first time though.