Are You Allergic To Wheat and Unable to Receive the Eucharist?
In recent years, many have worked to foster an increasing awareness of the significant effects of Celiac Sprue disease on people’s lives. The digestive system of those with this condition is considerably compromised by the consumption of gluten, one of the major ingredients in wheat flour. It is estimated that as many as fifteen percent of all persons of northern European origin are affected by this disease to some degree.
This is a particular challenge to Catholics, who believe that the celebration of the Holy Eucharist and the reception of Holy Communion are the very source and summit of the Christian life. Priests should show great pastoral sensitivity and compassion to anyone afflicted with this disease, but especially to the parents of children with a gluten intolerance at the time of their first Holy Communion.
The Secretariat for the Liturgy of the U.S. Bishops’ Conference has devoted considerable resources to this question for the last seven years. Within the past year, the Secretariat has successfully assisted the Congregation of Benedictine Sisters of Perpetual Adoration in Clyde Missouri in the production of a very low-gluten host which has been favorably reviewed by the publication Gluten-Free Living as “perfectly safe”1 for sufferers of Celiac Sprue disease.
Such communicants may still receive the Precious Blood. Catholics believe that whoever receives Holy Communion only under the form of bread or only under the form of wine still receives the whole Christ, in his Body and Blood, soul and divinity.
There is little else the Church can do except to recommend that the person make a “spiritual communion.” Why? Because the Church believes that it is impossible to consecrate anything except wheat bread and grape wine. From the time that the Lord Jesus took bread and wine and told his disciples “Do this in memory of me,” the Roman Catholic Church has tried faithfully to fulfill Christ’s command by taking unleavened bread made from water and wheat flour, and wine made from grapes for use at the Eucharist.
Above information reported from the USCCB website
St. Andrew the Apostle is in the process of putting into place a procedure for those who suffer from this disease to be able to receive the Eucharist. If you are affected by this disease, please fill out the form below: