Dear Catholic Exchange:
I have a dear friend who recently was diagnosed with celiac disease — a disease that makes it unhealthy for her to eat anything that has gluten in it. Gluten is present in all products made of wheat. She is distraught about how this disease is affecting her receiving Holy Eucharist. Some of the initial information she received from our local diocese indicates that there is no “approved” host for her to receive and that a rice wafer would not be acceptable. Because of the celiac, she is also not supposed to take the Precious Blood because a part of the Body is mixed with it. Can you offer any help to her? Staying away from Communion is not an option.
Thank you for your help!
Joe Baldassari
Dear Mr. Baldassari,
Peace in Christ!
There is no reason that a person with celiac disease and unable to ingest the Sacred Host which has the appearance of wheat and contains what behaves like wheat gluten cannot receive Communion under the form of wine. It is not the norm to mix the body and blood together to distribute Communion which is to say, there is nothing that requires this be done. It should be mentioned that it is possible for a priest to distribute Communion by the practice of intinction which amounts to dipping the host in the Precious Blood and saying “the Body and Blood of Christ” and giving them to the communicant by means of a spoon. But this practice is not common in the Latin rite and is by no means required. It should be no problem for your friend to find a Mass where intinction is not used and to receive the Precious Blood without fear of exposure to wheat gluten. Your friend should also be aware that receiving the Precious Blood alone gives us the whole Christ no less that receiving under both species. I hope this helps.
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[Editor's Note: It is important that persons with Celiac disease present themselves to the priest or Pastor prior to the beginning of Mass so accommodations can be made. A chalice can be specifically set aside during the consecration apart from the communion wafer.]
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