<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>
 
Greetings:
 
If you are Roman Catholic (others should listen up too!) and
have been avoiding Holy Communion because of the wheat thing,
I've got some great news for you.  The Benedictine Sisters of
Perpetual Adoration in Clyde, Missouri have low-gluten altar
breads.  These bread hosts are acceptable for those of us
with Celiac Sprue, and are being used by celiacs now without
reaction.  This is probably due to the amount and type of
gluten used in the hosts, which is 35% gluten and is called
"tender" gluten.  This gluten is reported to break down and
rapidly dissolve in the stomach.  As with anything, check
with an informed MD, if you can find one out there.
 
Those with CD (Sprue, wheat allergies, etc.) who have the
permission of their local Ordinary may safely use these low-
gluten hosts.  You should talk with your local priest about
this process.  Also, these hosts are low-gluten and not
gluten free.  They do, however, thus meet the Roman Catholic
Church's firm requirements of validity and liceity.
 
Permission to use low-gluten altar breads may be granted by
Ordinaries to priests and lay persons affected by CD, after
presentation of a medical certificate.  A copy of your letter
of diagnosis will do for this.  Then after your priest has
ordered and received the hosts, you can present one at each
Mass you attend.  Simply put the host in your personal pyx
and place it on the altar prior to the service. Your priest
will help you establish a system.  In this way your host will
be separate from the wheat hosts but will be consecrated
along with the rest.  Your priest will collect your pyx and
have it ready for you so long as you go only to him for
distribution.
 
It can all work very nicely for you once your priest is
informed and involved.  To purchase some of these hosts your
priest can contact:
 
                Altar Bread Department
                Benedictine Monastery
                RR 1 Box 101
                Clyde, Missouri  64432
 
                1-(800)-223-2772
 
 
Sure hope this is a help to some of you.  It is making a
great change here, I can tell you.  Not having to skip
Holy Communion with my family and friends is an answer
to many prayers.
 
Jean Trocchia
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