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Religion and celiac disease -- most certainly a topic for heated debate!

Many thanks to the posters who gave thoughtful, respectful opinions.  To
the harsh, the opinionated-but-not-informed and those who threw jabs about
my parenting -- please be considerate of the new folks that may have a
question for this group.  Luckily I have been a member for many years, but
if I had been new and received the messages that I did, I would never dare
to ask another question.

Original question:  It looks likely the Des Moines, IA bishop will approve
of the low-gluten communion wafers made by the Sisters of Perpetual
Adoration in Clyde, Mo. A recent issue of Gluten Free Living did an indepth
review of the product. Before allowing my children to accept this


alternative, I would very much appreciate hearing from anyone that has
partaken and what impact that had on your health.  Of particular interest
is anyone that has taken them long enough to see if there was any change on
your celiac blood test follow ups.

Lindsay

Summary:
Follow Up Testing –  The hosts have not been available long enough for any
respondents to have a test scheduled.

Celiac “expert” references and research– http://www.celiac.com/st_main.html?
p_catid=15

· The safe threshold for gluten contamination in gluten-free
products. Can trace amounts be accepted in the treatment of coeliac
disease?
Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics
Volume 19 Issue 12 Page 1277  - June 2004
Conclusions: The threshold for gluten-contamination can safely be set at
100 ppm. Provided that the daily flour intake is even 300 g, a level of 100
ppm results in 30 mg of

gluten intake. This has been shown to be safe, when
correlated to histology, in clinical and challenge studies. The level can
be achieved by the industry, and does not make the diet too cumbersome.

Wheat-starch-based Gluten-free Products in the Treatment of Newly Detected
Celiac Disease: Prospective and Randomized Study
Aliment Pharmacol Ther 2003 Feb;17(4):587-94
CONCLUSIONS: : The dietary response to a wheat-starch-based gluten-free
diet was as good as that to a natural gluten-free diet in patients with
newly detected coeliac disease.


Wheat Starch-containing Gluten-free Flour Products in the Treatment of
Coeliac Disease and Dermatitis Herpetiformis. A Long-term Follow-up Study
Scand J Gastroenterol 1999 Feb;34(2):163-9
CONCLUSION: Wheat starch-based gluten-free flour products were not harmful
in the treatment of coeliac disease and dermatitis herpetiformis.


Persistent M

ucosal Abnormalities in Coeliac Disease are not Related to the
Ingestion of Trace Amounts of Gluten
Scand J Gastroenterol 1999 Sep;34(9):909-14
CONCLUSION: The persistent mucosal abnormalities seen in patients with
coeliac disease on a GFD are not due to the ingestion of trace amounts of
gluten. The consequences of these abnormalities have yet to be determined.


Gastrointestinal Symptoms Rating Scale in Coeliac Disease Patients on Wheat
Starch-Based Gluten-Free Diets
Scand J Gastroenterol 2000 Sep;35(9):947-9
CONCLUSIONS: Wheat starch-based gluten-free products are well-tolerated in
coeliac disease patients, provided that their diets are otherwise strict.

Comments Regarding a Low-Gluten Diet by Donald D. Kasarda, Former Research
Chemist for the United States Department of Agriculture

Those accepting the low gluten alternative –
· We have been using for a few months now--they do

 not taste very
good, but no reaction whatsoever.  I am very sensitive and often get sick
from trace amounts. My son get DH and eczema from trace amounts--none there
either. No bloodwork recently to know that, since it is only 0.01% I don't
think it will raise levels enough.
· This is one time that I have decided to go ahead and use it. We had
been using GF prior (nice priest), but this makes life much easier and I
have decided to trust God on this one.
· I've been taking the low gluten hosts for about a month now.  I had
my bloodwork done before I started, and I'll have it checked again in about
six months.  I have been taking only a small fragment, perhaps an eighth of
a host, and I don't do this every week (we go to two different churches,
and at one, the priest consecrates a rice host).  So my exposure has been
minimal.  I have not had a reaction, and I am a sensitive celiac, though I


know that this doesn't necessarily mean anything.
· I started receiving the communion wafers made by the Benedictine
sisters about 6 weeks ago. I have not had any reaction to them and I have
become increasingly more sensitive to gluten the longer I am on the diet.
I remember in my research reading that the nuns worked with a celiac expert
on developing the wafers in making sure there was enough particles of
wheat -- 0.01 percent -- to fulfill canon law that the Eucharist is made
with valid matter, but such an incredibly tiny amount that it could not
harm people with celiac
· In checking out this situation with my doctor, he made the valid
point that the whole world is so consumed with flour that it is virtually
impossible for any of us with celiac disease to avoid it completely and all
of us regularly ingest microscopic amounts with no ill effects. It is the
strict diet and the care with over-contamination that is

 important.
However, I understand that it's a tougher decision when children are
concerned. I'll just add that I'm having both my daughters tested soon;
should their celiac blood panels test positive, I would have no problem
having them both receive these wafers.
Those not accepting the low gluten alternative/ideas for taking the cup –
· "Low gluten" is not acceptable for Celiacs if one wants to avoid
complications of the Disease.  The damage is cumulative and not always
measurable.  It is a big inconvenience to us Catholics, but thats the way
it is.
· There's no way I'll give the kids a low gluten host, especially
when the cup is available.  Our son received his First Communion and the
priest let me make a gf host...he put it in a pix and consecrated it with
the rest.  Receiving under one Species is the same as receiving both the
Body and the Blood.  I personally would never give the kids or

myself
anything containing gluten no matter how small the amount on a regular
basis.  Maybe receiving on special occasions would be ok, but I still
maintain that receiving the Precious Blood is receiving Both Body and
Blood.  Its a wonderful lesson for the kids.
· Our priest just keeps an eye on which side we sit on and puts
the "mingled body" (host) in the opposite chalice so ours is gf.  We sit up
front most of the time.  I won't worry about contamination from others.  If
the body is in the cup our children are offered when they serve Mass, they
just touch it to their lips and let the Lord do the rest.
· The U.S. Catholic Bishops Committee on the Liturgy paper I refered
to says that "In light of the increasing scientific evidence that even a
small amount of gluten may be dangerous to sufferers of Celiac Sprue
disease many would hesitate to recommend the use of "low gluten" hosts.
Thus the only vi

able solution seems to be the offering of the Precious
Blood to such persons.  Diocesan Directors of Worship are urged to help
priests and parish liturgists to be sympathetic to those suffering from
this disease and to become sensitive to ways in which they can legitimately
assist them in approaching the Lors's table to receive Christ in the
Sacrament of his Body and Blood."  But if you want to cite the document for
the list or individuals, the whole document is
www.usccb.org/liturgy/innews/042000.htm .    In the mean time, I think it
would be helpful to write to our Bishops and let them know our experiences
and the pain we and our children suffer at not being able to share in
the "one bread broken for all".  I think that the Church needs to see our
need and begin considering change.  The opinion of Cardinal Joseph
Ratzinger was from 1995...there are thousands more diagnosed these days.
Gluten free hosts for non-Cat

holics – Available from Ener-G foods.

* Visit the Celiac Web Page at www.enabling.org/ia/celiac/index.html *