Are churches starting to become more aware of the needs of Celiacs? In a typical communion you eat the body of Christ (which interestingly enough contains gluten!), but for people living on a gluten free diet, this is not an option.
Fortunately, I know of several churches here locally that have started to offer a gluten free version of Christ’s body so that Celiacs church members are not left out of the ritual. (Shout out to Hope Lutheran Church!)
According to Health-Family.org, it looks like the Catholic Church has also started to offer gluten-free alternatives:
The Holy See has declared that some gluten is necessary for the substance to be considered as true bread. And thus a gluten-free wafer, in spite of its external resemblance, is no longer bread and thus is incapable of becoming the Body of Christ.
The sacraments are far too important to risk performing them invalidly.
Recently, however, another solution has been found thanks to the patience and perseverance of two nuns, Sisters Jane Heschmeyer and Lynn Marie D’Souza, of the Benedictine convent in Clyde, Missouri. Over two years of experiments they have developed a Communion wafer that has been approved as valid material for the Eucharist by the Holy See.
With a level of gluten content of 0.01% it is safe enough for consumption by almost all celiac suffers, according to Dr. Alessio Fasano of the University of Maryland and other medical experts.
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Dr. Osborne,
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My church (Presbyterian) offers a separate cup and rice crackers for those with wheat/gluten allergy/intolerance.