RE: Re: edible GF packaged bread for communion?

[Guest guest]

I'm not Catholic, but I looked into this a couple of years ago, for various reasoons (Catholic friends with CD, general interest, etc.). Unless official statementsw have changed drastically in the past year or so, wheat is required in communion wafers for Catholics. As I'm not an authority, I'd rather you Google and do your own research on this subject.

A couple of years ago, one site became mired in an acrimonious discussion of religion. Let's be sure our group doesn't follow that precedent.

As far as I know, other churches don't require wheat in wafers.

H.

In a message dated 2/22/08 10:45:03 AM, megroff01@... writes:

Any Catholics out there that have researched this?

I thought that a true communion host in a catholic ceremony has to have wheat in it, or it is not sanctioned by the church?

**************Ideas to please picky eaters. Watch video on AOL Living. (http://living.aol.com/video/how-to-please-your-picky-eater/rachel-campos-duffy/2050827?NCID=aolcmp00300000002598)

[Guest guest]

Any Catholics out there that have

researched this?

I thought that a true communion host in a

catholic ceremony has to have wheat in it, or it is not sanctioned by the

church?

From:

[mailto: ] On Behalf Of erinubear2

Sent: Friday, February 22, 2008

10:00 AM

Subject: [ ] Re:

edible GF packaged bread for communion?

Hi,

I'm part of a message board elsewhere that has recently been

discussing this very issue at great length. The conversation was

fascinating!

As mentioned by others, there are companies that make communion wafers

which are gluten-free, such as Ener-G:

http://www.ener-g.com/store/detail.aspx?section=15 & cat=15 & id=21

A plus to using the wafers is that they would also help worshippers

that have other food sensitivities, because they are free of

additional allergens (dairy, eggs, soy, to name a few). There are

other companies which produce the wafers, too, if you do a web search.

We are still evaluating whether I might have celiac disease, and this

has been unfolding over the past five months or so. When we've had

communion at our church, I've been bringing a small piece of bread

with me. Since I've given up on bread basically at home (I can't find

any that I like) I did bring a tiny chunk of Van's waffle with me a

couple of times! Not the same thing, but it was what I had on time,

and it was a bread product. It definitely tasted okay, and it was a

raised bread, which some churches consider important. I did this in a

pinch, and just to help myself more fully participate in communion.

You might have raised eyebrows if you try to serve waffle pieces to

everyone at your church! ; - )

It may be that if you or somebody in your congregation is willing to

bake a loaf, and you come up with a good recipe, that may be better

than purchasing a loaf. We sometimes use home-baked loaves in our

communion worship at church. Not gluten-free, but it gives a comfy

feeling to worship. At least in my experience thus far, the

store-bought GF bread I've had is horrid. I don't know if homemade

would be better. I would hope so. It might work better for

communion, too, because you'd have a whole loaf rather than a sliced

one. Just a thought.

Take care,

Bear

[Guest guest]

This topic hits a nerve with me always ; )

I was raised Catholic (not so much a

practicing one anymore for a few reasons…) anyway, ever since I was

diagnosed I would come across these articles of the Catholic church telling

their members to just receive the host it’s only a little gluten,etc...Also

read an article where a family brought in a rice wafer so their daughter could

receive, but the church would bless, accept or respect them b/c they didn’t

have wheat. It’s still blows my mind!

From: [mailto: ] On Behalf Of Groff

Sent: Friday, February 22, 2008

10:44 AM

Subject: RE: [ ] Re:

edible GF packaged bread for communion?

Any Catholics out there that have researched this?

I thought that a true communion host in a catholic ceremony has to

have wheat in it, or it is not sanctioned by the church?

From:

[mailto: ]

On Behalf Of erinubear2

Sent: Friday, February 22, 2008

10:00 AM

Subject: [ ] Re: edible

GF packaged bread for communion?

Hi,

I'm part of a message board elsewhere that has recently been

discussing this very issue at great length. The conversation was

fascinating!

As mentioned by others, there are companies that make communion wafers

which are gluten-free, such as Ener-G:

http://www.ener-g.com/store/detail.aspx?section=15 & cat=15 & id=21

A plus to using the wafers is that they would also help worshippers

that have other food sensitivities, because they are free of

additional allergens (dairy, eggs, soy, to name a few). There are

other companies which produce the wafers, too, if you do a web search.

We are still evaluating whether I might have celiac disease, and this

has been unfolding over the past five months or so. When we've had

communion at our church, I've been bringing a small piece of bread

with me. Since I've given up on bread basically at home (I can't find

any that I like) I did bring a tiny chunk of Van's waffle with me a

couple of times! Not the same thing, but it was what I had on time,

and it was a bread product. It definitely tasted okay, and it was a

raised bread, which some churches consider important. I did this in a

pinch, and just to help myself more fully participate in communion.

You might have raised eyebrows if you try to serve waffle pieces to

everyone at your church! ; - )

It may be that if you or somebody in your congregation is willing to

bake a loaf, and you come up with a good recipe, that may be better

than purchasing a loaf. We sometimes use home-baked loaves in our

communion worship at church. Not gluten-free, but it gives a comfy

feeling to worship. At least in my experience thus far, the

store-bought GF bread I've had is horrid. I don't know if homemade

would be better. I would hope so. It might work better for

communion, too, because you'd have a whole loaf rather than a sliced

one. Just a thought.

Take care,

Bear

[Guest guest]

…whoops, should read “would

NOT bless…”

From: [mailto: ] On Behalf Of Wallace

Sent: Friday, February 22, 2008

10:51 AM

Subject: RE: [ ] Re:

edible GF packaged bread for communion?

This topic hits a nerve with me always ; )

I was raised Catholic (not so much a practicing one anymore for a

few reasons…) anyway, ever since I was diagnosed I would come across

these articles of the Catholic church telling their members to just receive the

host it’s only a little gluten,etc...Also read an article where a

family brought in a rice wafer so their daughter could receive, but the church

would NOT bless, accept or respect

them b/c they didn’t have wheat. It’s still blows my mind!

From:

[mailto: ]

On Behalf Of Groff

Sent: Friday, February 22, 2008

10:44 AM

Subject: RE: [ ] Re:

edible GF packaged bread for communion?

Any Catholics out there that have researched this?

I thought that a true communion host in a catholic ceremony has to

have wheat in it, or it is not sanctioned by the church?

From:

[mailto: ]

On Behalf Of erinubear2

Sent: Friday, February 22, 2008

10:00 AM

Subject: [ ] Re:

edible GF packaged bread for communion?

Hi,

I'm part of a message board elsewhere that has recently been

discussing this very issue at great length. The conversation was

fascinating!

As mentioned by others, there are companies that make communion wafers

which are gluten-free, such as Ener-G:

http://www.ener-g.com/store/detail.aspx?section=15 & cat=15 & id=21

A plus to using the wafers is that they would also help worshippers

that have other food sensitivities, because they are free of

additional allergens (dairy, eggs, soy, to name a few). There are

other companies which produce the wafers, too, if you do a web search.

We are still evaluating whether I might have celiac disease, and this

has been unfolding over the past five months or so. When we've had

communion at our church, I've been bringing a small piece of bread

with me. Since I've given up on bread basically at home (I can't find

any that I like) I did bring a tiny chunk of Van's waffle with me a

couple of times! Not the same thing, but it was what I had on time,

and it was a bread product. It definitely tasted okay, and it was a

raised bread, which some churches consider important. I did this in a

pinch, and just to help myself more fully participate in communion.

You might have raised eyebrows if you try to serve waffle pieces to

everyone at your church! ; - )

It may be that if you or somebody in your congregation is willing to

bake a loaf, and you come up with a good recipe, that may be better

than purchasing a loaf. We sometimes use home-baked loaves in our

communion worship at church. Not gluten-free, but it gives a comfy

feeling to worship. At least in my experience thus far, the

store-bought GF bread I've had is horrid. I don't know if homemade

would be better. I would hope so. It might work better for

communion, too, because you'd have a whole loaf rather than a sliced

one. Just a thought.

Take care,

Bear