Low Gluten Alter Breads ~ Benedictine Sisters

I hope that this information will be helpful to anyone trying to incorporate low-gluten host at their church.

The following information was copied from this site: http://www.benedictinesisters.org/bread/low_gluten.php



The Concern

Celiac disease affects as many as one out of every 133 people. Those suffering from this condition cannot ingest any gluten, a protein found in wheat. Eating gluten causes intestinal damage and can lead to many secondary illnesses. Celiacs have to maintain strict gluten free diets to protect their health. Hence, the concern among Catholic celiac sufferers was how could they continue to receive the Body of Christ at Eucharist when it is made with wheat. Since the mid 80s, we have received calls from faithful Catholics who hoped that we could find a way to provide an altar bread that would fit their special needs. We decided we would give it our best effort.

The Prayer
The Catholic Church is firmly rooted in Scripture and Tradition. In keeping with the belief that Jesus used a wheaten bread at the Last Supper, the Church has required that breads used for communion be made with wheat and contain gluten.

As stated before, the celiac community needed non-gluten bread. We prayed for divine inspiration as we began to research how we could meet the requirements of both these groups we hoped to serve.

The Answer
Throughout the years of our research and development we stayed in touch with the Office of the Secretariat for the Liturgy of the U.S. Council of Catholic Bishops. Through their help we discovered a company that produced wheat starch, which is wheat that has had most of the gluten removed. We began experimenting with this new product. There were many failed attempts and much frustration ? the resulting breads were either too thin, too hard, or inedible. Then one evening, as our sisters were working, Divine Providence intervened. They tried mixing together two different types of starch. The result was a sticky, messy batter that seemed hopeless. They plopped some of it onto the baking plate and then decided to throw out the rest and start over. When they open the baker they discovered a round, crisp, light wafer that tasted delicious. God had blessed our efforts with success.

The Facts
Our low gluten bread is made with wheat starch and water. The gluten content is 0.01%. It is made, stored, and shipped in a dedicated gluten-free environment.

The Church's Response

The Office of the Secretariat received our samples and test results and issued the following statement.

Having reviewed the laboratory reports you sent, which set the amount of gluten in these altar breads at 0.01%, I am pleased to state that these special hosts are indeed made according to the requirements of both the Code of Canon Law (c.924) and the special considerations set out by Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, Prefect for the Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith, in his July 24, 2003 letter to the Presidents of Episcopal Conferences (Prot. N. 89/78-17498) and may be validly used at Mass in the diocese of the United States with appropriate permission.

The Celiac Communities Response

Since we began selling these breads we have served over 2000 celiac sufferers. We have had only positive feedback from those who have tried them. Our low gluten altar breads were featured in an article in the magazine Gluten-Free Living. The editorial and accompanying write-up cited data from the Center for Celiac Research that showed that the 0.01% gluten content of our breads would be perfectly safe for most celiacs. The article states

The measurement cited here, 0.01%, represents 10 PPMs (parts per million). But the more important number is 37 micrograms, because it is daily exposure to gluten that counts. The best current information shows that 10 milligrams a day should be safe. Ten milligrams is the same as 10,000 micrograms. If you divide 37 micrograms into 10,000 micrograms, you will find that you would have to eat 270 wafers every day to reach the danger point. At most, celiacs would consume one wafer per day or about 0.04% (four tenths of one percent) of the amount considered dangerous.

The Benedictine Sister's Response
We are inspired by the deep desire of those suffering from gluten intolerance to receive Holy Communion. We are humbled by the many letters, emails, and phone calls we have received thanking us for our efforts to produce low gluten altar bread. We are blessed to have the opportunity to allow God to work through our hands. We are honored and privileged to provide for you and your parish the bread that becomes the Body of Christ.

Click the following link to find out the story of the creation of these Low Gluten Breads