Communion in Italy (taken from celiac.com)

August 19, 2004

In response to some questions about how celiacs in Europe are

handling the question of communion in the Catholic church, I found

this on Google:

Dana, Gloriously GF

.

Questions? New information to add? Contact:

info@...

Taken From Celiac.com 8/2/04

Bishops in Italy Approve a German-made Low Gluten Eucharistic Host :

Celiac.com 08/02/2002 - The Bishops' National Liturgy Office in

Italy recently approved a low-gluten Eucharistic host made by a

specific German firm for use by worshippers who have celiac disease.

The hosts have been approved by the scientific committee of the

Italian Celiac Association and are made using Codex Alimentarius

quality wheat starch that contains 0.0374 milligrams of gluten.

Additionally, the Vatican's Congregation for the Doctrine of the

Faith has also approved the hosts for use in the Eucharist. According

to the Catholic Church the bread used in the Eucharist must be made

exclusively from wheat, and the German-made hosts are currently the

only ones produced that meet all of the Catholic Church's

requirements.

This decision creates controversy, however, between worshippers with

celiac disease in Europe and the United States, mainly due to the

differing opinion with regard to whether those with celiac disease

need to be on a 100% gluten-free diet. Since support groups and some

segments of the American scientific community advocate a 100% gluten-

free diet, the Catholic Church recommends that worshippers with

celiac disease in the United States only receive communion if the

form of consecrated wine

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