If you’re Catholic and newly diagnosed with celiac disease, one of the first questions that hits you is: What about Communion? The good news: you have options. One of them is low-gluten hosts, specially made Communion wafers that contain a minimal amount of wheat, enough to be valid matter for the Eucharist while being tolerable for most people with celiac disease.
Low-gluten hosts are made from wheat starch or wheat flour from which most of the gluten protein has been removed, together with water. For most people with celiac disease, the tiny absolute dose in a single low-gluten host, received infrequently, does not cause symptoms or measurable intestinal damage. However, “most” is not “all”: highly sensitive people may still react, and for them receiving the Precious Blood alone may be the safer path.
What Makes a Communion Host Valid?
Catholic teaching requires that the Eucharistic bread be made from wheat. This isn’t arbitrary, it’s rooted in Scripture and 2,000 years of tradition. The host must contain some wheat to be considered valid matter for consecration.
This means completely gluten-free hosts made from rice flour, for example, are not valid for Catholic Communion. They cannot become the Body of Christ because they lack the essential wheat component. Low-gluten hosts solve this problem by using wheat that has been processed to remove most of the gluten, while retaining enough wheat content to be valid matter.
The Catholic Church has long held to the teaching that the bread used for the Mass must contain water and wheat. When it became more understood that some faithful have allergies to wheat, the Church had to consider how to account for that. The answer was Low Gluten hosts.
Holding to the tradition that wheat, or gluten, must be present in the host, the Church has allowed a low gluten host to be used. This came as a great relief to many of the faithful, who may not have had access to receiving from the chalice.
Low-Gluten Is Not the Same as Gluten-Free
“Low-gluten” is not the same as “gluten-free,” and the difference matters for your health. A host that is truly gluten-free, meaning 0 ppm, is not valid matter for the Eucharist.
What you want is “low-gluten”, enough wheat to be valid, little enough to be safe. Be wary of suppliers who claim their hosts are “gluten-free.” If a host is truly gluten-free, it’s not valid matter for the Eucharist.
Some product descriptions use the term “gluten free” based on nutritional standards, while also explaining that the wafers are made from purified wheat starch. FDA regulations do not permit labeling these products as gluten free because they are made from purified wheat starch.
How Much Gluten Do Low-Gluten Hosts Contain?
Gluten content varies by maker. The Benedictine Sisters of Perpetual Adoration host, the most common in the US, has been reported at different testing levels over time.
| Host or reference | Reported gluten content | Relevant detail |
|---|---|---|
| Regular wheat host | 50,000 to 100,000 ppm | Typical wheat host |
| Benedictine Sisters host | Roughly 50 to 70 ppm | Low-gluten, not gluten-free |
| Benedictine Sisters test reported in 2014 | 56.5 ppm | Approximately 0.002 milligrams of gluten per host |
| Some other approved hosts | Closer to or under 20 ppm | Gluten content varies by maker |
The Benedictine Sisters of Perpetual Adoration host, the most common in the US, tests at roughly 50 to 70 parts per million (ppm), about 0.002 mg of gluten per host. That is above the FDA’s 20 ppm “gluten-free” threshold: it is low-gluten, not gluten-free.
The ingredients are wheat starch, meaning wheat flour from which most of the gluten protein has been removed, plus water. The last gluten testing was done in April 2023 and the average content per wafer was 70ppm which equals 70 micrograms per .2 g of product. Each wafer weighs aproximately .2 g.
It was recently brought to our attention that the Benedictine Sisters low gluten Communion hosts, made from wheat starch and water, last tested at 70 ppm of gluten. Previously, these had tested below 20 ppm.
For comparison, a regular wheat host contains on the order of 50,000 to 100,000 ppm. Some other approved hosts, for example, the Cavanagh low-gluten host, test lower, closer to or under 20 ppm.
How Much Gluten Is in One Host?
A report dated 02/05/2014 by the Gluten Free Watchdog, an organization focused on making testing data on gluten-free food available, indicates the average gluten concentration of the Benedictine Sisters altar bread to be 56.5 parts per million (ppm). Accordingly, considering the total weight of each Communion wafer, the actual amount of gluten in one low-gluten host would add up to about 0.002 milligrams.
Each wafer from the Benedictine Sisters weighs approximately 0.2 g. At 70 ppm, one of these wafers would contain approximately .14 mg of gluten. While these Communion wafers test above the recommended 20 ppm, given the size of them and the infrequency of consumption, they may still be OK for people with celiac disease.
A 2004 study involving 76 subjects with celiac disease, for example, found daily gluten intake of less than 30 milligrams to be safe in clinical practice and challenge protocols. A study by Catassi et al. determined that more than 50 mg of gluten per day was harmful for people with celiac disease.
Some people also showed villous atrophy at above 10 mg of gluten in a day. Based on this research, the 10 mg threshold is commonly used when talking about thresholds for gluten consumption for people with celiac disease. This 10 mg threshold is over an entire day.
For context, 10 mg is approximately 0.002 of a teaspoon. The data available suggest that low-gluten altar breads used for Communion that have similar levels of gluten to the above tested product would be safe for consumption by celiac disease patients.
For most people with celiac disease, the tiny absolute dose in a single low-gluten host, received infrequently, does not cause symptoms or measurable intestinal damage. The North American Society for the Study of Celiac Disease has stated that the Benedictine host is safe for most people with celiac disease.
Safety Depends on Individual Sensitivity
But “most” is not “all”: highly sensitive people may still react, and for them receiving the Precious Blood alone is the safer path. Discuss your own sensitivity with your doctor.
Because persons with Celiac disease are highly sensitive to wheat, low gluten hosts must be stored, handled, and distributed completely separate from typical wheat hosts. How strict you need to be depends on your sensitivity level.
Some celiacs are fine with minimal precautions; others need a more rigorous protocol. Know your body. NCA recommends that you speak to your medical care team to determine the right course of action for you.
Approved Suppliers and Host Options
The Catholic Church doesn’t license host makers, but in the US the USCCB Secretariat of Divine Worship keeps a reference list of the low-gluten distributors known to it. Four are listed:
- Benedictine Sisters of Perpetual Adoration, Clyde, Missouri
- Cavanagh Company
- Parish Crossroads
- GlutenFreeHosts.com Inc.
The Benedictine Sisters of Perpetual Adoration are the most widely used source in the US, baking low-gluten hosts since 2004. The Benedictine Sisters of Perpetual Adoration have made Vatican-approved, low-gluten altar breads since 2004.
These breads have been tested by independent laboratories and deemed safe for use by many people with Celiac Sprue Disease. The Benedictine Sisters of Perpetual Adoration were the first U.S. low-gluten altar bread producers approved by the Vatican.
As early as the 1990s, the Benedictine Sisters started receiving requests for gluten-free hosts. With support from the Office of Divine Worship of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, the Benedictine Sisters produced a host compliant with the requirements of Canon Law and suitable for thousands of low-gluten customers around the world.
These sales began in 2004, and the wafers have been approved by the USCCB for use in all U.S. dioceses. The low-gluten breads are produced in a separate facility in order to prevent cross-contamination.
The low-gluten breads are made from water and wheat starch that has had most of the gluten removed. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops has approved them for use in all dioceses.
Other product specifications may include a diameter of 2-3/4", individual wrapping, a box of ten hosts, and a shelf life of up to one year. These details vary by supplier and product, so confirm current information before using a particular host.
Outside the US, the England & Wales Liturgy Office lists suppliers such as The Gluten Free Altar Bread Co., Charles Farris, and McCrimmons; in Australia, Christian Supplies Australia and Eucharistic Breads, Tarrawarra Abbey.
Gluten content varies by maker, so confirm current test results when you order, and confirm you are buying the wheat-based low-gluten host, not a fully gluten-free wafer, which is invalid matter for the Eucharist.
If a supplier can’t tell you the exact gluten content or show test results, find another supplier.
How the Church’s Guidance Addresses Low-Gluten Hosts
A June 15 directive by the Vatican regarding the use of gluten-free communion hosts has received considerable attention in the media. The news coverage has generated some concern in the celiac disease community.
It should be noted, however, that the new directive only affirms a previous Catholic Church policy. The original directive from 2003 stated that, although completely gluten-free products are not acceptable, “low-gluten hosts (partially gluten-free) are valid matter, provided they contain a sufficient amount of gluten to obtain the confection of bread without the addition of foreign materials and without the use of procedures that would alter the nature of bread”.
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops has certified some manufacturers of low-gluten hosts. The USCCB has approved the Benedictine Sisters’ wafers for use in all U.S. dioceses.
How to Arrange Low-Gluten Communion at Your Parish
Using low-gluten hosts requires some coordination with your parish. Have a conversation between priest, parishioner, and Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion to determine particulars of distribution and reception of the Eucharist.
1. Talk to Your Priest
Request a meeting with your pastor to explain your situation. Most priests are familiar with celiac disease accommodations by now, but some may need a brief explanation.
2. Get Permission
Permission to use a low-gluten host rests with your diocesan bishop, and in the United States that authority is commonly delegated to pastors. In practice this usually means a simple conversation with your pastor, not a formal application.
If he’s unsure, he can confirm the diocese’s policy with the chancery. No medical certification is typically required.
3. Arrange the Supply
There are two main approaches. You can purchase low-gluten hosts yourself and bring one to Mass. Arrive early, give it to the sacristan or priest, and they’ll place it in a separate pyx, a small container, to be consecrated with the other hosts.
Alternatively, the parish may supply them. Some parishes keep low-gluten hosts on hand. Ask if yours does, or offer to donate a supply.
Hosts may be ordered by the parish or the parishioner. If ordered by parishioner, arrange with parish for billing and shipping.
4. Arrange the Communion Procedure
At Communion time, go to the priest, not an Extraordinary Minister, and indicate you need the low-gluten host. Some parishes have you go first; others have you wait until the end. Work out the system with your pastor.
Some parishes require the communicant to notify an usher, head Eucharistic Minister, or Liturgy Coordinator before Mass begins. If you need one of these Hosts, please let an usher, head Eucharistic Minister or Liturgy Coordinator know and they will set one aside for you.
Some parish procedures require this request before the Offertory Rite of the Mass begins, because nothing can be added to the Altar after the Consecration Rite has begun. Parishioners may also be asked to sit in a particular place so they can receive before the Minister transitions to the traditional wheat Hosts.
Other parishes may arrange for the parishioner to come first or last to the priest or deacon, who retrieves the pyx from the altar and gives the Body of Christ. The priest, deacon, or Extraordinary Minister may open the pyx for the communicant to take Communion.
Preventing Cross-Contact
Even if a low-gluten host is safe on its own, cross-contact with regular hosts can contaminate it. The low-gluten host should be kept in a separate pyx, not mixed with regular hosts.
- Maintain a pyx exclusively for the use of low gluten hosts.
- The pyx should be cleaned between uses, or use a dedicated pyx that only holds low-gluten hosts.
- The low-gluten host should be kept separate from regular wheat hosts during storage, preparation, consecration, and distribution.
- The priest should not touch regular hosts before handling your host, or should purify his fingers first.
- Some celiacs request that the priest use a separate purificator when breaking the host.
- See that no wheat particles get into the pyx during the fraction rite.
Storage
Freezer storage or room temperature in an airtight container away from wheat products may be used. The hosts last at least 12 months in the freezer and 6 months at room temperature.
A consecrated host may be reserved in a pyx in the tabernacle for later use when taken to someone who is ill.
Preparation Before Mass
Before handling typical hosts, count out as many low gluten hosts as are needed at a single Eucharistic celebration. Place hosts in the designated pyx and close it.
If the pyx belongs to the parishioner, or if hosts are provided by the parishioner, see that the pyx or host is given to the sacristan well in advance of Mass to ensure time for preparation.
Consecration
Place the pyx on the corporal separate from the ciborium or paten containing typical wheat hosts.
Fraction Rite
See that no wheat particles get into the pyx during the fraction rite. Only break the presider host over the chalice for the priest and/or deacon, so that wheat particles do not get in all the chalices, preventing some from receiving the Precious Blood.
Distribution
Designate one point of distribution for a chalice which does not contain any particles of wheat. Determine when the communicant will come for Communion.
- The communicant sits where they can be near the front of the Communion line to receive the Precious Blood before wheat particles from other communicants get into the chalice.
- A specific Extraordinary Minister distributes separately to the individual during the regular Communion time.
- The parishioner comes first or last to the priest or deacon, who retrieves the pyx from the altar and gives the Body of Christ.
- The priest, deacon, or Extraordinary Minister opens the pyx for the communicant to take Communion.
If the pyx belongs to the parishioner, it may be taken after the reception of the Sacred Host. If crumbs remain in the pyx, wipe with finger and consume.
Receiving Communion from the Chalice
If low-gluten hosts don’t work for you, or if you want an additional safeguard, you can receive Communion under the species of wine only. You receive the whole Christ, Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity, in either species.
Some parishes offer a separate chalice for celiacs, though this isn’t always necessary. The amount of gluten contamination in the chalice from particles of broken hosts is typically negligible, but if you’re extremely sensitive, ask about a dedicated cup.
There are some people who are so sensitive to gluten that even the tiniest amount can cause discomfort. Those with such a serious gluten sensitivity may discuss their condition with their pastor or Eucharistic minister.
If the parish offers a separate chalice for Celiac sufferers, he or she may partake only of the Blood of Christ. It's best to avoid chalices that are used by those digesting regular altar breads because cross-contamination may occur.
Of course, if you arrive too late and are unable to reserve your low-gluten Host, you can always receive the Precious Blood from one of our cup ministers or come forward for a blessing.
What About Communion Wafers and Celiac Disease? Q&A with Fr. Leo Patalinghug
Spiritual Communion and Participation
It’s easy to get so focused on the logistics that we forget what we’re doing: receiving Christ. Whether you receive through a low-gluten host, the Precious Blood, or spiritual communion, the grace is real.
God knows your body. He made it. He’s not withholding Himself because of an autoimmune condition. The Church has made accommodations precisely because full participation in the Eucharist matters.
Do what you need to do to receive safely. Then receive.