Faith & Communion 5 min read

Low-Gluten Hosts: Complete Guide to Approved Options

Everything you need to know about low-gluten Communion hosts, what they are, where to get them, and how to use them safely at Mass.

By Taylor Clark |

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.

Here’s everything you need to know.

What Makes a 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, typically to levels below 20 parts per million (ppm), while retaining enough wheat content to be valid matter.

How Low Is “Low-Gluten”?

Most approved low-gluten hosts contain less than 0.01% gluten, which translates to roughly 10-20 parts per million. To put this in perspective:

  • A regular wheat host contains approximately 50,000-100,000 ppm of gluten
  • The FDA threshold for “gluten-free” labeling is 20 ppm
  • Low-gluten hosts typically test at 10-20 ppm or lower

For most people with celiac disease, this trace amount doesn’t cause symptoms or intestinal damage. However, sensitivity varies, some celiacs can tolerate these hosts without issue, while others may still react. You’ll need to discuss this with your doctor.

Approved Suppliers

The Catholic Church doesn’t maintain an official list of approved hosts, but these suppliers are widely recognized and used in parishes across the United States and internationally:

Benedictine Sisters of Perpetual Adoration (Clyde, Missouri)

The most well-known source in the US. Their hosts are made from wheat starch that has been processed to remove gluten.

  • Website: benedictinesisters.org
  • Gluten content: Tested below 10 ppm
  • Available in: Individual hosts and quantities for parishes

Coeliac Hosts (Altar Breads Ltd, UK)

A UK-based supplier that ships internationally. Used widely in Europe and increasingly in the US.

  • Available through various Catholic supply companies
  • Gluten content: Below 20 ppm
  • Individually wrapped for safety

Parish Altar Bread (Australia)

For those in Australia and the Pacific, this supplier offers low-gluten options.

How to Use Low-Gluten Hosts at Your Parish

Using low-gluten hosts requires some coordination with your parish. Here’s the typical process:

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

In most dioceses, the pastor has authority to grant permission for low-gluten host use. Some dioceses require a letter to the bishop, but this is increasingly rare.

3. Arrange the Logistics

There are two main approaches:

Option A: You bring your own host 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.

Option B: The parish supplies them Some parishes keep low-gluten hosts on hand. Ask if yours does, or offer to donate a supply.

4. Receiving Communion

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.

Handling to Prevent Cross-Contact

Even if a low-gluten host is safe on its own, cross-contact with regular hosts can contaminate it. Here are the precautions:

  • The low-gluten host should be kept in a separate pyx, not mixed with regular hosts
  • The pyx should be cleaned between uses (or use a dedicated pyx that only holds low-gluten hosts)
  • 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

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.

What About the Precious Blood?

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.

A Note on “Gluten-Free” Claims

Be wary of suppliers who claim their hosts are “gluten-free.” If a host is truly gluten-free (0 ppm), it’s not valid matter for the Eucharist. What you want is “low-gluten”, enough wheat to be valid, little enough to be safe.

If a supplier can’t tell you the exact gluten content or show test results, find another supplier.

The Spiritual Reality

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 a 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.

Resources

communion low-gluten hosts eucharist parish