Communion Options

Option 1: Low-Gluten Hosts

Low-gluten hosts contain a minimal amount of wheat—typically less than 0.01% gluten—which is enough for the bread to be valid matter for the Eucharist while being tolerable for many people with celiac disease.

Key points:

• These are NOT "gluten-free" (completely gluten-free hosts are invalid matter)
• Many celiacs tolerate them well, but not all—consult your doctor
• Must be handled carefully to avoid cross-contamination
• You can bring your own to Mass with pastoral permission

Read our full guide on low-gluten hosts →

Option 2: Wine Only

Receiving Communion under the species of wine alone is completely valid. You receive the whole Christ—Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity—in either species. This is what I typically do—if the cup is offered, I simply receive from it.

Key points:

• Theologically complete—you're not receiving "less"
• Some people request a separate chalice; I don't, and I'm fine
• Your mileage may vary—some celiacs are more sensitive than others
• The important thing is that you receive, not that you achieve laboratory conditions

Option 3: Spiritual Communion

When neither of the above options is possible or safe, spiritual communion is a legitimate and grace-filled practice recognized by the Church.

This is not a "lesser" form of participation. Saints throughout history have made spiritual communions, and the Church teaches that a sincere desire to receive Christ brings real spiritual fruit.

Getting Permission

For options 1 and 2, you'll need to speak with your pastor. In most dioceses:

• The bishop has authority over these accommodations
• This authority is often delegated to pastors
• No medical certification is typically required
• A simple conversation is usually sufficient

See our guide to the parish conversation →

What About Cross-Contamination?

Some celiacs need strict protocols. Others (like me) find that typical cross-contamination at Communion is something they can live with. Neither approach is wrong—you have to know your own body and make peace with your decision.

If you're more sensitive, here are some options:

• Low-gluten hosts stored in a separate pyx
• A dedicated chalice for wine-only reception
• Receiving first, before others have handled hosts

But honestly? Many of us just receive and trust that grace works even when conditions aren't perfect. The Eucharist isn't a laboratory. It's a meal.

A Prayer Before Communion

Lord Jesus, I come to Your table as I am—
with a body that struggles and a heart that hungers.
You know my limitations. You made me.
I trust that You meet me here,
in bread or wine or earnest longing,
and that Your grace is never rationed.
Make me a vessel of Your peace. Amen.

What the Church Actually Teaches

The Magisterium is clear: receiving under one species is fully valid. Canon 925 states that Holy Communion may be received "under the species of bread alone, or under both species." You're not receiving a partial Christ or second-class communion.

The 2017 letter from the Congregation for Divine Worship affirmed that celiacs should have access to the Eucharist through low-gluten hosts or Communion under the species of wine alone. This isn't a workaround—it's pastoral care within the bounds of valid sacramental theology.

What matters to the Church is that you receive Christ. The how is a matter of prudence, not doctrine.