An allergic sensitivity to gluten, a protein present in wheat products, is the most common food allergy in the U.S. and much of the rest of the world. That's why a recent ruling from the highest authority of the Roman Catholic Church might prove troublesome to the religion's estimated 1.3 billion followers worldwide.
A directive from church leadership dated June 15 but reported by Vatican Radio July 10 stated that communion wafers, which play a central role in the sacred Catholic ritual of communion, must be made "purely of wheat" and therefore contain gluten. However, there are some detailed caveats to the rule.
"Communion wafers must be made in a way that preserves a trace amount of gluten."
It is possible to process wheat starch in a way that removes nearly all its gluten content but still leaves trace amounts. The U.S. and European Union legally allow these products to be labeled "gluten-free," and the Catholic Church has permitted communion wafers processed in this way to be consumed in the ritual. However, for those with severe gluten allergies, even the small trace of remaining gluten in these products could trigger a reaction.
Despite this, the Vatican confirmed previous directives that communion wafers made from completely gluten-free flour, often derived from rice, potatoes or tapioca, were not permitted in official Roman Catholic practices. For worshippers who cannot tolerate even trace amounts of gluten, the bishops' conference on the matter concluded that they may receive communion wine only, which is normally consumed alongside the wheat wafer.
Context of the decision
The rite of communion is among the oldest and most widespread practices in use within the Catholic Church, but it has been a source of some controversy for a long time, too. The gluten debate may have intensified recently due to the prevalence of gluten-free diets adopted by those who have not been diagnosed with a clinical sensitivity to gluten. In addition, as the Vatican noted in its recent directive, the issue of quality control had grown more complicated in the modern age.
"Until recently, it was certain religious communities who took care of baking the bread and making the wine for the celebration of the Eucharist," the bishops' congregation said. "Today, however, these materials are also sold in supermarkets and other stores, and even over the internet."
The Roman Catholic Church is the dominant Catholic denomination across the world, but the patchwork of other Christian sects who are not part of the Vatican's domain have adopted different decisions regarding the gluten question. The Church of England, for example, has generally sided with Rome on the matter. But other churches that observe the rite of communion have said that completely gluten-free wafers are acceptable.
In another update on communion dietary rulings, the Vatican clarified that communion wine made under a process that eliminates most of its alcohol content was permissible as part of the practice. This is seen as an aid to some worshippers who may be unable to tolerate or otherwise abstain from consuming alcoholic beverages.
