School-wide Eucharistic liturgies and prayer services mark key
moments in the liturgical and school year. The Mass is the source
and summit of our Christian life. Our Eucharistic celebrations
call together the whole community to give thanks for God’s works
in creation, redemption and saving grace.
All are welcome to approach the table at Communion, in lieu of
the Eucharist, non-Catholic students and guests are encouraged to
receive a blessing so that we as a community may share in our
call to be a community. We also offer low gluten Altar breads for
members of our community who require them.
The Sacrament of Reconciliation is available by appointment with
our Chaplain.
The concern… Celiac disease affects as many
as one out of every 133 people. Those suffering from this
condition cannot ingest any gluten, a protein found in wheat. For
these people eating gluten causes intestinal damage and can lead
to many secondary illnesses. Celiacs have to maintain strict
gluten-free diets to protect their health. Hence, the concern
among Catholic celiac sufferers was how they could continue to
receive the Body of Christ at Eucharist when it is made with
wheat.
The prayer… The Catholic Church is firmly
rooted in Scripture and Tradition. In keeping with the belief
that Jesus used a wheat bread at the Last Supper, the Church has
required that breads used for communion be made with wheat and
contain gluten.
As stated before, the celiac community needed non-gluten bread.
The facts… The low gluten bread used at St.
Francis High School is made by the Benedictine Sisters of
Perpetual Adoration with wheat starch and water. The gluten
content is less than 0.01%. It is made, stored, and shipped in a
designated area free from all other wheat products. At St.
Francis is stored separately from the wheat hosts and is
consecrated on the altar in its own Pyx and distributed in a
special communion line.
The response… If you would like to
receive these consecrated hosts at our school-wide liturgies
please e-mail Mr. Tholcke with and let him know of your
need. At each Mass a specific number of low-gluten hosts are
consecrated for those who have requested them.
For more information about these hosts please visit the website
for the Benedictine
Sisters of Perpetual Adoration.
USCCB – Having reviewed the laboratory reports provided,
which set the amount of gluten in these altar
breads at less than 0.01%, The USCCB is pleased to
state that these special hosts are indeed made according to the
requirements of both the Code of Canon Law (c.924) and the
special considerations set out by Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger,
Prefect for the Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith, in his
July 24, 2003 letter to the Presidents of Episcopal Conferences
(Prot. N. 89/78-17498) and may be validly used at Mass in the
diocese of the United States with appropriate permission.
