We eat to live and live to eat. Food transcends mere nutrition when it takes on symbolism in the rituals of our cultures. But what happens when, due to illness or dietary restriction, one can’t consume the very food that is woven into the fabric of one’s faith?
Taking Communion caused such a problem for those who couldn’t eat the gluten commonly used in communion wafers. While it sounds simple to eliminate the gluten, the Catholic Church requires that the wafers be made with wheat, including the naturally-occurring gluten.
Two nuns took this task upon themselves and set out to solve the problem. After much experimentation, Sister Lynn D’Souza created a communion wafer with the tiniest amount of gluten. So small, that most people with sensitivity to wheat gluten can still eat it; and just enough that it satisfied the requirements of the church. A miracle? Perhaps.
People in need of gluten-free wafers can contact the Altar Breads office at 800-223-2772 or use the website.Music Break -- Blind Man, Blind Man - Herbie Hancock