Low gluten hosts....

[ktchnofdngr]

Hi, all.

I am on the home stretch of preparing for my Pilgrimage, which begins on Aug. 29th ( although I won't begin walking until the 31st....I arrive in Madrid on the 30th, then begin walking from Burgos on the 31st). I am hoping to go to daily Mass while walking, but I am gluten-free. I handle this in my home parish by just taking the Precious Blood at communion, although I have taken the Body of Christ on occasion....I just can't do so more than once a week or I react to the gluten in the hosts.

My priest offered to have low-gluten hosts for me, but since I can take just the Blood, I prefer to do that than make a fuss. However, I have heard that the majority of the world only offers the Body of Christ at communion. Can anyone tell me the normal practices in Spain regarding the Eucharist? Also, how open would priests be if I were to take low-gluten hosts with me, if I were to obtain unconsecrated low gluten hosts from my parish?

Thanks for any information you can give me!!!

Ruth

 

[bklyntraveller]

I attended Mass along the Camino Frances and never encountered Communion under both species. I hope there is medication you can take to allow you to receive while on the Camino. Don't expect to go to daily Mass in the morning unless you are in a big city. The timing of Mass is different in Spain. Buen Camino

 

[CaminoKentucky]

I do not think you will have any problem taking gluten-free hosts with you. You can just talk to the priest or sacristan before the Mass starts. If you do not speak Spanish, it might help to have a note written up that you can give to them.

 

[Lydia Gillen]

I myself am not a coeliac so do not have the experience of getting this sorted before mass each evening.
However I do know that gluten free hosts are available in the Cathedral in Santiago. All one has to do is go into the sacristy before mass and ask.

So it seems that Yakremark's advice is sound. Bring gluten free hosts with you and go into the sacristy before mass each evening. Having your request written out in Spanish by a native Spanish speaker will make things so much easier.

If you run out of hosts you might ask the priest to give you a very small portion of a host. Jesus is truly present no matter how small the particle. Again if you had this written out for you would make requesting it easier.

Buen Camino

 

[Tia Valeria]

We use the gluten free hosts as many churches here in UK use actual bread and we re-act to the additives.When on holiday we take some with us and ask before the service. We bought them on-line (my husband is a retired priest) and they are easy to identify as they are square, so if the priest forgets/doesn't know us we can make a square sign with our fingers. I think they come in packs of 50, just right for the Camino. You might have to ask your church to order them for you.