The gluten-free fad has hit the Vatican and the Catholic Church has come out against it.

The Vatican, at the request of Pope Francis has said that hosts for Holy Communion that are completely gluten-free are invalid matter for all masses.

The news reaches me after I was at a recent cemetery mass where the priest announced that there was the option of gluten-free Holy Communion.

I see that a letter to Catholic Bishops from the Vatican has outlawed hosts that are completely gluten-free for the celebration of the Eucharist.

Wheat

It said that the “bread used in the celebration of the Most Holy Eucharistic Sacrifice must be unleavened, purely of wheat, and recently made so that there is no danger of decomposition.

“Low-gluten hosts (partially gluten-free) are valid matter, provided they contain a sufficient amount of gluten to obtain the confection of bread without the addition of foreign materials and without the use of procedures that would alter the nature of bread”.

“The Ordinary is competent to give permission for an individual priest or layperson to use low-gluten hosts or mustum for the celebration of the Eucharist.”

The Vatican has also decided that Eucharistic matter made with genetically modified organisms can be considered valid matter.

Proper order if you ask me.