Thursday, June 30, 2011

In search of thinner altar bread

One of my projects today was searching the Internet for thinner altar breads.

I am finding that many of the older folks to whom I bring the Eucharist, as well as some at Mass, find it difficult to swallow the hosts we normally use. One solution is to break the host; but I know there are altar breads that are made thinner, and seem to dissolve more quickly.

I found two sites online and sent off email inquiries.

Any suggestions?

11 comments:

Richard Collins said...

Father, look for a traditional order of nuns who make hosts. They will use purified flour that gives a very white host that also melts on the tongue.

truthfinder2 said...

@ Richard Collins - I wish our church would order some of that type. I am having the same difficulty, and I am neither elderly nor infirm. I find that after the prayers and the singing, my mouth is REALLY dry, and something that dissolves more easily would be helpful. Is the coarser type of host a post- Vatican II development?

Father Jay Toborowsky said...

I've been using the larger Priest hosts made by a school for the deaf in Holland, and sold in the U.S. through Meyer-Vogelpohl. They are the thinnest I've seen, and perhaps their hosts for the faithful are just as thin?

Anonymous said...

Father - Please post your results if you find what you're looking for. I would like to make a recommendation to our Pastor as well.

Fr Martin Fox said...

Anonymous:

I can do that. I got some samples yesterday from one company already, and we're going to try them out. Another company sent me samples so I'm waiting for those. I'm sure we'll find something that works.

Fr Martin Fox said...

Truthfinder:

Yes, one of the things that came out of the Second Vatican Council -- but I cannot recall which document just now -- was a desire that the bread used for the Mass really look and seem, well, "bready."

Of course, this aspiration has spawned a lot of misfires. About the best anyone can come up with, it seems, is the coarser type you describe.

Anonymous said...

That's the way to do it. Blame everything you don't like on Vatican II. That is so pathetic. I'm just sitting here waiting to read where you have petitioned the present pope to retroactively excommunicate John XXIII and Paul VI for the dastardly deed they perpetrated on the church.

Fr Martin Fox said...

"Blame everything you don't like on Vatican II."

Anonymous:

What are you talking about?

Fr. James Reutter said...

Fr.:

I don't know if you've already tried St. Michael's altar bread. I use their hosts sometime and they are very thin -- almost translucent. I think Meyer-Vogelpohl carries them.

Fr Martin Fox said...

Father:

Thanks I will check it out!

Anonymous said...

Father: I just found your blog. Excellent reading. Anyway, I can recommend the best altar bread I've ever found here:

http://www.ihmwestfield.com/

Made by the wonderful nuns in Westfield, VT. (Just click on the Altar Bread Department link) Almost all our parishes here in VT use them.

God Bless.