Friday 6 July 2012

Invalid Matter?

When someone brought a photograph to my attention depicting something that looked suspiciously like a cookie being used as a host for mass, my curiosity was piqued. A little investigation led me to Canon Law which specifies wheat flour and the GIRM which specifies unleavened bread. The contention was that something that thick could not possibly be unleavened and besides, it looked like a cookie. Since I could find no references to appearances let alone cookies, I decided to perform my own investigation. I mixed some whole wheat flour and water in a bowl until it was the consistency of a thick dough. I formed the dough into a round shape about 3" in diameter and between 1/4" and 3/8" thick. Then I baked it, using only enough vegetable oil to prevent sticking. Here's the results.



You be the judge. It does look like an oatmeal cookie but I can confirm that only wheat flour and water went into it. There may well be some requirements that I am not aware of so feel free to post references in the combox. As for this bit of bread... it has no liturgical destiny though I may get my friend to eat it for my own amusement.

As for me... I have way too much time on my hands. G'day...

7 comments:

Barona said...

Outrageous! This is invalid!

Freyr said...

Do you have some grounds or is this just a gut feeling?

Barona said...

Actually, on reflection, I shall pontificate that it is valid - I see it enshrouded with a subtle halo....

Freyr said...

Well good... your kind impersonation of a pontiff notwithstanding, you really should have first hand experience. It is in the freezer and I shall afford you the opportunity to taste it when next we meet.

Freyr said...

By the way... the difference between bread and cookies is that one is made with shortening and the other is not. Shortening prevents the gluten molecules from linking giving a brittle, crumbly texture. You cannot tell elasticity or flexibility from a photograph.

Barona said...

I suspect that this cookie is nothing but a vile Modernist conspiracy... I shall consult General Jack Ripper on this matter (no pun intended).

Freyr said...

You shall shortly learn the reason unleavened bread is called the bread of affliction. Leaven comes from the practice of keeping back some of the dough from the last batch to start out the new one. No one knew what yeast was but bread dough left in a warm place would rise from the yeast spores in the air. Keeping a particularly tasty batch of dough for leavening meant greater consistency. So unleavened bread is that which is made in a hurry, not that to which a packet of yeast has been added.