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Holy Day Of Obligation - Ash Wednesday

penguin

By penguin
in Coping with Celiac Disease

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penguin Community Regular
penguin
Posted

So it's Ash Wednesday, and as much as I'm an admitted CEO (Christmas and Easter Only) Catholic, I do try to observe the big days of obligation. It's my plan to go to mass today, but I can't take communion, right? There's wheat in the wafers?

And fasting? Am I required to fast? I have some trouble with hypoglycemia, I've fasted before OK, but I don't know how my body is going to react since gluten free.

Any thoughts on this? I think the priest in my parish is probably busy today...

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Lollie Enthusiast
Lollie
Posted

I have had this type of discussion already! Search for communion. I think you might find the past lines interesting and helpful.

Your right that you can't take the wafer. It is most definantly wheat- depending on how your parish does it, you might be able to take the wine only....if they do not dip the wafers. But, on the bright side, you can get your ashes....free of gluten! :D HaHa!!!!!! About fasting, that's a little tricky but from what I understand, you chose a fast of something....not everything, ie no meat.

Hopefully some others will post, but that is what I know! I hope that it helps you!

Have a blessed day!

Lollie

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ravenwoodglass Mentor
ravenwoodglass
Posted
So it's Ash Wednesday, and as much as I'm an admitted CEO (Christmas and Easter Only) Catholic, I do try to observe the big days of obligation. It's my plan to go to mass today, but I can't take communion, right? There's wheat in the wafers?

And fasting? Am I required to fast? I have some trouble with hypoglycemia, I've fasted before OK, but I don't know how my body is going to react since gluten free.

Any thoughts on this? I think the priest in my parish is probably busy today...

If you are not recieving communion you are not required to fast. The fast is intended to keep you 'pure' until you had recieved the host - if my memory for catachism is correct. I am assuming you are catholic and as the other poster said the wafer is not safe for you. You may want to contact your parish priest on another day and see if they accept a gluten-free alternative but if you do a search for communion like the other poster said you may find your answers. I would go to the service anyway if I wanted to, personally I believe God understands.

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penguin Community Regular
penguin
  • Author
Posted

I've been fasting and I feel sick, in spite of the protein shake I'm drinking. I think I fall into the sick category for now, which means I'm not subject to fasting, either.

On Ash Wednesday and Good Friday you're supposed to fast all day, with one modest meal with no meat.

On normal mass days, you are supposed to fast until communion.

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jerseyangel Proficient
jerseyangel
Posted

All the ins and outs of fasting are here--

Open Original Shared Link

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penguin Community Regular
penguin
  • Author
Posted

I found this on a blog out there in cyberspace:

In the end, taking any form of communion at all is a grave risk to his health. I can only imagine what the Last Supper would have been like if one of the Apostles had Celiac’s Disease.

“Do this in memory of Me.”

“But Lord, I can’t eat wheat. It makes me flatulent at best, and at worst it perforates my intestines.”

“Well James, I’m afraid you just don’t get any. Now go take your rice crackers and play with the Buddhists instead. Even the Protestants won’t touch that stuff.”

“Um, Jesus, any chance we could get a dispensation for goose barnacles during Lent?”

“Sure thing, man. Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.“

“So goose barnacles are okay?”

“Completely. And puffins too. And capybaras, and if you happen to live in Ireland…”

Pretty much.

Here's a link to that: Open Original Shared Link disease=1

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Susan123 Rookie
Susan123
Posted

These are the rules from my church. If you are under 17 or over 50 something you don't have to fast. If you fall in the age range fasting is 2 small meals and one regular meal no snacking in between.

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killernj13 Enthusiast
killernj13
Posted

I always thought if you had a medical condition which could be affected by fasting you were obsolved from doing it. Isn't that the reason they but an age limit on it. I think we fall under that category. Again, this is everyone's own personal decision.

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lorka150 Collaborator
lorka150
Posted

Somewhat of a sidenote:

My Polish family breaks communion and says a prayer before dinner every Christmas Eve. This year, I was very sad that it wasn't going to happen.

Anyway, so I baked up nine gingerbread men, labelled them per person, and we broke those instead. A little silly, maybe, but a new tradition that we all loved.

It is the prayer that is important, anyway.

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debmidge Rising Star
debmidge
Posted

I think I also understood the fasting rules - that if you have a medical condition where fasting would interfere with your health, whether blood sugar or any other disease you are exempt.

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tarnalberry Community Regular
tarnalberry
Posted

if you opt to try fasting, make sure to 'wean' down your carbs before hand - have plenty of protein and fat the days before, and no single meals high in carbs. but I do believe there are medical 'exemptions' to the fast.

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Jnkmnky Collaborator
Jnkmnky
Posted

Ash wednesday is not a holy day of obligation. Fasting is not a commandment, just tradition. I am really having problems with the Catholic church lately. I can't stand all the hoops they put up for us to jump through. If you want to follow all of the rules, then do your best. If not, don't imagine God's up there checking off all the "disappointing" things you fail to do that arise from Catholic Tradition. It's really so sad that the leadership of the Catholic church has it's members so nervous about "failing" all these traditions.

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Lollie Enthusiast
Lollie
Posted

I just wanted to add my own interpretation:

I believe that all of this is symbolic, I know that isn't particularly Catholic.....

I think that what the importance of communion is the REMEMBERENCE part, not the bread or the wine. The importance of the day Ash wednesday, is the rememberence of what the ashes represent. The importance of the fast is that everytime you think of food, or what evere you have given up, you remember the great price Christ gave for us. It's all about remeberence. That's my thoughts!

Lollie

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Jen H Contributor
Jen H
Posted

Hi ChelsE,

I think you need to do what feels comfortable for you. I have fasted in the past, but due to various health issues, I don't fast now. I know that sacrifice is part of the Lenten season, so I hope God will understand my choice. I just show my sacrifices in other ways.

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penguin Community Regular
penguin
  • Author
Posted

I decided not to fast today, I was feeling too sick to do it. My blood sugar doesn't handle it well.

Yeah, I forgot it's not a day of obligation.

The communion thing is wigging me out, I'm going to have to talk to a priest about it. :unsure:

Thanks everybody!

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NikkiLynn Newbie
NikkiLynn
Posted

About not taking the wafer. A lot of the local catholic churches around me have been offering gluten-free rice wafers. You have to call or contact them before going though. Here is a link to a website that one of the churches sent me about the gluten-free wafers.

Open Original Shared Link

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Jnkmnky Collaborator
Jnkmnky
Posted
About not taking the wafer. A lot of the local catholic churches around me have been offering gluten-free rice wafers. You have to call or contact them before going though. Here is a link to a website that one of the churches sent me about the gluten-free wafers.

Open Original Shared Link

These aren't gluten free. They're low gluten. Great link though. Thanks. I printed it out for my priest if this is the route we go. Has anyone found a study that confirms no villi damage as a result of consuming these hosts? I'd love to see a study where a low gluten host consumer was biopsied and showed no villi damage. Thanks.

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Deaconron Newbie
Deaconron
Posted
So it's Ash Wednesday, and as much as I'm an admitted CEO (Christmas and Easter Only) Catholic, I do try to observe the big days of obligation. It's my plan to go to mass today, but I can't take communion, right? There's wheat in the wafers?

And fasting? Am I required to fast? I have some trouble with hypoglycemia, I've fasted before OK, but I don't know how my body is going to react since gluten free.

Any thoughts on this? I think the priest in my parish is probably busy today...

CheleE,

I would like to commend you for your concern about taking communion even though it be only three times a year. The option I recommend, the one I use is to receive only from the cup - the precious blood - this has been working for me for the past two years. Our Archbishop told me that he has a friend, who is a bishop who also has celiac so they are aware of the problem and he and the other bishops and priests understand. I would most certainly talk to your pastor about your concerns and I am sure that he will understand and encourage you, as I do, to attend Mass regularly.

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penguin Community Regular
penguin
  • Author
Posted
CheleE,

I would like to commend you for your concern about taking communion even though it be only three times a year. The option I recommend, the one I use is to receive only from the cup - the precious blood - this has been working for me for the past two years. Our Archbishop told me that he has a friend, who is a bishop who also has celiac so they are aware of the problem and he and the other bishops and priests understand. I would most certainly talk to your pastor about your concerns and I am sure that he will understand and encourage you, as I do, to attend Mass regularly.

I do go to church more than what I say, but I'm not the regular attendee I should be. Trying to go regularly opens up a whole other can of worms that I just can't deal with right now. I'm glad the Church will understand about the wafers. Thanks for your help :)

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teankerbell Apprentice
teankerbell
Posted

I thought the same thing that Killrn said, if you have a med. condition, you are absolved from having to follow it. Call the rectory to be sure.

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