19 replies to this topic

[plantime]

I don't understand what communion has to do with wheat. By that I mean why does the wafer have to be wheat? What is the difference, as long as there are no leavening agents used?

[celiac3270]

Here's an article...that issue was raised in......June? But it's recently come to the forefront again: ABC article on it

Plantime...it's Catholic doctrine and the Church is unwilling to break from tradition, if it means being more accomodating to celiac Catholics.

[KaitiUSA]

It's sad that those people have the one way of thinking..I mean Jesus knows the heart of someone who is taking communion and that's what matters...not the ingredients of the wafer.Jesus would not want us to hurt ourselves.
I go to a non denominational church that is similar to baptist and they allow me to bring my own communion and are very understanding.

[lotusgem]

O.K., I enter this discussion with a bit of trepidation, but speaking as one who was brought up in the Catholic church and left it many years ago (and to be fair, Christianity altogether) (please, no prayers for my soul), here is something that I thought of as regards this sad situation.
As I recall, in the protestant religions, the wafer is viewed as SYMBOLIC of the body of Christ. But, in Catholicism, it is believed to be TRANSFORMED into the actual body of Jesus Christ. So I ask, why should the initial content of the wafer matter if in the end, it turns into Jesus?
Paula

[debmidge]

As a lapsed Catholic and a bible reader (have read OT & NT cover to cover as I ended up in older years attending a bible-based church) the resolution of this gluten-free host will never come to frutition.

The Catholic Church is slow and plodding when coming to the conclusion that others have reached. Example: Galileo was considered a heretic because he discovered that the earth rotates around the sun, instead of the opposite and for other supposed heresies; Martin Luthe (NOT Martin Luther King.) - church in late 20th century took the "anathema" off him as he professed that Grace/Salvation from God is a gift, not something that could be bought from the Church if you had enough money. They only now realized that Luther was correct and now he's considered a "son" of the church.

So don't keep banging your head against the brick wall. It may not be in our lifetime that they reverse themselves on gluten-free hosts. I suggest that if you are Catholic and feel strongly about this, then write to Rome; go around your Arch Bishop and write directly to Pope. I know Pope won't get to read them; even if he was well, someone would intercept the letters, but the volume alone and the pleas should be recognized.

[debmidge]

Mis spelling above: Martin Luther - years 1483-1546 (also was a Roman Catholic Priest)

[plantime]

Thanks for the education. Learn something new every day!

[celiac3270]

I can't believe that anyone could actually think that Jesus cared which grain was used. But some priests do. My grandmother on my dad's side is a devout Catholic and she cut out this article for me from some religious newspaper since it had Celiac mentioned in it. It was about the girl whose First Communion was invalidated because she used the rice, rather than wheat wafer. I'll quote from the end of the article (oh, by the way, the headline is: Church seeks options for those with celiac disease):

"But giving a gluten-free host, he says, is just playing charades. 'I don't see it as a sign of compassion or care. It's feeding into falsehood. When we offer words like compassion and pastroal concern, we mean them, but it doesn't mean you cn change things. You seek solutions. You provide options., You stand fast with the person who is suffering and encourage them along the way.

'But to those who ask, did Jesus really put emphasis on the material used,' Father Sirianni said, 'the answer is yes.''

I think the last statement (in bold) is the worst...I can't believe he can feel that way. Well, he said "put emphasis." I'd love to ask him, "Would Jesus rather have me poison my body and die?" or "So Jesus wouldn't be satisfied if a Celiac used a rice wafer instead, with the same belief as another?" I apologize if I offend other Catholics, but it just bothers me that they're so steadfast. I, PERSONALLY, am okay not taking Communion...but I am upset for those who aren't okay without it.

[kvogt]

I am rather sick of hearing all these disparaging opinions expressed by non-Catholics about Catholic belief. This is a Catholic matter. We're not in here belittling the belief of other denominations, so leave us be. And when I say Catholic, I mean practicing Catholic, not 'former Catholoc' or 'used to be Catholic' or 'my grandma was a Catholic' or 'I'll pick and choose my beliefs and call myself Catholic'.

It's not up to any priest to decide he will or will not "honor" a host made from invalid matter. The priest was wrong to do this. If the child's mother knew this was wrong, and was trying to join him in an end run around our belief, then she was wrong also. The reason the church invalidated her communion is because it was wrong - the host was not transformed. She did not receive the Body of Christ in her communion.

This is unwelcome news and difficult for all Catholic celiacs, but it is what it is.

I don't know why God made me this way, but He chose to do so, so I choose to obey and work to accept in my heart my situation. He has a reason - His reason and someday I will understand.

It is hurtful to hear one's beliefs insulted and reviled. Please stop!

[kschmitz]

I am a life-long, active Catholic. I was dx with celiac 5 months ago. I completely understand the frustration concerning the seeming inflexibility of the Catholic Church regarding wheat-only communion wafers. I would like to share with you my personal experience with this issue.

When I met with my parish priests about receiving communion, they were very compassionate and helpful, even consulting with several religious convents that make low gluten wafers. However, since I attend daily Mass, I did not want to ingest even a small portion of a gluten-free wafer. So I decided to receive only the wine, which according to Church teaching is called transubstantiation and which I believe, is also changed into the Body and Blood of Christ. The substance of both the bread and wine are changed into the real Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus Christ.

In addition to the support of the priests, one of the deacons of my parish researched celiac disease and wrote an essay that was inserted in our weekly bulletin explaining the disease and why I would no longer be receiving communion under both species. This essay not only helped with my initial discomfort of other parisioners asking why I was not receiving the host, but also helped to educate our parish community about celiac disease. Recently, at a fund-raising bake sale, one of the ladies of our parish baked gluten-free chocolate chip cookies!

As you can see, I have been blessed with a loving and supportive Catholic community. I hope and pray that all celiacs who are struggling with this sensitive communion issue will be able to find a respectful resolution as I have.

kschmitz

[celiac3270]

I am rather sick of hearing all these disparaging opinions expressed by non-Catholics about Catholic belief. This is a Catholic matter. We're not in here belittling the belief of other denominations, so leave us be. And when I say Catholic, I mean practicing Catholic, not 'former Catholoc' or 'used to be Catholic' or 'my grandma was a Catholic' or 'I'll pick and choose my beliefs and call myself Catholic'.

It's not up to any priest to decide he will or will not "honor" a host made from invalid matter. The priest was wrong to do this. If the child's mother knew this was wrong, and was trying to join him in an end run around our belief, then she was wrong also. The reason the church invalidated her communion is because it was wrong - the host was not transformed. She did not receive the Body of Christ in her communion.

This is unwelcome news and difficult for all Catholic celiacs, but it is what it is.

I don't know why God made me this way, but He chose to do so, so I choose to obey and work to accept in my heart my situation. He has a reason - His reason and someday I will understand.

It is hurtful to hear one's beliefs insulted and reviled. Please stop!

I am Catholic myself...and I go to church, not every week, but often enough to be able to say that I do practice Catholism. I don't take Communion.

I'm not bashing the faith at all...and I guess we can't really blame the priest who made the remark I quoted. He is simply reinforcing what those in authority are saying--and he has no power to change it anyway.

Do you take Communion? Or the low-gluten host? I realize that there is an "alternative" that has been deemed safe--the low-gluten host. But being so strict with this diet, it would be EXTREMELY difficult for me to intentionally ingest gluten--even if the amount is safe. And if we can go 3/4 of the way to a gluten-free host...I don't see why those....20 ppm (or however much is in it) have to be in it at all. And I bet we all get a slight amount of gluten ingestion every day...even if it's under 20 ppm...I'm just scared that if I intentionally ingested more gluten, it might push it over the edge to the point where it damages my intestines.

I realize that it's not the priest's fault for this...it's just that those in authority don't want to break from tradition. And that's nothing against the faith--steadfastness to tradition and ceremony might be what attracts people to Catholism in the first place. I was just saying that not accepting a gluten-free host is about holding to tradition--the way the Communion has been taken for hundreds of years.

I apologize for offending you, though.

[lotusgem]

Dear KVOGT,
your unfortunate reaction to some of the remarks made here fully illustrates why I was somewhat apprehensive about weighing in on this sensitive subject. I am responding inasmuch as I am among those who you singled out with some disdain, as a former Catholic. Please know that I was very careful to choose words that expressed my point without sounding critical. The fact that I left the church, and indeed, Christianity as a whole, is not a criticism of anyone's faith. It simply did not suit my personal spiritual needs. You say that the question of a gluten-free host is a Catholic matter; I assert that the basis of every religion and of life itself is compassion, and the people's comments here reflect compassion and concern over a practice that, for Catholic Celiacs (and this is a Celiac discussion group) is causing physical and/or emotional harm...a practice that surely, out of love, could be remedied. Peace be to you.
Paula

[Canadian Karen]

Dear KVOGT:

As a past and present, practicing Catholic, born Catholic, raised Catholic, married Catholic, all my children Catholic, husband teaches in a Catholic school, (does that pass as a "practicing Catholic"?) I can honestly say to you that in all honesty, I most likely will not be a "future" Catholic. My children will continue in the Catholic faith, as my husband will continue to take them every Sunday, but unfortunately I am no longer getting the spirituality out of the Catholic church to fulfill me. Why? Because I have felt more and more increasingly in the past few years that the Catholic church behaves like it is an "exclusive" club that you need to jump through hoops in order to become a member of, rather than an "inclusive" church who is willing to accept me as I am and does not impose restrictions on me just to be "part of them".....

I am not just talking about the celiac issue. I have had several other issues with the church in the last few years (i.e. my children's baptisms). For the first two baptisms, each time we had to go to the "classes" so we would "know what we are doing" (what? like I didn't know already....). But when I had the twin boys, who were preemies, when my husband and I tried to arrange for their baptism, the church insisted on us coming again to the classes, BUT VERY CLEARLY STATED THAT CHILDREN WERE NOT ALLOWED..... When asked how that can happen since I cannot get anyone to babysit four children including twin preemie babies, their response was: "Well, I am sure Pat wouldn't mind babysitting for you." (Pat happens to be my husband's father who is also a deacon at the church). Like I am going to ask a 70 yr old man to babysit four children, including twin preemies!! Also, when we went for the interviews for the baptisms each time, we were put through what I can only describe and the "Spanish Inquisition". And this is a church that we have belonged to since we were kneehigh to grasshoppers!!!
My husband ended up going to the class alone, and he stated that of the 20 couples who were there to get their babies baptised, by the end of the evening, after all the criteria had been laid out on the table, only 3 couples ended up being "worthy" of having their children baptised...... Sad.

Another example was my wedding. There was never any question in my head that my sister, whom I love dearly, would be my matron of honour. Well, I had to fight my way for that one also because, although being Catholic since birth, since she married a Greek Orthodox, she was somewhat "disqualified" and not "worthy" to be my matron of honour in the eyes of the Catholic church.

So, I am sorry if this post has upset anyone, but I am even more sorry that I have to go on a journey to find a church who is more in line with what I require spiritually and emotionally. I just can't "live up to" what the Catholic church requires of me.....

Also, I had assumed that this forum was to have constructive conversation, debates, opinions, etc. I wasn't aware that gave us the right to "attack" someone like I believed you attacked celiac3270. Again, to me that was just another example of the Catholic church's "It's our way or the highway!" celiac3270, as far as I am concerned, you have EVERY RIGHT to post your opinions without fear of reprisal.

Peace.
Karen