Shouldn't Have Taken Communion This Morn

[srall]

I've actually looked up old posts on this site to see how others deal with this issue. I'm still trying to decide. I'm Lutheran and the way our church does it is to dip a wafer in wine. So even if I provide gluten free wafers, there is still the cc issue with the wine. Not really sure how I'm going to handle it. I do know that my body can't take the wafer as my joints are aching and my stomach rumbling. Hopefully God will understand. Well...the pastor too.

[ravenwoodglass]

Perhaps your pastor would let you provide a small personal cup for the wine and use your gluten free host that should take care of the issue. Talk to the pastor about it. If not possible to do that then of course God will understand why you are not recieving communion.

[srall]

I was thinking that same solution. It's just another way this has impacted my life that I didn't really consider when I first stopped the gluten.

[jeanne-]

Hi srall,

Couldn't your pastor give you a gluten free host without dipping it in the wine first? I'm sure he would understand.

[K8ling]

just skip the wine. I am Catholic and skip the wine unless I am the first one drinking. Also, we have to use canon approved wafers but can you use gluten-free bread?

[jackay]

The church I attend will have a separate wine or grape juice glass for me. I am told I can bring whatever I want for the bread, even pretzels. However, I haven't done it yet because of cc issues. I can either bring my "host" ahead of time or bring it the day of the service.

How do I handle this? If someone else touches it, it can get cc because they are touching the wheat host. If I handle it myself, I can have cc issues after sitting in church for 45 minutes and touching the books that everyone else touches. (I do need to use the books to follow the service and the music.) And believe me, there are a lot of little ones eating gluten loaded snacks in church and then paging through the books.

I get cc issues too often the way it is so I need to hear from others how to handle this. I know a lot of you use gluten free hosts so there has to be a safe way to do it.

[K8ling]

THe catholics have something called a Pix which you put the wafer inside. It's like a little container. It keeps me from getting cc'd. When I get communion I just go to Fr. Fred who has mine (and knows it ahead of time) who hands me my pix. THen I wipe it off (because it's in the dish with all the wheat stuff) and take it. It's a lot of steps but I seem to have it under control. Maybe you can put it in a paper towel? Because I am Catholic there are canonical laws I have to stick to but maybe you can be more flexible?

[jackay]

THe catholics have something called a Pix which you put the wafer inside. It's like a little container. It keeps me from getting cc'd. When I get communion I just go to Fr. Fred who has mine (and knows it ahead of time) who hands me my pix. THen I wipe it off (because it's in the dish with all the wheat stuff) and take it. It's a lot of steps but I seem to have it under control. Maybe you can put it in a paper towel? Because I am Catholic there are canonical laws I have to stick to but maybe you can be more flexible?

Does your church provide your wafer or do you provide it? If you provide it, do you bring it with you each time you have communion or do you store it in church?

Do you wipe down your Pix in front of the church or do you go back to your seat before you have your wafer?

The was told that my new church will work with me and whatever I come up with is acceptable.

Do you leave church to wash your hands before communion or use a liquid hand sanitizer such as Purell?

[K8ling]

The church ordered me a years worth of communion wafers. They provided them to me free of charge. THe pix I had to buy which was agitating because it was on backorder but once I got it, it was ok XD. Today I got my pix and took it back to my pew and wiped it down and then purell-ed my hands before taking it. I have done it up front occasionally, but only at evening masses or if it's not crowded. The woman next to me gave me an odd look and I said "Celiac Disease" and she nodded like she understood. I have been fussed at at other parishes because they were unfamiliar with Celiac disease, but mostly everyone understands.

It's kind of funny to watch me have to do all that one of my friends told me I looked like an OCD squirrel during communion HAHA.

[jackay]

The church ordered me a years worth of communion wafers. They provided them to me free of charge. THe pix I had to buy which was agitating because it was on backorder but once I got it, it was ok XD. Today I got my pix and took it back to my pew and wiped it down and then purell-ed my hands before taking it. I have done it up front occasionally, but only at evening masses or if it's not crowded. The woman next to me gave me an odd look and I said "Celiac Disease" and she nodded like she understood. I have been fussed at at other parishes because they were unfamiliar with Celiac disease, but mostly everyone understands.

It's kind of funny to watch me have to do all that one of my friends told me I looked like an OCD squirrel during communion HAHA.

K8ling

Thanks,

That helps a lot and sounds like a good approach for me.

[mamaw]

I'm a Lutheran to.....our church recently received a new pastor who has family members that are celiac. Man, was I excited.Our old Pastor let me bring gluten-free bread or wafers ( I bought) & they were wrapped in foil & blessed at the service. It worked very well for awhile but then the pastor got careless & started laying my gluten-free on top of the reg. bread.So I mention that it can't happen. He wasn't very happy with me.

When intinction( dipping) occurred I got to be the very first.... but I really don't care for that method of communion, just not santitary with fingers & crumbs in the wine. Our church also offers wine or grape juice so we have a choice.

The new pastor is very careful & very understanding because he has seen what happens when someone gets glutened. Now I feel truly blessed!!!!

Please speak to your Pastor , explain in detail that the wafer or bread can't touch the reg wafer or bread.....I've been to many Lutheran churches & all have understood. Even as a visitor I always approached the Pastor or a member to direct me to the correct in charge person.

In my heart I don't believe God would want us to partake in communion & get ill from it. It is a worship to cleanse our souls & make us whole. Hope for our daily needs. Just my thought

blessings

mamaw

[K8ling]

I am so glad to help!

[Googles]

My situation is different because we pass a plate, and I'm in the choir so we have our own plate since we are in the loft. My church provides the gluten-free bread. One day the pastor forgot to bring it and someone else ran out and got it. Mine is put in a ziplock bag and then I have someone open the bag for me and fold back the plastic so I can just grab it out. I hadn't thought of the problem of cc from the music/hymnals. Hopefully that wont happen.

[cap6]

I have avoided the entire issue by not attending church since being diagnosed a few months ago - and I am not happy with myself about that at all. I just can't seem to resolve the issue and so am choosing the avoidance. Not a good choice. So.... I felt encouraged by reading all of your comments.

[sandsurfgirl]

Well God certainly understands. But the pastor needs to understand and help you deal with it. In our church the juice is put in tiny little cups and you take a tiny cup as the tray is passed to you. If I forget to bring my own gluten free bread I just take the cup. But our communion is taken at our seat not up in front of every one so that makes it easier to be discreet.

[i-geek]

The church ordered me a years worth of communion wafers. They provided them to me free of charge. THe pix I had to buy which was agitating because it was on backorder but once I got it, it was ok XD. Today I got my pix and took it back to my pew and wiped it down and then purell-ed my hands before taking it. I have done it up front occasionally, but only at evening masses or if it's not crowded. The woman next to me gave me an odd look and I said "Celiac Disease" and she nodded like she understood. I have been fussed at at other parishes because they were unfamiliar with Celiac disease, but mostly everyone understands.

It's kind of funny to watch me have to do all that one of my friends told me I looked like an OCD squirrel during communion HAHA.

Thank you for explaining how this works. I've been receiving just the wine at my parish, since I'm lucky enough to be at a parish that consecrates enough wine for everyone. So far I haven't gotten sick doing this but maybe that's sheer dumb luck.

Our priest did offer to look into the low-gluten wafers when I approached him last winter but I decided for the time being I'd just receive the wine since I couldn't imagine how my wafers wouldn't get mixed up or cause a big hassle. I really like this idea and it would work beautifully. I think our priests would be totally fine with doing this as well.

[K8ling]

I'm glad I can help! It seems to work ok for me so far!

[boysmom]

I have avoided the entire issue by not attending church since being diagnosed a few months ago - and I am not happy with myself about that at all. I just can't seem to resolve the issue and so am choosing the avoidance. Not a good choice. So.... I felt encouraged by reading all of your comments.

I would encourage you to get back to church as soon as you're physically able. Celiac disease can be isolating if we allow it to, because so much of our social life centers around food. Times of stress are always challenging and that's when we need our church family all the more! I believe most churches would be understanding of your choice to prayerfully avoid communion until you (you and your church leaders) find a way to manage it that you are comfortable with. Please don't cheat yourself of the fellowship and encouragement available to you over this one aspect. I'm sure once they're aware of your concerns they'll help you find a way to work through or around it.

[fran641]

I have avoided the entire issue by not attending church since being diagnosed a few months ago - and I am not happy with myself about that at all. I just can't seem to resolve the issue and so am choosing the avoidance. Not a good choice. So.... I felt encouraged by reading all of your comments.

I hope you'll go back to your worship Service soon. I buy my own hosts and the altar ladies take one out and put it on a small patten on the altar. When it comes my turn the priest just picks mine up and gives it to me. I do dip in the wine and haven't had any side effects of that. In August I had an intestinal biopsy, the first since I was diagnosed in Dec. 08 and there are no signs of celiac disease. No damaged villi......I must be doing something right. For me at least.