Priest Almost Glutened Me!

[K8ling]

Ok so you all know I went ot mass last week and tried the gluten-free wafers and they still made me sick. Well this week our normal priest was back and I put my little pyx in the tray and went on with Mass. When I went up to do Communion, Fr. Fred goes up, grabs the pyx, opens it, and hands it to me. Ummm... That's not gonna work, dude. So I took it back to my seat and then tracked down a eucharistic minister and told them what happened. I couldn't just throw Jesus away so he took my communion for me but after mass when I tried to explain it to our priest I got a blank look. He said next week he'll just give me the entire pyx and I can wipe it down at my seat.

I am SO glad I caught that!

[kareng]

If the low gluten wafers made you sick, what was in the pyx?

[K8ling]

I had a small piece of gluten-free bread. I was told told not to worry about the wafers if they made me sick.

[kareng]

Because the Church has said that only bread with wheat in it can be consecrated, my priest will only go for the low gluten ones. Your priest is a rebel.

[Emilushka]

OK, here's something I totally don't get. I don't mean to be facetious or disrespectful - I'm just very very very curious.

In Catholicism, the wafer/bread/communion thingy turns into the literal body of Christ (transubstantiation). It's an official part of Catholicism. That that is what happens. So then why isn't the literal body of Jesus Christ gluten-free? Does that bother any Catholics in the room? There's a story about a nun who had the same problem - gluten-filled communion causing her Celiac to act up - and I always wonder what she thought of it too.

Again, I'm just curious. I'm not Catholic and I don't know that many people who are, so I have a limited pool to ask about how this works. Do you guys just sort of count the transubstantiation as more of a theoretical idea and not so much a practical reality? Or is it that the wafer becomes the body of Christ after it's already in your mouth so you have a reaction to it pre-transubstantiation? Or how does this all work?

[kareng]

It's based on the last supper, where Jesus blessed the bread & wine and gave it to his disciples. He told them it is his body & blood. How this works is probably years worth of theological study. I think that the bread having to have wheat is silly. If his bread was Udis, would we all have to buy that? if the Jews had lived in China, maybe he would have blesed rice. If we still had the wheat & food they had, maybe we wouldn't have Celiac.

However, as I mentioned before, the Pope and the group that studies and makes the rules, doesn't consult with me.

[Emilushka]

Right ... but if the bread/rice/whatever turns literally into the body of Jesus Christ, shouldn't it BECOME gluten-free because human flesh (like bacon or poultry or steak) would be gluten-free? That's really the question. How do people resolve the idea that it still triggers Celiac even though it's supposed to be Jesus's body? Does it bother anybody? Does anyone other than me even care?

[K8ling]

Because the Church has said that only bread with wheat in it can be consecrated, my priest will only go for the low gluten ones. Your priest is a rebel.

I told him "Hey, with the cross contamination issues, I probably AM getting wheat!" lol. I honestly just don't have a choice right now. I refuse to NOT take communion because this is something GOD gave me. I didn't choose it. It just happened to be something God set on my shoulders.

That being the case, why should I be excluded?

[kayo]

Given the time frame and location of Jersualem there's a very good chance the bread during Jesus's time was made from sorghum or teff. Even if it was wheat, it was not the wheat we have today. Man has cultivated and changed wheat so much that it bares little resemblance to wheat 100 or even 1000 years ago. The requirement that it be wheat gluten is hogwash and based purely on tradition. A blessed rice cracker (or other grain) should be perfectly acceptable. The host does not literally change to flesh. It's symbolic. The Catholic church needs to join the 21st century and be more accommodating and accepting of its members needs. I find it amazing that they rather have people suffer instead of them being more open minded. This is why they keep losing members.

(signed: a an ex-Catholic school survivor)

[Emilushka]

Oh. I thought the host literally changed and that was the part of the point of differentiating between Catholicism and protestantism. Maybe I am behind the times!

[K8ling]

Oh. I thought the host literally changed and that was the part of the point of differentiating between Catholicism and protestantism. Maybe I am behind the times!

HAHAHAHHAHAHHA If it literally changed we would be cannibals!

[Emilushka]

HAHAHAHHAHAHHA If it literally changed we would be cannibals!

YES. I thought you guys were maybe a little weird. Especially if you were cannibals who didn't like gay people ... I mean ... come on! Let he who is without sin blahblahblah.

Turns out nobody thinks they literally change over anymore. I think the whole point initially was that people DID think that, and that was part of the protestant reformation. I am using Open Original Shared Link, though.

[TrillumHunter]

It is truly the living Body of Christ. It retains the elements of the bread that is used.

It's a miracle and not bound by 21st century logic.

K8ling your priest doesn't have the authority to make that kind of decision and could face serious repercussions from this.

Very sad that there is so little understanding.

[Lisa]

Open Original Shared Link

[i-geek]

It is truly the living Body of Christ. It retains the elements of the bread that is used.

It's a miracle and not bound by 21st century logic.

K8ling your priest doesn't have the authority to make that kind of decision and could face serious repercussions from this.

Very sad that there is so little understanding.

What this poster said.

[psawyer]

This topic is moving from Kate's concerns to a discussion of which religion is right and which ones are wrong. That is not appropriate, as our first rule says to respect everyone.

The Catholic church holds that Communion is valid in either kind--it is not necessary to receive both. I am not Catholic, but I respect their beliefs.

[K8ling]

ok I love you and all the input but you really can't fault me for not wanting to get sick. And I consider myself a good catholic. The point was I almost got glutened, managed not to, and will avoid it next week. I am going to try 1/4 of a "low gluten" host next week, but I got so sick last week that I couldn't risk it this week. It would have magnified any other reaction.

This is not a religious debate it's about me being sick with something that GOD gave me and having to cope with it. We are looking for alternatives. The fact is, I am a Catholic and therefore entitled to take communion. I won't make a habit of switching but I haven't really got a choice if it makes me too sick. I'll find a way to make it work "legally".

[TrillumHunter]

K8ling, I'd like to share some thoughts and solutions with you privately. Would that be okay? I am a catechist and have many resources at hand.

[K8ling]

K8ling, I'd like to share some thoughts and solutions with you privately. Would that be okay? I am a catechist and have many resources at hand.

Thats fine. As of right now I am going to try a tiny piece of the "LG" host next week after my stomach is better.

[Emilushka]

If I offended anybody, I'm sorry. I'm (quite obviously) NOT Catholic. I was just wondering about the transubstantiation thing as an intellectual puzzle. I don't think ANYBODY'S religion is right (the joy of being an atheist) so call me an equal-opportunity disbeliever. But I also respect that everyone gets to have his/her own opinion on the matter. I'm not trying to insult - just explore.

[ravenwoodglass]

If I offended anybody, I'm sorry. I'm (quite obviously) NOT Catholic. I was just wondering about the transubstantiation thing as an intellectual puzzle. I don't think ANYBODY'S religion is right (the joy of being an atheist) so call me an equal-opportunity disbeliever. But I also respect that everyone gets to have his/her own opinion on the matter. I'm not trying to insult - just explore.

If you want an answer to transubstantiation you may want to talk to your local priest. Most will be happy to talk to you.

[Emilushka]

If you want an answer to transubstantiation you may want to talk to your local priest. Most will be happy to talk to you.

I actually live across the street from a cathedral. But their doors are usually locked unless there's a service or wedding or funeral in process. The trouble is catching the priests! They are busy dudes. I will try, though. I am honestly curious. I only know what I've either picked up or been taught in European History class.

[ravenwoodglass]

I actually live across the street from a cathedral. But their doors are usually locked unless there's a service or wedding or funeral in process. The trouble is catching the priests! They are busy dudes. I will try, though. I am honestly curious. I only know what I've either picked up or been taught in European History class.

You could also try the library for info if you can't catch a priest or try calling the rectory and make an appointment to talk.

[i-geek]

I actually live across the street from a cathedral. But their doors are usually locked unless there's a service or wedding or funeral in process. The trouble is catching the priests! They are busy dudes. I will try, though. I am honestly curious. I only know what I've either picked up or been taught in European History class.

If the cathedral has a website, see if there's email contact for the priests. I've often found it easier to contact them that way because, as you say, they're busy dudes. They can check email in their off-times when they have a few minutes to spare.

[i-geek]

ok I love you and all the input but you really can't fault me for not wanting to get sick. And I consider myself a good catholic. The point was I almost got glutened, managed not to, and will avoid it next week. I am going to try 1/4 of a "low gluten" host next week, but I got so sick last week that I couldn't risk it this week. It would have magnified any other reaction.

This is not a religious debate it's about me being sick with something that GOD gave me and having to cope with it. We are looking for alternatives. The fact is, I am a Catholic and therefore entitled to take communion. I won't make a habit of switching but I haven't really got a choice if it makes me too sick. I'll find a way to make it work "legally".

We certainly don't fault you for not wanting to get sick! Like I've said before, right now receiving the Eucharist in the form of wine only works for me, but then our parish consecrates enough wine for everyone at all Masses. Another Catholic celiac friend attends a parish where there are a few celiacs. Their pastor invites them to receive communion first so that they can drink from a chalice with no risk of cross-contamination. Since the priest has to at least consecrate enough wine for himself to drink, maybe your pastor would be willing to consecrate a small chalice for you as well.

Or...if a smaller piece of the low-gluten host works, let me know. When we move away from our current parish, I'd love to know my options.

I have to say that I don't understand why the Eucharistic bread has to be made of wheat, either, and I do consider myself both devout and well-catechized. But that is a discussion for a different thread (or really, a different discussion board- there are many boards set up for the purpose of debating theology).