Communion Wafer

[lexluther]

My son is newly diagnosed with Celiac. We went to church on palm Sunday and he got sick from the communion wafer. We are still on the learning curve and I did not even consider this. How did other people deal with this issue?

[LyndaLou]

My daughter and I have celiac, and when we go to church, we take our own gluten-free communion wafer in a small ziplock bag and I got us each a small (almost shot glass type) cup.

Our wafers get blessed with the other wafers but stay in the baggies. We've talked with our priest and deacon, so they know to hand us the baggie without taking the wafer out, thus avoiding cross contamination by hands that have handled the regular wafers. Also, they pour wine into our cups before offering any to the congregation. Our church uses the common cup, and others dip wafers into the wine.

This has worked out well for us, and allows us to participate without worrying that we will get sick.

Hope this helps! Let me know if you have any questions I didn't answer.

Lynda

[mbrookes]

Speak to your priest about this. My church (I am Episcopalian) provides a gluten free wafer which is placed over to the side of the plate. I pick it up myself. So far, I have not taken the wine (it still counts as comminion), but your solution sounds good, Do whatever works for you.

[raea2002]

I too just delt with this. My friends got mad at me because I refused to eat the wafer. I drank the grape juice, in our own cups. I had talked to my pastor prior to service he said if its going to make me sick don't eat it. My friends quite haven't realized how gluten effects me. I'm basically self diagnosed because my dr is not helping me. I know how I feel. Good luck!

[Metoo]

The church I go too,, has enough people with celiac/gluten intolerance that they give the gluten-free host out in one of the communion lines now at only one mass. Ask your church they may already have it and you may not be aware of it.

[hexon]

I always take the wafer but don't eat it. I haven't delt with any friends saying anything to me about it because they understand I can't eat it.