Re: OT:wheat/communion

[Guest guest]

Dear Kerry, With all due respect, that does depend on your religious viewpoint.

For Catholics, it is the real thing. The consecrated host is the Real Presence

of Christ. However, one might still think some prudence could be exercised. And

it certainly is dubious whether the bread used at the Last Supper was anyway

nearly as high in gluten as our present wheat--in fact I don't think we know it

was wheat at all.

Peace,

Kathy E.

>

> Oh my, I'm sorry but I can't believe that they are going to

> purposely expose her to something she's highly allergic to and just

> hope she doesn't have a reaction. Just because you have an epipen

> available doesn't mean you should take those risks. You'd think

> that the health of a child would be a top priority for a church...

>

> I'm sorry I really don't mean to be judgemental, but it is a symbol

> we're talking about here - not the real thing.

>

> Kerri

>

[Guest guest]

That is such a good point Kathy--about the content of the bread used

at the Last Supper. The host (before being transformed of course)

is the most processed non-food-like thing you can imagine. It can't

be remotely like the bread used by Jesus. I'm Catholic, so I feel

like I can be a little judgmental here and I completely agree

with Kerry. Would God really want anyone to put a child's health at

risk? And besides, the fact that Catholics believe the bread

transforms into the body of Christ makes it seem that much more

ridiculous to be concerned about the ingredients used to make the

host when it's in bread form (since it gets transformed anyway).

Okay, I'll be quiet now.

> >

> > Oh my, I'm sorry but I can't believe that they are going to

> > purposely expose her to something she's highly allergic to and

just

> > hope she doesn't have a reaction. Just because you have an

epipen

> > available doesn't mean you should take those risks. You'd think

> > that the health of a child would be a top priority for a

church...

> >

> > I'm sorry I really don't mean to be judgemental, but it is a

symbol

> > we're talking about here - not the real thing.

> >

> > Kerri

> >

>

[Guest guest]

Just had a new thought....Couldn't a dispensation be given so the child

can have a wafer made different for health reasons but it would still

be sanctioned by the church....You'd need to check with the diocese

responsible....

Selena

[ ] Re: OT:wheat/communion

Dear Kerry, With all due respect, that does depend on your religious

viewpoint. For Catholics, it is the real thing. The consecrated host is

the Real Presence of Christ. However, one might still think some

prudence could be exercised. And it certainly is dubious whether the

bread used at the Last Supper was anyway nearly as high in gluten as

our present wheat--in fact I don't think we know it was wheat at all.

Peace,

Kathy E.

>

> Oh my, I'm sorry but I can't believe that they are going to

> purposely expose her to something she's highly allergic to and just

> hope she doesn't have a reaction. Just because you have an epipen

> available doesn't mean you should take those risks. You'd think

> that the health of a child would be a top priority for a church...

>

> I'm sorry I really don't mean to be judgemental, but it is a symbol

> we're talking about here - not the real thing.

>

> Kerri

>

[Guest guest]

Also as a Catholic credentialed to teach CCD way back (after 17 years of

catholic and Jesuit education), I completely agree! This may be the issue

that puts me over the edge with my own church - although there's a growing

list. I'm hoping that the powers that be show some good judgment, or they

will be loosing another family from its congregation. -

[ ] Re: OT:wheat/communion

That is such a good point Kathy--about the content of the bread used

at the Last Supper. The host (before being transformed of course)

is the most processed non-food-like thing you can imagine. It can't

be remotely like the bread used by Jesus. I'm Catholic, so I feel

like I can be a little judgmental here and I completely agree

with Kerry. Would God really want anyone to put a child's health at

risk? And besides, the fact that Catholics believe the bread

transforms into the body of Christ makes it seem that much more

ridiculous to be concerned about the ingredients used to make the

host when it's in bread form (since it gets transformed anyway).

Okay, I'll be quiet now.

> >

> > Oh my, I'm sorry but I can't believe that they are going to

> > purposely expose her to something she's highly allergic to and

just

> > hope she doesn't have a reaction. Just because you have an

epipen

> > available doesn't mean you should take those risks. You'd think

> > that the health of a child would be a top priority for a

church...

> >

> > I'm sorry I really don't mean to be judgemental, but it is a

symbol

> > we're talking about here - not the real thing.

> >

> > Kerri

> >

>

[Guest guest]

, I feel the same way. I believe churches should help

families take care of their children and be supportive of parents in

their efforts to do just that.

Kristi

>

> Also as a Catholic credentialed to teach CCD way back (after 17

years of

> catholic and Jesuit education), I completely agree! This may be

the issue

> that puts me over the edge with my own church - although there's a

growing

> list. I'm hoping that the powers that be show some good judgment,

or they

> will be loosing another family from its congregation. -

>

>

> [ ] Re: OT:wheat/communion

>

>

> That is such a good point Kathy--about the content of the bread

used

> at the Last Supper. The host (before being transformed of course)

> is the most processed non-food-like thing you can imagine. It

can't

> be remotely like the bread used by Jesus. I'm Catholic, so I feel

> like I can be a little judgmental here and I completely agree

> with Kerry. Would God really want anyone to put a child's health

at

> risk?

> Information shared here is the personal opinion of each member.

CHERAB

> accepts no responsibility for the opinions and information posted

on the

> list by its members.

>

[Guest guest]

This is a good solution, , especially for adults--I've used it myself

at times of high wheat sensitivity. However, it has two disadvantages: 1) for a

small child, being included in a group and then not given part of the communion

is/can be symbolically hurtful, especially if they are a bit rigid and it isn't

their idea (I've tried making rice wafers that didn't look quite right, etc.

etc. with Ben. For a couple of months I took him home after the Liturgy of the

Word and Sunday School because it was too traumatic--being included was about

the only thing he understood, and if the wafer wasn't perfect it hit his

symbolic " I'm not perfect either " button--he usually won't eat things that are

" broken. " However, finally we consecrated a small piece of his favorite

" Ener-G " wheat-free cracker and thank God, that worked.

2)For those denominations that use a single cup, and often the wine has

gluten-containing hosts dipped in it by the priest (for symbolic reasons, as

often happens in the Roman church for symbolic reasons) or by people who don't

want to drink out of the cup for one reason or other (either because they are

immunocompromised or they fear they will give the rest of the congregation a

cold they have or something)...there is gluten in the wine. It is very

alcohol-soluble. We sit in the front pew and have an arrangement with the

priest. There isn't any reason why a second chalice can't be used.

Besides, it has only been in the last two times that Ben has received communion

that he was willing to drink out of the cup at all. For a couple of years he

screamed apparently because either he became dizzy looking at the silver

reflective surface (he had visual vestibular issues) or his extremely literal

mind thought there was blood in the cup, or because of his sensory picky eating.

Finally somebody dipped a consecrated rice wafer I had made with rice flour,

tapioca flour and xanthan gum into the cup, not knowing what else to do as the

kid was kneeling there holding onto it and not eating it, and he found out it

wasn't quite so frightening. Personally, being a priest myself (Episcopal) and

dealing with this has been a nightmare.

Peace,

Kathy E.

said:

Sorry guys- but to add to it- the wine is also considered a part of the

process- and he who recieves his " blood " will be part of the communion - that is

what we did instead of wheat/host