Church Says Gluten-Free Communion Not Valid

[Guest guest]

http://www.abcnews.go.com/wire/US/ap20040819_1975.html

Church Says Girl's Communion Not Valid

Catholic Church Invalidates Communion of Girl With Digestive Disorder

Because Wafer Lacked Wheat

The Associated Press

BRIELLE, N.J. Aug. 19, 2004 — An 8-year-old girl who suffers from a

rare digestive disorder and cannot eat wheat has had her first Holy

Communion declared invalid because the wafer contained no wheat,

violating Roman Catholic doctrine.

Now, Haley Waldman's mother is pushing the Diocese of Trenton and the

Vatican to make an exception, saying the girl's condition should not

exclude her from the sacrament, which commemorates the Last Supper of

Jesus Christ before his crucifixion. The mother believes a rice

Communion wafer would suffice.

" It's just not a viable option. How does it corrupt the tradition of

the Last Supper? It's just rice versus wheat, " said Pelly-

Waldman.

Church doctrine holds that Communion wafers, like the bread served at

the Last Supper, must have at least some unleavened wheat. Church

leaders are reluctant to change anything about the sacrament.

" This is not an issue to be determined at the diocesan or parish

level, but has already been decided for the Roman Catholic Church

throughout the world by Vatican authority, " Trenton Bishop M.

said in a statement last week.

Haley was diagnosed with celiac sprue disease when she was 5. The

disorder occurs in people with a genetic intolerance of gluten, a

food protein contained in wheat and other grains.

When consumed by celiac sufferers, gluten (pronounced GLOO'-ten)

damages the lining of the small intestine, blocking nutrient

absorption and leading to vitamin deficiencies, bone-thinning and

sometimes gastrointestinal cancer.

The diocese has told Haley's mother that the girl can receive a low-

gluten wafer, or just drink wine at Communion, but that anything

without gluten does not qualify. Pelly-Waldman rejected the offer,

saying her child could be harmed by even a small amount of the

substance.

Haley's Communion controversy isn't the first. In 2001, the family of

a 5-year-old Massachusetts girl with the disease left the Catholic

church after being denied permission to use a rice wafer.

Some Catholic churches allow no-gluten hosts, while others do not,

said Elaine Monarch, executive director of the Celiac Disease

Foundation, a California-based support group for sufferers.

" It is an undue hardship on a person who wants to practice their

religion and needs to compromise their health to do so, " Monarch said.

The church has similar rules for Communion wine. For alcoholics, the

church allows a substitute for wine under some circumstances, however

the drink must still be fermented from grapes and contain some

alcohol. Grape juice is not a valid substitute.

Haley, a shy, brown-haired tomboy who loves surfing and hates wearing

dresses, realizes the consequences of taking a wheat wafer.

" I'm on a gluten-free diet because I can't have wheat. I could die, "

she said last week.

Last year, as the third grader approached Holy Communion age in this

Jersey Shore town, her mother told officials at St. Denis Catholic

Church in Manasquan that the girl could not have the standard host.

After the church's pastor refused to allow a substitute, a priest at

a nearby parish volunteered to offer one, and in May, Haley wore a

white Communion dress, and received the sacrament alongside her

mother, who had not taken Communion since she herself was diagnosed

with the disease.

Last month, the diocese told the priest that the church would not

validate Haley's sacrament because of the substitute wafer.

" I struggled with telling her that the sacrament did not happen, "

said Pelly-Waldman. " She lives in a world of rules. She says `Mommy,

do we want to break a rule? Are we breaking a rule?' "

Pelly-Waldman is seeking help from the Pope and has written to

Cardinal ph Ratzinger, prefect of the Congregation for the

Doctrine of the Faith in Rome, challenging the church's policy.

" This is a church rule, not God's will, and it can easily be adjusted

to meet the needs of the people, while staying true to the traditions

of our faith, " Pelly-Waldman wrote in the letter.

Pelly-Waldman who is still attending Mass every Sunday with her four

children said she is not out to bash the church, just to change the

policy that affects her daughter.

" I'm hopeful. Do I think it will be a long road to change? Yes. But

I'm raising an awareness and I'm taking it one step at a time, " she

said.

On the Net:

Trenton diocese:

Foundation:

[Guest guest]

Lana,

Thnx for the post. The insanity of bureaucracies is a wonder to behold.

scap_64 wrote:

>http://www.abcnews.go.com/wire/US/ap20040819_1975.html

>

>Church Says Girl's Communion Not Valid

>

>Catholic Church Invalidates Communion of Girl With Digestive Disorder

>Because Wafer Lacked Wheat

>

>The Associated Press

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Cardinal Ratzinger! Good Luck..he's here in Germany... a modern day version

of the Head of the Inquisition....

in Germany

[ ] Church Says Gluten-Free Communion " Not Valid "

http://www.abcnews.go.com/wire/US/ap20040819_1975.html

Church Says Girl's Communion Not Valid

Catholic Church Invalidates Communion of Girl With Digestive Disorder

Because Wafer Lacked Wheat

The Associated Press

BRIELLE, N.J. Aug. 19, 2004 - An 8-year-old girl who suffers from a

rare digestive disorder and cannot eat wheat has had her first Holy

Communion declared invalid because the wafer contained no wheat,

violating Roman Catholic doctrine.

Now, Haley Waldman's mother is pushing the Diocese of Trenton and the

Vatican to make an exception, saying the girl's condition should not

exclude her from the sacrament, which commemorates the Last Supper of

Jesus Christ before his crucifixion. The mother believes a rice

Communion wafer would suffice.

" It's just not a viable option. How does it corrupt the tradition of

the Last Supper? It's just rice versus wheat, " said Pelly-

Waldman.

Church doctrine holds that Communion wafers, like the bread served at

the Last Supper, must have at least some unleavened wheat. Church

leaders are reluctant to change anything about the sacrament.

" This is not an issue to be determined at the diocesan or parish

level, but has already been decided for the Roman Catholic Church

throughout the world by Vatican authority, " Trenton Bishop M.

said in a statement last week.

Haley was diagnosed with celiac sprue disease when she was 5. The

disorder occurs in people with a genetic intolerance of gluten, a

food protein contained in wheat and other grains.

When consumed by celiac sufferers, gluten (pronounced GLOO'-ten)

damages the lining of the small intestine, blocking nutrient

absorption and leading to vitamin deficiencies, bone-thinning and

sometimes gastrointestinal cancer.

The diocese has told Haley's mother that the girl can receive a low-

gluten wafer, or just drink wine at Communion, but that anything

without gluten does not qualify. Pelly-Waldman rejected the offer,

saying her child could be harmed by even a small amount of the

substance.

Haley's Communion controversy isn't the first. In 2001, the family of

a 5-year-old Massachusetts girl with the disease left the Catholic

church after being denied permission to use a rice wafer.

Some Catholic churches allow no-gluten hosts, while others do not,

said Elaine Monarch, executive director of the Celiac Disease

Foundation, a California-based support group for sufferers.

" It is an undue hardship on a person who wants to practice their

religion and needs to compromise their health to do so, " Monarch said.

The church has similar rules for Communion wine. For alcoholics, the

church allows a substitute for wine under some circumstances, however

the drink must still be fermented from grapes and contain some

alcohol. Grape juice is not a valid substitute.

Haley, a shy, brown-haired tomboy who loves surfing and hates wearing

dresses, realizes the consequences of taking a wheat wafer.

" I'm on a gluten-free diet because I can't have wheat. I could die, "

she said last week.

Last year, as the third grader approached Holy Communion age in this

Jersey Shore town, her mother told officials at St. Denis Catholic

Church in Manasquan that the girl could not have the standard host.

After the church's pastor refused to allow a substitute, a priest at

a nearby parish volunteered to offer one, and in May, Haley wore a

white Communion dress, and received the sacrament alongside her

mother, who had not taken Communion since she herself was diagnosed

with the disease.

Last month, the diocese told the priest that the church would not

validate Haley's sacrament because of the substitute wafer.

" I struggled with telling her that the sacrament did not happen, "

said Pelly-Waldman. " She lives in a world of rules. She says `Mommy,

do we want to break a rule? Are we breaking a rule?' "

Pelly-Waldman is seeking help from the Pope and has written to

Cardinal ph Ratzinger, prefect of the Congregation for the

Doctrine of the Faith in Rome, challenging the church's policy.

" This is a church rule, not God's will, and it can easily be adjusted

to meet the needs of the people, while staying true to the traditions

of our faith, " Pelly-Waldman wrote in the letter.

Pelly-Waldman who is still attending Mass every Sunday with her four

children said she is not out to bash the church, just to change the

policy that affects her daughter.

" I'm hopeful. Do I think it will be a long road to change? Yes. But

I'm raising an awareness and I'm taking it one step at a time, " she

said.

On the Net:

Trenton diocese:

Foundation:

=======================================================

[Guest guest]

No offense to anyone catholic here, but this is just one of many reasons I

denounced myself as catholic. How stupid is this!!!!!?????? It is hypocritical

IMO, and I'll have no part of a religion that does stupid stuff like this.

a

-- " scap_64 " <scap_64@...> wrote:

http://www.abcnews.go.com/wire/US/ap20040819_1975.html

Church Says Girl's Communion Not Valid

Catholic Church Invalidates Communion of Girl With Digestive Disorder

Because Wafer Lacked Wheat

The Associated Press

BRIELLE, N.J. Aug. 19, 2004 — An 8-year-old girl who suffers from a

rare digestive disorder and cannot eat wheat has had her first Holy

Communion declared invalid because the wafer contained no wheat,

violating Roman Catholic doctrine.

Now, Haley Waldman's mother is pushing the Diocese of Trenton and the

Vatican to make an exception, saying the girl's condition should not

exclude her from the sacrament, which commemorates the Last Supper of

Jesus Christ before his crucifixion. The mother believes a rice

Communion wafer would suffice.

" It's just not a viable option. How does it corrupt the tradition of

the Last Supper? It's just rice versus wheat, " said Pelly-

Waldman.

Church doctrine holds that Communion wafers, like the bread served at

the Last Supper, must have at least some unleavened wheat. Church

leaders are reluctant to change anything about the sacrament.

" This is not an issue to be determined at the diocesan or parish

level, but has already been decided for the Roman Catholic Church

throughout the world by Vatican authority, " Trenton Bishop M.

said in a statement last week.

Haley was diagnosed with celiac sprue disease when she was 5. The

disorder occurs in people with a genetic intolerance of gluten, a

food protein contained in wheat and other grains.

When consumed by celiac sufferers, gluten (pronounced GLOO'-ten)

damages the lining of the small intestine, blocking nutrient

absorption and leading to vitamin deficiencies, bone-thinning and

sometimes gastrointestinal cancer.

The diocese has told Haley's mother that the girl can receive a low-

gluten wafer, or just drink wine at Communion, but that anything

without gluten does not qualify. Pelly-Waldman rejected the offer,

saying her child could be harmed by even a small amount of the

substance.

Haley's Communion controversy isn't the first. In 2001, the family of

a 5-year-old Massachusetts girl with the disease left the Catholic

church after being denied permission to use a rice wafer.

Some Catholic churches allow no-gluten hosts, while others do not,

said Elaine Monarch, executive director of the Celiac Disease

Foundation, a California-based support group for sufferers.

" It is an undue hardship on a person who wants to practice their

religion and needs to compromise their health to do so, " Monarch said.

The church has similar rules for Communion wine. For alcoholics, the

church allows a substitute for wine under some circumstances, however

the drink must still be fermented from grapes and contain some

alcohol. Grape juice is not a valid substitute.

Haley, a shy, brown-haired tomboy who loves surfing and hates wearing

dresses, realizes the consequences of taking a wheat wafer.

" I'm on a gluten-free diet because I can't have wheat. I could die, "

she said last week.

Last year, as the third grader approached Holy Communion age in this

Jersey Shore town, her mother told officials at St. Denis Catholic

Church in Manasquan that the girl could not have the standard host.

After the church's pastor refused to allow a substitute, a priest at

a nearby parish volunteered to offer one, and in May, Haley wore a

white Communion dress, and received the sacrament alongside her

mother, who had not taken Communion since she herself was diagnosed

with the disease.

Last month, the diocese told the priest that the church would not

validate Haley's sacrament because of the substitute wafer.

" I struggled with telling her that the sacrament did not happen, "

said Pelly-Waldman. " She lives in a world of rules. She says `Mommy,

do we want to break a rule? Are we breaking a rule?' "

Pelly-Waldman is seeking help from the Pope and has written to

Cardinal ph Ratzinger, prefect of the Congregation for the

Doctrine of the Faith in Rome, challenging the church's policy.

" This is a church rule, not God's will, and it can easily be adjusted

to meet the needs of the people, while staying true to the traditions

of our faith, " Pelly-Waldman wrote in the letter.

Pelly-Waldman who is still attending Mass every Sunday with her four

children said she is not out to bash the church, just to change the

policy that affects her daughter.

" I'm hopeful. Do I think it will be a long road to change? Yes. But

I'm raising an awareness and I'm taking it one step at a time, " she

said.

On the Net:

Trenton diocese:

Foundation:

=======================================================

[Guest guest]

Unfortunately, this sounds like a decision made by some-minded church

bureaucrat. I have mentioned here before the SPRED ministry within the Catholic

Church, which provides opportunities for developmentally disabled children and

adults throughout the country. This includes receiving the sacraments. SPRED

absolutely allows for dietary, sensory and any other issues. Chilren and adults

can have special food blessed and used for communion. We have had juice

cups--sippy cups--on the altar filled with juice blessed as backups even, if the

child doesn't want to or can't deal with the sensory experience of any type of

bread or cracker.

Just another ignorant decision made by an ignorant person. The world is full of

them. And this person probably knows that other dioceses do allow for

flexibility, but prefers mindless rigidity. Hey, there are still some church

dioceses that don't allow women lectors or female altar servers. At a time when

people are leaving the church in droves, and very few takers for priest, they

really should be thinking about not alienating yet another population within

it's walls.