Posted on 05/17/2005 7:45:40 PM PDT by Coleus
Bishop meets with mother of 9-year-old in communion flap
The mother of a girl whose first Holy Communion was declared invalid met Tuesday with Diocese of Trenton Bishop John M. Smith but gained no ground in her quest to have the Roman Catholic Church relax its requirements for communion wafers.
Liz Pelly-Waldman, 31, of Brielle, had a one-hour private audience with Smith, asking that the diocese help her persuade the Vatican to change its rules so that 9-year-old Haley Waldman - who suffers from celiac sprue disease and cannot consume wheat - can receive a rice-based host for the sacrament, which commemorates the Last Supper of Jesus Christ before his crucifixion.
"I went to the bishop today and I said I understand and respect the fact that this is not to be decided by the diocese. I asked the bishop if he would facilitate my communications with the Vatican, since that is who makes this law, and he out-and-out refused," said Pelly-Waldman.
Diocesan spokesman Steve Emery, who attended the meeting, said Smith reiterated the church's stance on the issue - namely, that the girl can either receive a low-gluten host, drink or touch her lips to consecrated wine or drink or touch mustum, which is a partly fermented grape juice.
A rice-based host is unacceptable, the church contends.
"Bishop Smith and Father (Joseph) Rosie presented to Ms. Pelly the three options available. I don't believe there's anything further the diocese can do for Ms. Pelly," Emery said.
Celiac sprue disease occurs in people with a genetic intolerance of gluten, a food protein contained in wheat and other grains.
When consumed by celiac sufferers, gluten damages the lining of the small intestine, blocking nutrient absorption and leading to vitamin deficiencies, bone-thinning and sometimes gastrointestinal cancer.
Waldman's saga began last year, when her mother told officials at St. Denis Catholic Church in Manasquan that the girl - who was approaching her first Holy Communion - could not have the standard host.
After the church's pastor refused to allow a substitute, a priest at a nearby parish volunteered to perform the ceremony. In May 2004, he did, with the brown-haired tomboy wearing a traditional white communion dress to receive it.
Two months later, the diocese told the priest the church would not validate Haley's sacrament because of the substitute wafer.
Church officials say they told Pelly-Waldman in advance that a rice host would not constitute Holy Communion; Pelly-Waldman said her understanding from the diocese was that if a priest blessed the host it would be valid.
Pelly-Waldman has since lobbied the Vatican, asking that the no-gluten ban be relaxed so that Waldman - and others like her - don't have to choose between their health and their religion.
"The Holy See has already looked at this issue and in its wisdom has provided these options, which still keep within the Catholic teachings of what Jesus did at the Last Supper," said Emery.
Waldman, who did not attend the meeting with the bishop, was playing in a baseball game late Tuesday and could not be reached for comment.
Her mother said she would continue to try to educate people about the plight of celiac sprue sufferers who want to receive Holy Communion.
"I'm frustrated. But no matter what the outcome, I continue to remain absolutely and completely faithful. Neither mine nor my daughter's personal relationship with Christ is affected by this outcome," Pelly-Waldman said.
Well then, Let's call up the freakin' cracker factory!
bump
I agree. My son is sensitive to wheat. He is autistic, so we are waiting for him to be ready for Communion, but when he is, he can just drink the wine.
Right on.
The mom must be enjoying her time in the limelight.
Perhaps she should just join one of those evangelical churches which use chocolate chip cookies.
Chips Ahoy drove me to Anglicanism
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/1404524/posts
Agreed. Her "understanding" of Catholic theology is quite flawed (if we can believe the reporter got the story right). I would also note that she is one of those wymyn with a hyphenated last name which leads me to believe there is more to her agenda than what is visible so far.
Faith in God would negate effect of gluten from wafer.
Ya. Let's have YOU test that theory with cyanide then.
I agree! The Eucharist is about having faith. If this child cannot receive because of celiac sprue disease then that is the way it is. I would be willing to bet that if both this child and her mom offered up to God for the conversion of sinners, the suffering and inner turmoil this has caused them. Graces would flow!
Those who earnestly desire to eat that Supersubstantial Bread are as truly nourished by it as if they actually partook of that Sacred Bread. Council of Trent sess XIII, Ch 8 (1545-1563)
A lot of sober alcoholics do the reverse---take the host and avoid the wine.
Much ado about nothing.
Jesus didn't use cyanide, he used bread. A small amount of gluten isn't going to kill anyone. My wife has the disease, the body is capable of handling small amounts without getting sick.
No doubt allergic to peanut butter and latex, is lactose intolerant and is a phenylketoneuric to boot.
Lots of people with the disease use low gluten hosts with no trouble...
Mom's the one that needs to be educated, regarding valid matter and the fullness of the Real Presence in each species.
FWIW, its virtually impossible to have a gluten free life. This child is probably getting glutens from sources that she isn't even aware of.
This woman, for some reason, doesn't want her daughter to receive the Precious Blood.
One more thing. People who have celiac disease are often sensitive to other foods. Sulfites are often a source of adverse reaction by people whose immune systems are over taxed. Wine contains sulfites. The wine might be more dangerous than the wafers.
My wife has the same disease, which went undiagnosed for nearly three years and nearly killed her. It was discovered only by accident. Years ago, many doctors had been unfamiliar with the disease, which was discovered by accident centuries ago during a wheat famine. She is a devout practicing Catholic and is only able to receive the consecrated wine.
Also, I'm not a Church scholar, and not particularly looking for an argument, so just to state the facts as the Church teaches, with regard to the Consecration of the bread and wine into (not a symbol of ) the body and blood of Jesus Christ (Transubstantiation), either the bread or the wine each constitute the full reception of the body and blood of Christ in Communion.
Again, Church teaching and at the Mass, the priest does not say "This is the body and blood of Jesus"; rather, he says: "This is my body and this is my blood."
Consequently, there is no genuine reason for a practicing Catholic to object to the reception of only the wine.
As a by the way, American wine is not harmful to those with the disease; however, foreign wines are. Another tidbit, they can't enjoy what most of us enjoy, such as pizza, cake. lunch meat, liquor, beer. The list goes on and on.
Listed for your useful useless information.
Ah whats wrong with a rice cracker? I believe the bible states only that it must be unleavened bread.
must be the type of bread Jesus used during Passover, unleavened wheat, the canon law is specific.
I had to laugh when I read your post.
My daughter-in-laws mother, who is a bit of a nut job, is lactose intolerant and allergic to latex.
But what is phenylketoneuric? Whatever it is, I'm sure she suffers from it. lol
I couldn't find in my bible where it mentioned wheat. It mentions unleavened. Where does it say speciflly wheat?
And while we're on the subject... My favorite color is greenish blue. Is there any good reason we can't have the color of our choice?
There is a lot of individual variation in celiac disease, and for many, even a trace amount of gluten can cause pain and GI upset.
It is possible, although difficult, to be gluten free. For those who are especially sensitive, mistakes tend to be revealed through pain and GI distress.
Pardner, you must be readin' one of them thare King Jame's edited versions of the bible. The one with the white Jesus and no Mommie.
Wine contains sulfites only if it is added. Sulfites arrest fermentation to preserve a higher sugar content. It is sometimes added to white wine, but rarely to red.
Let's face it people, this woman is nothing but a pain in the rear. She aught to go join the XYZ Church and leave us in peace.
White Jesus?
Hmmm, not in the bible I read. I don't think it mentions color.
Someone allergic to artificial sweeteners. There's a warning on diet pop cans, just in case you don't know diet pop is artificially sweetened.
All of these goings-on and none of those religious folks thought to lay hands on the girl, annoint her with oil and pray for her to be healed?
From the Oxford English Dictionary....
bread
• noun 1 food made of flour, water, and yeast mixed together and baked. 2 informal money.
— ORIGIN Old English.
The Blessed Eucharist is the Sacrament. Baptism exists for it, all the others are enriched by it. The whole being is nourished by it. It is precisely food, which explains why it is the one sacrament meant to be received daily. Without it, one petition in the Our Father-"Give us this day our daily bread"-lacks the fullness of its meaning.
Early in his ministry, as St. John tells us (ch 6), Our Lord gave the first promise of it. He had just worked what is probably the most famous of his miracles, the feeding of the five thousand. The next day, in the synagogue at Capernaum on the shore of the sea of Galilee, Our Lord made a speech which should be read and reread. Here we quote a few phrases: "I am the Bread of Life"; "I am the Living Bread, which came down from heaven. If any man eat of this bread, he shall live forever: and the bread that I will give, is my flesh for the life of the world"; "He that eats my flesh, and drinks my blood, has everlasting life: and I will raise him up in the last day. For my flesh is meat indeed: and my blood is drink indeed. He that eats my flesh, and drinks my blood, abides in me, and I in him"; "He that eats me shall live by me."
But in the end it still is just a symbolic act.
I suggest she hide a rice wafer in her sleeve and then eat that when the priest offers her the wheat one.
As before mentioned, she can receive the fullness of Christ's Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity in one sip of the Precious Blood, for He is fully present in each species, as well as pray for Spiritual Communion with Him at Mass (which is what one is supposed to do when watching the Mass from home). We have a Eucharistic Minister at our church who suffers awfully with the same disease, and she always receives only the Precious Blood. Nothing is keeping the child from fully practicing her faith. (And one sip of the Lord's Blood, in the form of wine, is not going to harm any child.)
Also, I was interested to learn, sacramental wine is made to exacting standards, and is much purer than any you will find on the store shelf (except maybe Kosher wine, I am guessing). I know this because our wine at church is so good, I asked what kind it was, and went about trying to purchase some! I struck out when I discovered it is only sold to churches for its intended purpose, and is made under the supervision of a bishop! So I just have to settle for Cabernet...
Perhaps for you, but not for Catholics. We believe in the transubstantiation of bread and wine into the very presence of the body and blood of Jesus. Just as he instructed the Apostles, we do this in memory of Him.
It is the cornerstone of our mass, and a cornerstone of our faith.
"But in the end it still is just a symbolic act.
I suggest she hide a rice wafer in her sleeve and then eat that when the priest offers her the wheat one."
No, it is NOT a symbolic act. The bread and wine imbibed during Holy Communion at a Catholic Mass are the actual REAL body and blood of our Savior, Jesus Christ, not merely a symbol. When we take part in the Sacrament of Holy Communion, we are consuming the actual body and blood of Jesus Christ, just as the Apostles did at the last supper. If the girl did as you suggest, she would not be partaking of the real and true Body of Christ, and would not be receiving Holy Communion.
Have I used the words "real", "actual", and "true" enough for one pargaraph?? My class in "Non-Redundant Writing" does not begin until next week!!
:)
I didn't know you believe it actually changes into the blood and flesh of Jesus.
That kinda creeps me out. Sorry.
I was always taught to believe that we take communion in remberence of Him. The wine and wafers represents the body of Christ but it doesn't change into the body of Christ.
The snake handlers up in North Georgia use strychnine, not cyanide. And you need to use Georgia rattlesnakes, not the western diamondbacks.
Physically, it is bread and wine. And, it taste the same too. But, it is our belief, and it is a cornerstone of our faith, that it becomes the very real presence of Jesus' body and blood.
You might ask, "How could that be?"
Well, I don't know. He told us to do it. So, we do it. If I get to heaven before you, maybe I can ask and send a message back.
51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world."
52 Then the Jews began to argue sharply among themselves, "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?"
53 Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. 54 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. 55 For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. 56 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him. 57 Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me. 58 This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your forefathers ate manna and died, but he who feeds on this bread will live forever." 59 He said this while teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum.
60 On hearing it, many of his disciples said, "This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?"
Some can and some can't. I do my best.
My second thought was that the church isn't going to bend on this because if they allow rice, then there really is no transubstantiation. Perhaps they believe it's better to sacrifice the health of a few children than question doctrine.
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