Church says girl's communion not valid

[lenshanem]

NOW, if this is what Catholics believe, how exactly then is it enough that the girl would JUST take the wine and not the wafer. Period. If she just takes the wine, then, IMO, she is still not doing it right and is no better/worse off than having had the rice wafer. I think there is more to this or the paper reported it wrong. I don't think her Communion would be valid with just wine.

I was about to post the same thing Christine.
The wine and the wafer symbolize two different things.

Although we go to a Methodist Church like I posted earlier, I was baptized Catholic and went as a small child. I must admit, I don't remember too much just what I heard from my Grandmother who passed away a couple years ago. I don't want to offend anyone, but as a mother of a child with a life threatening food allergy my heart sinks for this family.

Imagine this poor girl! Something special and it has turned into such controversy! Bad enough she probably feels different than other kids cause of her allergy, but then her own Church won't even accept her! Very maddening indeed. Your Church is where you want to feel accepted and good, not like an outcast. And this girl is eight!

These rules, laws, whatever are ancient - either good or bad. However anyone views communion a young girl should not be denied the opportunity when it comes to her health. In this day and age any family that takes their kids to Church shouldn't have to feel turned away. And they did cause they had to go to another Church for her to be given communion.

JMO

EDIT TO ADD - Just saw your post beattyfamily. I did not know you could only take one. Well, that gives me more to think about on this issue, but I need to go run some errands!

 

[beattyfamily]

Originally posted by lenshanem
I was about to post the same thing Christine.
The wine and the wafer symbolize two different things.

Although we go to a Methodist Church like I posted earlier, I was baptized Catholic and went as a small child. I must admit, I don't remember too much just what I heard from my Grandmother who passed away a couple years ago. I don't want to offend anyone, but as a mother of a child with a life threatening food allergy my heart sinks for this family.

Imagine this poor girl! Something special and it has turned into such controversy! Bad enough she probably feels different than other kids cause of her allergy, but then her own Church won't even accept her! Very maddening indeed. Your Church is where you want to feel accepted and good, not like an outcast. And this girl is eight!

These rules, laws, whatever are ancient - either good or bad. However anyone views communion a young girl should not be denied the opportunity when it comes to her health. In this day and age any family that takes their kids to Church shouldn't have to feel turned away. And they did cause they had to go to another Church for her to be given communion.

JMO

No they didn't have to go to another Church, they chose to; she could have had her DD receive the wine instead of the bread or the low-gluten Communion wafer. It's so simple.

It was turned into such a controversy by her mother and the priest that gave her a rice wafer. Why not just take the wine and it wouldn't have even been newsworthy. Many Catholics have this problem without issues; they just either take the wine or the low-gluten Communion wafer???

 

[auntpolly]

Originally posted by beattyfamily
No they didn't have to go to another Church, they chose to; she could have had her DD receive the wine instead of the bread or the low-gluten Communion wafer. It's so simple.

Didn't we just say that? I guess we have to be defenders of the faith today, Beattyfamily!

 

[lenshanem]

Wow, this thread is moving to fast for me!

They even offered her the wine in a special cup just for her. Why would that be bad? She should feel special, not different.

My daughter is six. This girl was eight. I can tell you from experience that in her mind she would feel different and not special. When my daughter is at a party and can't eat the birthday cake and must eat something I bring her instead, she does not feel special.

This was an important event for that girl and her family, I can see where being offered something so different than the other kids could have been upsetting, especially when there were similar alternatives available to the wafer that would have been safe for her.

 

[MosMom]

This is a situation in which the church needs to ask itself "What would Jesus do?".

 

[Miss Jasmine]

I'll be honest and say this doesn't surprise me, really. The Catholic Church turned its back on my family in our time of need (and thus why my mom, dad (before he died) and I are no longer Catholic). Plain and simple this falls under man's law, not God's law. I would LOVE to see in the Bible WHY there has to be wheat glutton and HOW these items become the body and blood of Jesus. And really I am not trying being a smarty about it, I am wondering if there is a biblical passage that I somehow missed, in which case I would change my mind about it being man's law. Thanks.

 

[lenshanem]

beattyfamily, I didn't mean to make you upset with me. My earlier post I went back and edited maybe after you had already read it.

The family could have avoided all this controversy by letting their daughter receive the wine instead. I apologize, I didn't realize this.

But due to my personal situation with my own daughter, like I said earlier in this debate I have to defend the opinion there were other alternatives to the wafer that would have been safe for her and I feel they should be accepted.

And how many times have I heard you should never debate about politics or religion? Too many opinions and strong feelings!

 

[jrydberg]

Originally posted by lenshanem
Wow, this thread is moving to fast for me!



My daughter is six. This girl was eight. I can tell you from experience that in her mind she would feel different and not special. When my daughter is at a party and can't eat the birthday cake and must eat something I bring her instead, she does not feel special.

This was an important event for that girl and her family, I can see where being offered something so different than the other kids could have been upsetting, especially when there were similar alternatives available to the wafer that would have been safe for her.

But according to the fundamental tenets of the Catholic Church, a rice wafer is unacceptable. Whether it's upsetting or not is not the issue. There was a perfectly viable alternative that the Catholic Church allows. They chose not to take that route. If people want to interpret things for themselves, switch to Protestant. That's what the Reformation was all about, eh?

 

[auntpolly]

MissJasmine, since you were a Catholic you know that we rely on tradition as well as the Bible. The Catholic church is very old, and so these traditions are very old - some dating back to the earliest Christians.

If you are one of those people who think that every word in the Bible is exactly true, then we'll never agree. But we Catholics believe that many factors affect the actual wording of the Bible vs the "truth". There have been misunderstandings in translation, because of inadequate understanding of science by ancient people, misuderstandings of culture and ancient history by modern man. Many whole books were removed. Many stories were passed down orally for many year before written down. If you are trying to live your life just the way the Bible says you should, I won't fault you for it, but for me, it would be impossible based on the things I've mentioned.

We Catholics do many things because we've done it that way for ever and ever.

Now, if you Presyterians want to explain predestination to me......

 

[RitaZ.]

"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 John M. Smith said in a statement last week.

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.

If the first statement is 100% true and this decision has indeed been made by Vatican authority, then why are there other pastors/parish offering a rice wafer as an option?

Can someone explain this?

 

[lenshanem]

But according to the fundamental tenets of the Catholic Church, a rice wafer is unacceptable.

I understand it is not acceptable in the Catholic Church, thus making it upsetting!

Really, I shouldn't even be debating this issue cause I don't know enough about the Catholic Church so I'll move on and go do my errands I said I needed to do thirty minutes ago!

All I see is an eight year old girl feeling very different right now cause of her allergy.

 

[auntpolly]

Originally posted by RitaZ.
If the first statement is 100% true and this decision has indeed been made by Vatican authority, then why are there other pastors/parish offering a rice wafer as an option?

Can someone explain this?

Like Big Bird once said, "Everybody makes mistakes, oh yes they do!" Even priests!

 

[beattyfamily]

Originally posted by RitaZ.
If the first statement is 100% true and this decision has indeed been made by Vatican authority, then why are there other pastors/parish offering a rice wafer as an option?

Can someone explain this?

Because there are Priests out there who bend rules and do not follow the Church's teachings the way they are suppose to.

 

[jrydberg]

Originally posted by lenshanem
All I see is an eight year old girl feeling very different right now cause of her allergy.

And her mom making a big stink over this is making her fit right in?

Taking wine instead of both wine and wafer is hardly a big difference, even in the eyes of an eight year old. Sounds to me like the mom is making her feel A LOT different than she would've if she had just followed the alternative that the Catholic Church provides.

 

[Miss Jasmine]

Originally posted by auntpolly
Now, if you Presyterians want to explain predestination to me......

Nope, not Presbyterian, well not anymore, I was for a short time(after being Catholic), but not long enough to get a grasp of that. I am a free will kinda girl.

Thanks for your explanation.

 

[RitaZ.]

Because there are Priests out there who bend rules and do not follow the Church's teachings the way they are suppose to.

Perhaps it's because that particular priest feels that "the rule" needs to be modified or changed. I wonder if the parishioners at his church know that he isn't following the rules.

 

[beattyfamily]

Originally posted by RitaZ.
Perhaps it's because that particular priest feels that "the rule" needs to be modified or changed. I wonder if the parishioners at his church know that he isn't following the rules.

Yep, that's probably why, doesn't make it right though.

 

[lenshanem]

And her mom making a big stink over this is making her fit right in?

I agree. But, I do wonder who brought this to the attention of the media??? Who knows. If the mom was handling it herself privately I feel a "stink" was justifiable - any mom is gonna fight for their kid regardless of the issue. But, now that it is in the media I would think that doesn't really help the girl feel like she "fits right in".

 

[beattyfamily]

Originally posted by lenshanem
beattyfamily, I didn't mean to make you upset with me. My earlier post I went back and edited maybe after you had already read it.

The family could have avoided all this controversy by letting their daughter receive the wine instead. I apologize, I didn't realize this.

But due to my personal situation with my own daughter, like I said earlier in this debate I have to defend the opinion there were other alternatives to the wafer that would have been safe for her and I feel they should be accepted.

And how many times have I heard you should never debate about politics or religion? Too many opinions and strong feelings!

It's all good! You didn't upset me. Really!

I know what you mean about politics and religion debates! I should bite my tongue so I don't get high blood pressure!

 

[lenshanem]

Thanks beattyfamily. I usually avoid debates like this, but the food allergy aspect got me!
Now, about those errands. Darn this computer!