Questions for fellow Catholics that I've never seen before

[mjkacmom]

My dd7 makes her First Communion next year. She's also been diagnosed with Celiac, and can't eat wheat. Therefore, she can't eat the wafer. She goes to church almost every Sunday, but won't be taking Communion, I guess. Anyone have a similar situation?

 

[stephbillalec]

My dd just made her first communion and there was a girl in her class with celiac. They ordered a special host for her and she either went first or last (can't remember) to receive her special communion. It's pretty common. Just requires some planning! Good luck!

 

[mom2boys77]

My son made his 1st Communion this year and they told the parents that they had to let them know and they would supply the necessary replacement.

 

[Bren's Mom]

I haven't been in a similar situation...but I thought the question was intriguing!

It seems this HAS been addressed before.

I found this, for low gluten wafers:

http://www.benedictinesisters.org/bread/low_gluten.php

And it seems that many who suffer from celiac only 'receive' from the chalice. That's an option too, but you have to be sure it's not a chalice with a host in it or that would defeat the purpose.

I just did a quick search and it seems that the answer from your priest largely depends on the type of parish it is. Some allow their congregants who have celiac to bring their own rice wafers/bread/other substitute and they bless it in the same manner as the hosts. Others say that a completely gluten free 'host' of any kind if forbidden. So I'd start by seeing how accomodating your local parish priest is on this subject.

 

[mjkacmom]

Thanks everyone! I figure this happens to others - my nephew has a severe wheat allergy, too. I'll ask at the parish.

 

[Octoberbride03]

It is a good idea to ask at our parish. My cousin's daughter has such bad celiac she can't even have the low gluten wafer the nuns do. And his diocese wasn't willing to allow her to use only the wine for communion, which is very sad. They left the church because of it.

 

[scjo68]

Our church always has gluten free wafers available to anyone who needs them- the Minister announces it before each communion. We are Methodist, though, so maybe that's different.

 

[MichelleinMaine]

Definately ask your priest. Our church has gluten-free wafers to the side in a small metal container covered with plastic wrap to prevent any contamination.
(Disclaimer we're not Catholic, but the GF ones are offered in all the church catalogs that I see come into the office.)

 

[FlightlessDuck]

that's funny, I thought the wafers were Styrofoam.

 

[busyshrew]

There is a celiac family at my church, and they take the wine instead.

It's really good wine too.... very cold and sweet and pretty strong!

 

[crzy4my2]

My DS made his 1st communion this year and there were 2 kids that could not eat the host. The church ordered a special one for them. The woman who runs the CCD program gave the wafer to those 2 kids only.. Once the priest touches the regular wafer he is not supposed to touch the special one..I say special because I don't know what it's called and I don't know what it was made from

 

[sparklynails23]

There are wafers out there that taste better than the Benedictine ones, but I do not know where they come from. The Benedictine wafers stick together better than the others. Our priest keeps the gluten free ones in the travel case, like they use for nursing homes. In fact, the nursing home residents have gotten gluten free wafers by accident before.

 

[lemondog]

She can take the wine only...either form "counts" as both body and blood. I am really shocked at the priest the above poster mentioned who would not allow the girl to take wine only. I am pretty well versed in the euharist and I have ALWAYS been told you need to only take one form...body or blood.

 

[Schminston-Mo]

Former Catholic, current Methodist. I know most Catholic churches are larger than ours so there are probably more members of the congregation than DD who has issues with wheat.

My current church provides a gluten free option. Our communion is actual bread that we tear off a piece. The minister announces where the gluten free option server was standing. Perhaps have a volunteer bake or buy the gluten free bread each week. That may help distinguish the gluten free ones better than the standard hosts.

 

[DebD4T]

She can take the wine only...either form "counts" as both body and blood. I am really shocked at the priest the above poster mentioned who would not allow the girl to take wine only. I am pretty well versed in the euharist and I have ALWAYS been told you need to only take one form...body or blood.

I find that quite interesting as one time my DS went to receive the blood first and the person offering it told him no, he had to receive the body first.

 

[jakenjess]

I find that quite interesting as one time my DS went to receive the blood first and the person offering it told him no, he had to receive the body first.

I'm a Eucharistic Minister and I've never heard of this. In fact, we were trained not to refuse anyone.

I don't know of anyone in our parish who has celiac's so not sure about that, but I would certainly ask the priest about it.

 

[Missy1961]

My nephew is allergic to wheat, so he can't even have the low gluten host. He can only take wine, and he is the first to receive.