Church says girl's communion not valid

[kit'n]

BRIELLE, New Jersey (AP) -- 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 Elizabeth 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 John M. Smith 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 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 Joseph 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.

[question]

I don't understand why you find this so shocking Colleen. You think people with warrants should be arrested with no consideration, how is this any different? The Church Law dictates that the communion bread must be unlavened wheat, this girl can't have wheat, therefore should be denied communion. They should stick to the rules, right? Or is a double standard, and making exceptions to the law okay when it involves something you're against?

I'm never surprised by the fagetry of the Church.

Ever.

[Gator]

Originally Posted by question

I don't understand why you find this so shocking Colleen. You think people with warrants should be arrested with no consideration, how is this any different? The Church Law dictates that the communion bread must be unlavened wheat, this girl can't have wheat, therefore should be denied communion. They should stick to the rules, right? Or is a double standard, and making exceptions to the law okay when it involves something you're against?

Yeah, I mean, come on people. It's not like the symbolism of communion is what's important. It's the actual wheat content of the host that bio-chemically transforms into the Body of Christ within you. For all we know, the Church has conducted scientific research into the bio-chemical product of rice-laden hosts and found the results to be... less than holy.

Seriously people, we're talking about a Church that took how long to pardon the person who proclaimed the Earth was round?

[Hey Bubu]

Old habits are hard to change....

all puns intended.

The catholic church is slavish to the concept of transubstantiation - it seems they must have an answer for everything rather than accept that some things do not require concrete answers.

[steve-o]

I remember when Jesus said, "This is my Body..take this and eat of it. Do this is in rememberance of me...but make sure it's only unlavened wheat bread."

And yes...i know that it is believed that the Last Supper was on the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread. However, I really think the main point was about Self-reflection, which is what one is supposed to do before, during, and after taking Communion. I think even God can forgive you for not being able to eat Unleavened Wheat Bread...I mean after all ..HE did create you. no?

Originally Posted by steve-o

I remember when Jesus said, "This is my Body..take this and eat of it. Do this is in rememberance of me...but make sure it's only unlavened wheat bread."

And yes...i know that it is believed that the Last Supper was on the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread. However, I really think the main point was about Self-reflection, which is what one is supposed to do before, during, and after taking Communion. I think even God can forgive you for not being able to eat Unleavened Wheat Bread...I mean after all ..HE did create you. no?

YOU GO STEVE-O.

[question]

I agree that this is a joke. I was poking fun at Colleen becasue she feels that the law is the law when it comes to traffic violations, and 92 year old women need to go to jail for a 15 year old warrant. I think that this needs to be run up the pole and Rome should get involved. From what I've been told by practicing Catholics the law actually states that you have to have EITHER the Blood, or the Flesh of Christ to receive a valid Communion, not both.

The Arch Diocese is being ridiculous by not validating her communion.

Originally Posted by Gator

Yeah, I mean, come on people. It's not like the symbolism of communion is what's important. It's the actual wheat content of the host that bio-chemically transforms into the Body of Christ within you. For all we know, the Church has conducted scientific research into the bio-chemical product of rice-laden hosts and found the results to be... less than holy.

Seriously people, we're talking about a Church that took how long to pardon the person who proclaimed the Earth was round?

[question]

Nail + Head = Steve-O

Originally Posted by steve-o

I remember when Jesus said, "This is my Body..take this and eat of it. Do this is in rememberance of me...but make sure it's only unlavened wheat bread."

And yes...i know that it is believed that the Last Supper was on the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread. However, I really think the main point was about Self-reflection, which is what one is supposed to do before, during, and after taking Communion. I think even God can forgive you for not being able to eat Unleavened Wheat Bread...I mean after all ..HE did create you. no?

[transparentaura]

Its sad that the Catholic church has ignored the plight of not only this young lady, but the growing number of otherwise devout catholics torn between their desire to recieve communion and their need to limit carbohydrate intake.

[question]

hahahah!1

Atkins and Catholocism go fed!

Originally Posted by transparentaura

Its sad that the Catholic church has ignored the plight of not only this young lady, but the growing number of otherwise devout catholics torn between their desire to recieve communion and their need to limit carbohydrate intake.

[steve-o]

Originally Posted by IXOYC

YOU GO STEVE-O.

yeah but dont forget that i dont believe in any of that to begin with.

I just think that the Catholic Church is being extra-dumby and showing more of their ignorance by not allowing this girl to take a rice-wafer instead.

[MooCow]

Catholicism WOW!