For the Catholics....

jayhawkmom · Joined: 19 Apr 2006 Posts: 851 Location: Midwest, USA

My disclaimer here.... PLEASE do not respond if you are going to "knock" the religion for it's practices regarding wheat. I really only want to hear from others dealing successfully with this issue. Thank you for your kindness and understanding!!!!

Yesterday was a big day in my church. Our new pastor was installed by the Archbishop - and all of the church staff, of which I am a part of, spent a good deal of time on the altar.

As we returned to our seats, the consecration began... followed by the communion song. Since I am staff, and I was sitting in the 2nd row, I was one of the first ones to receive. I sat down and listened to the song.... verse after verse, "our life saving wheat, gifts of finest wheat, the bread of life....."

And, all I could think was... "this stuff is killing people."

I have not personally gone to the measure of removing the Host from my diet - even though I am GF otherwise. However, for my daughter and my youngest son, it WILL be an issue.

I've already discussed the issue with our DRE - and she's "on board" with me, and ready to take any and all necessary steps when she's old enough to receive. We already know that parishes in our archdiocese are using the LOW-gluten hosts.

So, I'm prepared. What I was NOT prepared for were the feelings of resentment that started stirring in my body, heart, mind, and soul as I was listening to the communion song.

HOW in the world do you deal with this????

I felt guilty, I felt sadness, I felt ashamed - I felt resentment.... and I felt like I was letting Him down. I'm just so torn right now.......

mrsppmrxky · Joined: 09 Oct 2004 Posts: 1440 Location: GF Kitchen

First off, I am not Catholic, and I am not knocking your beliefs.

You say that you are feeling exhausted today. Could it be from that small amount of wheat that you had yesterday?

My DD gets violently ill with a small amount of the wafer if she takes it. She has to run out of the service before it over to get to the bathroom and she will be ill all afternoon. Our wafer is only about the size of your thumb nail.

As to the resentment and the communion song............personnally, I don't think that the wheat that we have is the same 'wheat' that they had in the bible days. The Gov't has played with the grain, the genes so often, that it isn't as noutritous as before.

At least that is what I have been thinking about.

I would not resent it. God understands our limitations in the way of what we can take at communion. We aren't catching Him by surprise at all. Afterall, He is the one that made up all of our being.
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jayhawkmom · Joined: 19 Apr 2006 Posts: 851 Location: Midwest, USA

aklap · Joined: 02 Oct 2004 Posts: 8139 Location: WI, USA

Hi Kris,

I'm sorry you feel badly about this. As I see it you only have a few options

1) Talk to the Priest and ask about Low Gluten wafers.
2) Accept the facts as they are. (this extends to life outside the church too).
3) Leave the church.

I really don't see too many other ways. Sorry Sad

It sounds like your Gospel Lesson was that same as ours "Jesus is the bread of life". There was more wheat being thrown at at church on Sunday than a bakery Wink

The pastor was even concerned that I'd be offended by her sermon Rolling Eyes

jayhawkmom · Joined: 19 Apr 2006 Posts: 851 Location: Midwest, USA

mrsppmrxky · Joined: 09 Oct 2004 Posts: 1440 Location: GF Kitchen

Do you have contact problems? Itching from handling the wheat crackers? If you think that you might accidentally touch your face before you can get to wash your hands, maybe the gloves would be a 'reminder' not to touch until you can get cleaned up.

I would think that handling the crackers for the church in prep for communion that it would be very much appreciated by the congregation if all of the prep team wore gloves for sanitary reasons. Maybe you could start a trend. Laughing

Yes, I think that even that little bit of gluten could have been what made you tired today.

I have been researching more and more about the corn issue that my husband is having. I thought that learning gluten free was tough without help, but this is really eye opening!! I found out yesterday that iodized table salt has CORN in it as the anti caking agent. (a chemical sounding name is on the label) Today for lunch, that is the only thing that was in the soup that I made on Firday that we reheated today. Within minutes, he was emailing me that his feet were itching like crazy. I had less than 2 tsps in the entire pot.
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Long2Play · Joined: 20 Aug 2005 Posts: 170 Location: Colorado

Eeyorific · Joined: 13 Mar 2005 Posts: 806

[quote="mrsppmrxky"]I found out yesterday that iodized table salt has CORN in it as the anti caking agent. (a chemical sounding name is on the label)quote]

oh Joy! Confused

I'll follow this up on the proper thread, but thanks Mrs. P for sharing this... my best guess is I must have already read that some where, but with the "things to avoid" list being so blasted long, it must have gotten overlooked.

*edit*

I hope Mr. P is feeling well again. (((hugs)))) to both of you.. a GF/Corn free diet is not an easy one! Do you mind me asking, does he have any other limitations?
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Kristie M.

"The truth of God's love is not that he allows bad things to happen....
it's his promise that he will be there with us when they do!"

ostrich · Joined: 30 Mar 2006 Posts: 3960 Location: Nebraska

Jayhawk, I used to be a Catholic, so I know where you're coming from.

Aren't there GF wafers? Wasn't there a discussion about actually getting priests to use them? It sounds like your church is being very supportive, so I'd talk to them about getting GF wafers if possible. You should also use these when you're teaching the kids. If they ask why you're using a special wafter just explain it to them.

I hate to say it, but it sounds like you'll have to stop taking Communion until you can figure this out. You're only doing more damage to your body.

As for the mixed feelings, remember that the Bible was written long ago. I'm sure wheat was making people sick, they just didn't realize it. Plus, if God wanted you to have normal wafters he would've made you that way. Wink

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Ostrich :>--O==={

I lie below, you float above
In the pretty white ships that I am dreaming of

jmuscel · Joined: 12 Dec 2005 Posts: 37 Location: Philadelphia

Jayhawk, I'm Catholic and I talked to my priest, all I have to do is call ahead and let them know which mass I will be attending and during the concecration, the priest will not contaminate the wine with pieces of communion waffers or dip in the wine. My priest said I can just recieve wine because it is considered the body and blood of christ. It is not necessary to recieve both the communion waffer and wine. There are other folks with Celiacs in my church and we all do the same. My priest was well aware of Celiacs, he did tell me that the communioun waffers must contain wheat but that in order to recieve Christ, we only need one or the other or both. Both the wine and the bread become Christ. If I forget to call ahead, I just sit out but usually I call ahead. Hope this helps

Kathie · Joined: 27 Jan 2006 Posts: 696 Location: Florida

jayhawkmom · Joined: 19 Apr 2006 Posts: 851 Location: Midwest, USA

I am quite literally in tears after reading these wonderful and incredibly supportive responses.

I have been ordered to be as "strict" as I possibly can, and that WILL mean that unless they allow me the LOW gluten hosts... I will only be able to receive from the Cup. And, that will have to be discussed as well.... because as mentioned, the fracturing of the host results in "crumbs" in the chalice.

I will talk to our DRE about it, and have resources available to take to our Priest when I have to discuss it with him.

Kathie - your words DID help!!!!

jmuslce - I will discuss this particular issue with my Priest. I had thought of the same thing... and glad that you have had a positive experience with it!

To everyone.... thank you, from the bottom of my heart.

Fidissimus · Joined: 17 Mar 2006 Posts: 1459 Location: Portland, OR.

jayhawkmom · Joined: 19 Apr 2006 Posts: 851 Location: Midwest, USA

NickisDragon · Joined: 06 Oct 2005 Posts: 330 Location: S.E. Michigan

As far as the music and poetic symbology go, the real meaning behind it is that CHRIST nourishes us and gives us life. Call it "wheat" or whatever, the teaching is true. It might make you feel better to replace that word with another in your mind as you hear it. "tef" or "grain" syllables fit the timing. God made you perfect and gave YOU poetic license as well. Sing the truth in your key of rejoicing and ignore the details.

At the risk of sounding like a "smart ***", which I assure you, is not my intention, I wonder if someone could explain to me how this wheat bread thing was verified. Throughout the Middle East, tef and barley were both used to make bread, the Jewish dietary law was concerned with the yeast or leavening, not the grain. As far as I know, none of us were there in THIS lifetime to critique the menu, there wasn't any bread leftover to be analyzed and there are no recipes in the approved Bible. How does anyone know what was in the bread? Just wondering.
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The Love we withhold is the pain that we carry.
Nicki

B-Day: January 18
DX: October 2005