My boyfriend's mom, who was Protestant and converted to Catholicism after she married, has Celiac Disease.

Celiac Disease is a lifelong digestive disorder that results in damage to the small intestine by interfering with the absorption of nutrients. Celiac Disease (CD) is unique in that a specific food component, gluten, has been identified as the culprit. Gluten is the common name for the offending proteins in specific cereal grains that are harmful to persons with CD. These proteins are found in all forms of wheat (including durum, semolina, spelt, kamut, einkorn, and faro), and related grains, rye, barley, and tritcale.

As her CD is quite advanced and was not caught until last year, she has had to begin chemotherapy to repair the damage that CD has done to the cells throughout her body.

Due to this disease, my boyfriend's mom cannot take part in the Eucharist, as eating the bread would result in her having to be hospitalized.

I wanted to know how the Catholic church views this. Is it okay that she does not partake in the Eucharist? She met with a priest to discuss her situation, and he told her that she would go to hell if she did not partake in the Eucharist and that she just needed to have more faith.

Any thoughts?

Thank you.

-- Rae (hatrick09@yahoo.com), June 05, 2004

Answers

Hello Rae,

It does sound strange that a priest would say this to her. In any case, one can receive either the bread, the wine, or both and still be partaking of the Eucharist. It is not necessary to receive both. Also, it was my understanding that the Eucharist only needs to be taken once a year by Catholics (although I think most people would prefer to take it more often than that).

God bless,

-- Emily ("jesusfollower7@yahoo.com), June 05, 2004.

She met with a priest to discuss her situation, and he told her that she would go to hell if she did not partake in the Eucharist and that she just needed to have more faith.

Rae, not to cast aspersions on your boyfriend's mom nor on the priest, but I wonder if he actually specifically said she would go to hell, rather than saying that denying oneself the Eucharist is a risky proposition, or maybe wondering if the Eucharist would really cause her so much damage that she should risk being deprived of the rewards of the Eucharist. Could she, especially since I am sure she is emotionally distressed by the whole ordeal, have misinterpreted what he was saying? I hope so.

What a tough thing your boyfriend's mother is going through. I know that if someone is sick, and cannot attend Sunday Mass, it is not a mortal sin. So therefore, I don't see why her soul would be in jeopardy if she couldn't receive communion because of her illness. I would urge her to really think hard and pray about being able to do the right thing. I also, don't think it would be inappropriate for you or your boyfriend to talk to the priest and clarify what he said.

-- Brian Crane (brian.crane@cranemills.com), June 05, 2004.

The Church does not require anyone to do anything that would endanger one's health. That's why the elderly and those with specific medical disorders are not bound by the laws of fast and abstinence. The same would apply here. If she cannot partake of the Host without endangering her health or her life, then she is bound not to receive the Host. This priest's statement, if accurately quoted, showed not only a lack of understanding of (or lack of concern about) Church teaching, but also a lack of compassion and charity.

As someone mentioned above, the Eucharist can be received in its fullness under the form of the consecrated wine alone. This is the ordinary arrangement for people who suffer from celiac disease or who are otherwise allergic to wheat - which is what her priest should have told her. If communion is offered under both species in her church, then she simply goes directly to the minister holding the chalice. If it is not ordinarily offered under both species, special arrangements should be made, as they are in many parishes. Usually those who cannot receive the host for health reasons come either to the communion rail or to the foot of the altar, depending on how the sanctuary is arranged. The priest, after he receives communion himself, brings the chalice down to these persons so that they may partake of the Eucharist, then distributes communion to the rest of the congregation under the form of the host. If her priest won't do this, I would write a letter of complaint to the bishop, and/or seek another parish.

-- Paul M. (PaulCyp@cox.net), June 05, 2004.

Rae,

There is a possibility your boyfriend's mother could have her parish priest get some valid hosts that are okay for those with celiac disease. I recently read a blurb in a Catholic newspaper that a group of nuns have recently developed such a host that could be used for the Eucharist.

-- Andy S ("aszmere@earthlink.net"), June 05, 2004.

that would be quite impressive, andy, since i believe the eucharist requires wheat, and wheat is the source of the problem for celiacs... i'd be interested if anyone has heard otherwise.

-- paul h (dontsendmemail@notanaddress.com), June 05, 2004.

I agree Paul H. I'm not sure what their recipe is, but the article stated that it was still valid material. Maybe it's in the amount of wheat. I'll do a little research and provide better info.

-- Andy S ("aszmere@earhtlink.net"), June 05, 2004.

Here's the scoop on celic disease and the Eucharist.

The low-gluten wafers I referred to in a previous post are made by Benedictine nuns. I guess the problem is the gluten protein in the wheat. You can find the scoop here:

http://catholickey.org/index.php3? gif=news.gif&mode=view&issue=20040409&article_id=2858

Here's more info at the celiac.com web site:

http://www.celiac.com/st_prod.html?p_prodid=369

-- Andy S ("aszmere@earthlink.net"), June 05, 2004.