Child allergic to host

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BlessedBe

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I’m wondering what you all think about this. Some years ago, I was a teacher in a Catholic school. I had a student with severe, life-threatening allergies. The list of foods he could eat would fit on a post-it note. Neither bread nor wine was an option for him. Needless to say, when he became old enough for his first Communion, there was a general uproar. The child’s parents requested a special host for their son so he could participate in his religion without, well, dying shortly thereafter.

Parish opinion was deeply divided. Most felt the child shouldn’t be punished just for the way he was born. Of course, others said too bad, the recipe cannot be changed. The boy had an almost saintly desire to have Communion; if you’ve ever known a child with a terminal illness who just seems wise beyond their years, you understand what I mean.

The request was refused. Eventually the family left the parish and moved away. I don’t know what became of them, but I do know their leaving was a direct result of this issue.

I’ll state upfront that although I spent several years working closely with this parish, I am not even a Christian, much less a Catholic. I’m pretty well-versed in your beliefs, but I’m sure there are things I will simply never understand. This is one of them, and I’m curious to hear what people think about it.

To me, if a person has a deep and genuine desire to participate fully in their religion, an affliction outside their control should not be permitted to get in the way. It all seems incredibly unfair and to this day I still think of that little boy. I have an extremely hard time picturing Jesus saying to a child, “Sorry, you can’t partake of this sacrament because it has to be wheat.” This does not mesh at all with the image I have of Jesus Christ, or of God the loving father. In fact to me it’s more like the “soup Nazi” on Seinfeld - “No soup for you!”

I’m interested in hearing everyone’s thoughts on this.
 
The recipe for the Host has to follow certain rules or otherwise at the Priest can not use it to confect the Sacrament because for the Sacrament of Holy Communion, you need proper form, matter and intention. If the matter of the host is not right, you won’t get a sacrament. Surely the child could have had the smallest possible drop from the Chalice without suffering any problems. Both forms of Communion are only different in their appearances. They both are the Body and Blood of Christ.
 
Formosus said:
Surely the child could have had the smallest possible drop from the Chalice without suffering any problems.
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I really wish that were so. Many of the parish members thought that as well. You have to understand that there are three levels of allergies: intolerance (lactose intolerance, or the person gets a rash when exposed), normal allergy (the person needs an epi-pen if exposed) and extreme allergy (the person has to live in isolation, like Bubble Boy).

This kid was one step from Bubble Boy stage. One time his hand brushed up against some cracker crumbs left on a lunch table and we ended up calling 911. I am not exaggerating; it was a rare and extreme case.
 
To be quite honest, I’m wondering if you’re simply making this up? Take a shot at the faith by fabricating a terribly unlikely scenario while using a Scienfeld episode to close your little essay?

Let’s take a look at the situation you described. The child cannot consume a host made out of wheat flour and water? He has the option of a host made from low gluten wheat flour and water. Still no go, huh? OK. How about natural wine made from grapes. Still no, huh? How about mustum – a wine with a microscopically low level of alcohol? Once again no, huh? Not in even a tiny quantity? Not even a pin-drop of Precious Blood on his tongue? No? Really?

As sad as such a scenario would be, we’re flat out of options The priest cannot stand at the altar in the Person of Christ and confect the Eucharist using rice cakes and distilled water. It’s just not going to take no matter how much we might want it to. The Blessed Sacrament cannot be consecrated using rice cakes and distilled water – not because man says so, but because God says so. Not because we don’t want it to happen, but because it will not happen.

You say "I have an extremely hard time picturing Jesus saying to a child, “Sorry, you can’t partake of this sacrament because it has to be wheat.” yet that is the very instruction He gave us through His Church.

I think in this case it would be healthiest to focus on the little guy’s spritual communion with God. The though of giving the child a sliver of rice cake and a sip of water under the lie that it was the Blessed Sacrament is abhorrent at best.

No placebo-effect would be worth carrying out such a sordid lie.
 
Martini said:
To be quite honest, I’m wondering if you’re simply making this up? Take a shot at the faith by fabricating a terribly unlikely scenario while using a Scienfeld episode to close your little essay?
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I’m not. I’m not even exaggerating. Nor have I any need to “take a shot” at any faith. As I said, I was a teacher in that school for a number of years. I enjoyed my time there very much and am still friends with many of my colleagues and families that I worked with.

I’m sorry you consider severe allergies “unlikely.” This is indeed an extreme case. So are the cases of people being allergic to water and sunlight, but those are real as well.

(I’m also sorry you disliked my Seinfeld quote. You have to understand that even though I was immersed in the Catholic faith for several years, a actual deity who behaves in that manner is simply unimaginable to me. I therefore chose to portray it in a satirical manner. However, I didn’t come here to discuss my opinion on the validity of Catholic beliefs. My intention is simply to get the opinions of people who know more than I about such things.)
Martini said:
Let’s take a look at the situation you described. The child cannot consume a host made out of wheat flour and water? He has the option of a host made from low gluten wheat flour and water. Still no go, huh? OK. How about natural wine made from grapes. Still no, huh? How about mustum – a wine with a microscopically low level of alcohol? Once again no, huh? Not in even a tiny quantity? Not even a pin-drop of Precious Blood on his tongue? No? Really?
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No. Really. This is not about gluten or alcohol or grapes. Frankly, I thought I was pretty clear in the original post. This poor boy had a total of seven things he could eat, and would still react occasionally to even those. He even had reactions just to the scent of foods, even familiar ones.
Martini said:
The Blessed Sacrament cannot be consecrated using rice cakes and distilled water – not because man says so, but because God says so. Not because we don’t want it to happen, but because it will not happen.
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I’m not doubting you, but just for my own reference, would you mind posting the Biblical reference that states the host must be wheat?
Martini said:
I think in this case it would be healthiest to focus on the little guy’s spritual communion with God.
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I guess he has no choice but to do so. I just feel bad for him, since in my experience he was one of few children who actually understood what communion meant (on a deeper level, I mean) and truly desired it.
 
Seems like a case such as this should have been sent straight to the Holy See…
 
Well, I don’t know about being allergic to host. But I did have a situation where my son who has disgraphia could not read well enough to go through the classes to receive his first communion. the church we belonged to would not let him have it so we moved to a different parish where they were insistent that he receive Holy Communion. The Knights of Columbus came through to orally test him and allow him to get the teachings that he needed.
We were so grateful my wife had tears in her eyes in gratitude. Sometimes it’s the parish, not the religion as a whole.
 
From A Short Introduction to Holy Communion and Celiac Sprue Disease from the USCCB.
What about people who cannot receive low gluten hosts and cannot receive even a small amount of consecrated wine?
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In such cases, the bishop may grant permission for individuals to receive mustum, a type of wine with a minimal alcohol content. If an individual is unable to tolerate mustum, there is little else the Church can do except to recommend that the person make a “spiritual communion.” Why? Because the Church believes that it is impossible to consecrate anything except wheat bread and grape wine. From the time that the Lord Jesus took bread and wine and told his disciples “Do this in memory of me,” the Roman Catholic Church has tried faithfully to fulfill Christ’s command by taking unleavened bread made from water and wheat flour, and wine made from grapes for use at the Eucharist.
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Can a priest or bishop change this teaching and consecrate a host made of rice?
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No. It is impossible to consecrate a host made of something other than wheat and water. No priest or bishop can change this longstanding teaching of the Catholic Church. A little over a year ago, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, once again took up this question on behalf of the Holy Father when he wrote: “Hosts that are completely gluten-free are invalid matter for the celebration of the Eucharist.”
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Emphasis mine.

I think 1st part explains how to handle such situations, and the 2nd part clarifies the reasoning behind it.
The Church is not being the big bully here and such, but is literally unable to consecrate a host that the kid would be able to recieve. Any attempts otherwise would just be decieving the child.

If anything, this reminds me of the always popular movie scene…
The blind man in the corner turns out to have the clearest vision. Without his sight, he sees better than all.
Maybe that is what the Lord’s plan is here… As he is unable to recieve Our Lord physically in the Eucharist, only spiritually, maybe he shall have the best insight into this wonderous mystery.
 
BlessedBe said:
I’m wondering what you all think about this. Some years ago, I was a teacher in a Catholic school. I had a student with severe, life-threatening allergies. The list of foods he could eat would fit on a post-it note. Neither bread nor wine was an option for him. Needless to say, when he became old enough for his first Communion, there was a general uproar. The child’s parents requested a special host for their son so he could participate in his religion without, well, dying shortly thereafter.

Parish opinion was deeply divided. Most felt the child shouldn’t be punished just for the way he was born. Of course, others said too bad, the recipe cannot be changed. The boy had an almost saintly desire to have Communion; if you’ve ever known a child with a terminal illness who just seems wise beyond their years, you understand what I mean.

The request was refused. Eventually the family left the parish and moved away. I don’t know what became of them, but I do know their leaving was a direct result of this issue.

I’ll state upfront that although I spent several years working closely with this parish, I am not even a Christian, much less a Catholic. I’m pretty well-versed in your beliefs, but I’m sure there are things I will simply never understand. This is one of them, and I’m curious to hear what people think about it.

To me, if a person has a deep and genuine desire to participate fully in their religion, an affliction outside their control should not be permitted to get in the way. It all seems incredibly unfair and to this day I still think of that little boy. I have an extremely hard time picturing Jesus saying to a child, “Sorry, you can’t partake of this sacrament because it has to be wheat.” This does not mesh at all with the image I have of Jesus Christ, or of God the loving father. In fact to me it’s more like the “soup Nazi” on Seinfeld - “No soup for you!”

I’m interested in hearing everyone’s thoughts on this.
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I think it would be even more wrong to give the child a piece of rice cracker and let them think that it was the Blessed Sacrament. I personally feel that if this were a real case and the child was really alergic to both the elements of wheat and wine. Wait until the child is near death and then give them Viaticum as their First Holy Communion. That would be my personal opinion. I just can’t even see a child in this condition even being out in public, let alone a public lunchroom.
 
Maurice Bellet, in his book La chose la plus étrange, asks the question: who is the subject of Communion (i.e. who receives Communion), and answers: the communio itself. In other words, it is the Church that receives, the faithful taken collectively as a Body. Individual reception is always so to speak second-hand – we commune on behalf of the Body and the Body mediates our Communion. So although some of us are privileged to receive Communion corporeally, our participation is basically on the same terms as that of the allergic child in question.
 
BlessedBe said:
To me, if a person has a deep and genuine desire to participate fully in their religion, an affliction outside their control should not be permitted to get in the way. It all seems incredibly unfair and to this day I still think of that little boy. I have an extremely hard time picturing Jesus saying to a child, “Sorry, you can’t partake of this sacrament because it has to be wheat.” This does not mesh at all with the image I have of Jesus Christ, or of God the loving father.
Click to expand...
Perhaps it’s the modern-day equivalent of John 9? It’s no one’s “fault” that the boy is incapable of ingesting wheat or wine, but it is so that the glory of God can be made known. If this boy were taught what spiritual communion is, perhaps he could become a great role model in holiness and spirituality for those around him (and those who just hear of him) and those who have the same condition.

Instead, we argue and fight over it. And so our sin remains.
 
Br.Rich_SFO said:
I just can’t even see a child in this condition even being out in public, let alone a public lunchroom.
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Given the information that the OP said about the child in question and what Br. Rich has said, it makes me wonder how accurate his medical condition really is.
 
Martini said:
To be quite honest, I’m wondering if you’re simply making this up?
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You have mentioned allergy? and you mentioned anaphylactic reaction…I have worked in medicine for over 20 years. I too am wondering about this scenario…Was the child allertic to wheat? AND fermented grapes? Your scenario doesn’t line up AT ALL. How in the world would the family Know if the child was allergic to wine? With that in mind I can count dozens and dozens of time where pts have REQUIRED to use radiology dye for a life sustaining reason knowing fully they are severely allergic to it. Pre medicating with Tylenor, Prednisone and Diphenhydramine (benadryl) will almost always ward off allergic responses. Usually only benadryl is needed. If this child is as bad as you say then simply being in the presence of others is way way more dangerous than taking a drop of communion which by the way unless the parents were giving thier kid booze we would have no reason to believe the child was allergic to wine. somthing is amis.
 
childofmary1143 said:
Given the information that the OP said about the child in question and what Br. Rich has said, it makes me wonder how accurate his medical condition really is.
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I concur. If touching cracker crumbs caused a 911 call, imagine what inhaling soup fumes would do!
 
BlessedBe said:
(I’m also sorry you disliked my Seinfeld quote. You have to understand that even though I was immersed in the Catholic faith for several years, a actual deity who behaves in that manner is simply unimaginable to me. I therefore chose to portray it in a satirical manner. However, I didn’t come here to discuss my opinion on the validity of Catholic beliefs. My intention is simply to get the opinions of people who know more than I about such things.)
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So the anti-Catholic bigotry is exposed…
BlessedBe said:
I’m not doubting you, but just for my own reference, would you mind posting the Biblical reference that states the host must be wheat?
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It’s right next to the passage where God proclaims the Sacred Scriptures as the only means in which He speaks to us and guides us.
 
Martini said:
To be quite honest, I’m wondering if you’re simply making this up? Take a shot at the faith by fabricating a terribly unlikely scenario while using a Scienfeld episode to close your little essay?

Let’s take a look at the situation you described. The child cannot consume a host made out of wheat flour and water? He has the option of a host made from low gluten wheat flour and water. Still no go, huh? OK. How about natural wine made from grapes. Still no, huh? How about mustum – a wine with a microscopically low level of alcohol? Once again no, huh? Not in even a tiny quantity? Not even a pin-drop of Precious Blood on his tongue? No? Really?
Click to expand...
I know you weren’t speaking to me, but that is a terribly rude and insulting post. You obviously have never had to deal with extreme allergies. I have. Even a taste or a drop of something they are allergic to can cause death within 3 minutes. No exxageration. Don’t call people a liar unless you know what you are talking about. We need to speak charitibly on these boards. Think first; post later if you’re about to insult someone.
 
Martini said:
I concur. If touching cracker crumbs caused a 911 call, imagine what inhaling soup fumes would do!
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I taught a child like this in public school. His parents couldn’t afford to homeschool as they needed both incomes to pay the necessities. We had to be extremely careful. Thank God he never had a reaction!
 
boppaid said:
I know you weren’t speaking to me, but that is a terribly rude and insulting post. You obviously have never had to deal with extreme allergies. I have. Even a taste or a drop of something they are allergic to can cause death within 3 minutes. No exxageration. Don’t call people a liar unless you know what you are talking about. We need to speak charitibly on these boards. Think first; post later if you’re about to insult someone.
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The point beng made was a child this aqllergic would have to spend their life in a"clean room" . I seriously doubt the child mentioned exists. However if they do the answer is very clear-they cant physically recieve communion. Its not a matter of the Church being insensitive-its a matter of the child being handicapped to th extent reception is impossible.
 
japhy said:
Perhaps it’s the modern-day equivalent of John 9? It’s no one’s “fault” that the boy is incapable of ingesting wheat or wine, but it is so that the glory of God can be made known. If this boy were taught what spiritual communion is, perhaps he could become a great role model in holiness and spirituality for those around him (and those who just hear of him) and those who have the same condition.
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That is a very interest way of putting it. Thank you!
 
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