Putting all my trust in God...but how?

[KephasAugustine]

I’ve posted more than once about my vocation confusion. The times when I feel called to the priesthood are slowly beginning to outweigh the times that I feel called to marriage. However, I have celiacs disease, making me unable to consume the Host under both species. In prayer I have implored the Lord to cure me of this aversion to gluten so that I can serve Him as His most faithful priest, but how do I know if I am cured unless I try to eat bread?

On the one hand, the vocations director in San Diego, CA has told me not to look into the priesthood due to my celiacs. On the other hand, the vocations director in Washington, DC has told me he does not see any reason I can’t be a priest.

I am having a lot of trouble discerning between all these directions. Would it be wise to look into a seminary and trust that God would guide my priesthood, if that is truly my calling, and make me able to eat gluten–or have low-gluten Hosts–or should I look down other paths first, as the San Diego vocations director recommended?

Any prayers and/or words of wisdom would be much appreciated.

 

[Inity]

I frequently hear about that celiacs disease… hmm… is it really THAT terrible? Hosts are very small; what happens if you eat such a little piece of bread? May be it is tolerable?
And, after all, there are low-gluten hosts, so you may use these.

 

[KephasAugustine]

I frequently hear about that celiacs disease… hmm… is it really THAT terrible? Hosts are very small; what happens if you eat such a little piece of bread? May be it is tolerable?
And, after all, there are low-gluten hosts, so you may use these.

I can consume the Host once a week if they do not serve it under both species, but if as a priest I consumed it every day–and multiple times a day–I would break out with terrible canker sores.

Celiacs is pretty terrible. I am lucky that I don’t have severe reactions, but I know people who have been hospitalized due to eating bread or pasta or something else like that. If I eat bread too much, my immune system breaks down and I get very sick very often.

I don’t know how I would react to a daily low-gluten Host. I would have to consult a doctor, I suppose.

 

[Inity]

I really feel for you. This must be very hard.
I’m allergic to some antibiotics and gamma-globuline; when I was a child, I was vaccinated in kindergarten, and neraly died. So I may have the idea of your feelings/dangers. And, avoiding certain vaccines is easier than avoiding bread.

If I were you (I’m a girl though , I would of course consult a doctor about low-gluten hosts.
Also I would consider a vocation of a deacon (then, you will be able to me married, keep that in mind), or vocation of a religious brother (not priest)… Think about that

 

[KephasAugustine]

If I were you (I’m a girl though , I would of course consult a doctor about low-gluten hosts.
Also I would consider a vocation of a deacon (then, you will be able to me married, keep that in mind), or vocation of a religious brother (not priest)… Think about that

Yeah, if I’m called to marriage (which I still feel sometimes), I’m definitely planning on being a deacon. I’ve thought about being a lay brother too, but I’m fairly certain it’s not my calling.

 

[Inity]

I kept in mind not lay brother (member of secular third order/oblate), but a religious who’s not ordained. Or, you may become a brother (and live in religious community) and be a deacon, may be this is possible

 

[KephasAugustine]

I kept in mind not lay brother (member of secular third order/oblate), but a religious who’s not ordained. Or, you may become a brother (and live in religious community) and be a deacon, may be this is possible

As far as I understand it, a lay brother is a religious brother who is not ordained. Maybe I’m wrong.

 

[KephasAugustine]

As far as I understand it, a lay brother is a religious brother who is not ordained. Maybe I’m wrong.

Taken from the CFR website:

All CFR Friars are called to be “friars minor”, that is, “lesser brothers” after the example of Saint Francis himself. Out of these God calls some friars to serve at the holy altar; these are priests who live out the priestly vocation as Friars of the Renewal. **Other friars are called to live as Religious Brothers, or more commonly known as “Lay Brothers". **A lay brother is a friar who is consecrated to God through the traditional vows of poverty, chastity and obedience. It is in this consecration that the lay brother finds his identity.

 

[Inity]

I thought lay brother is member of secular branch of some Order. Well, english isn’t my native tongue so I may make mistakes.

Good luck in your discernment, I believe you will find your path!

 

[GilChrist77]

Wow… that’s hard. If it were me I would go to seminary and trust God that He will let you know. I will pray for you.

JMJ+
~Betsy

 

[maryjk]

I also have Celiac. And wondered what I was going to do. For a year I received from the Cup, never a Host.

I knew that the Host had to contain wheat. I understand and agree with why. But the first time I couldn’t receive, I wanted to cry.

After a year, my Priest offered the low gluten host. The first time I knew I would be sick. I wasn’t. It didn’t bother me at all. I was in heaven. My blood tests are still negative, after a year of receiving the low gluten hosts.

Try them. You can order them from here:
benedictinesisters.org/bread/low_gluten.php

According to USCCB, a Priest may also use the low gluten host.
usccb.org/liturgy/innews/1103.shtml

1. Low-gluten hosts (partially gluten-free) are valid matter, provided they contain a sufficient amount of gluten to obtain the confection of bread without the addition of foreign materials and without the use of procedures that would alter the nature of bread.

They are valid matter.

 

[1234]

I’ve posted more than once about my vocation confusion. The times when I feel called to the priesthood are slowly beginning to outweigh the times that I feel called to marriage. However, I have celiacs disease, making me unable to consume the Host under both species. In prayer I have implored the Lord to cure me of this aversion to gluten so that I can serve Him as His most faithful priest, but how do I know if I am cured unless I try to eat bread?

On the one hand, the vocations director in San Diego, CA has told me not to look into the priesthood due to my celiacs. On the other hand, the vocations director in Washington, DC has told me he does not see any reason I can’t be a priest.

I am having a lot of trouble discerning between all these directions. Would it be wise to look into a seminary and trust that God would guide my priesthood, if that is truly my calling, and make me able to eat gluten–or have low-gluten Hosts–or should I look down other paths first, as the San Diego vocations director recommended?

Any prayers and/or words of wisdom would be much appreciated.

You should talk to a theologian or canon law expert on this. it is my impression that the doctrine of transubstantiation states that Christ is present under both species, ie., completely present in the wine as well as the host. So you could consume only the wine–ie., sip only the wine.

Alternatively, you could carry low or no gluten hosts with you and consecrate one of these which you could eat a crumb of.

There has got to be a reasonable solution to this. Celiac Disease is either becoming more common or (more likely) more commonly diagnosed. It can also be reversed, but I don’t know the % of cases.

Alternatively, you could become a brother and take only the consecrated wine at Mass. Brothers are no longer the caricatures of the past; they are often educated and intelligent men who run their orders. Check out the Jesuits, Benedictines and Dominicans on this.