http://dailynews.att.net/cgi-bin/news?e ... 27&src=abc
Girl with Rare Disorder Barred from Communion
Like many Catholic children, Haley Pelly-Waldman, 9, had looked forward to her first communion. It is a sacred rite of passage for all young Catholics, steeped in tradition and meaning.
Catholics believe the wine and the wafer symbolize the body and blood of Christ. When it was Haley's turn to experience her first communion, she donned a special white dress for the occasion, ready to participate in the ritual that unites Catholics around the world. But for Haley there was a difference.
Four years ago, the New Jersey girl was diagnosed with a rare digestive disorder called celiac disease, leaving her unable to eat wheat -- not even the tiny amount in the wafer at the communion table.
In order to accommodate Haley's medical condition, her priest substituted the wheat wafer with one made of rice. But little did they know, they'd just broken a church doctrine.
First Communion Doesn't Count, Says Diocese
The Pelly-Waldman's local diocese said that the eucharist wafer can only be made of wheat.
In a statement released to ABC News, the Diocese of Trenton, said, "Bread, to be valid matter for the eucharist, must be made solely of wheat."
The local diocese ruled that Haley's first communion didn't count, and reprimanded the priest who gave her that rice wafer.
Stunned by that ruling, Haley's mother, Elizabeth Pelly-Waldman, decided to challenge the church law by appealing to the Vatican.
"I am one woman questioning 2,000 years of church teaching," Pelly-Waldman said on "Good Morning America" today. "But I believe with some patience and persistence maybe perhaps we can be heard."
In her letters to the Vatican, she wrote: "It's not my understanding that Christ asked his disciples to remember him through wheat bread. ... I do not believe Christ would want a child to obey a canon law that could be potentially harmful to her."
Controversy Strengthens Faith
Until recently, the Pelly-Waldmans found a priest who was willing to administer a rice communion wafer to Haley in secret. But with the publicity of the case growing, Elizabeth says that is becoming more difficult.
Haley told "Good Morning America" that when it comes time to take communion, "I usually just kneel down and say my prayers."
Other celiacs have dealt with similiar issues in the Catholic Church, driving one Boston family to join the Methodist Church, which does allow rice wafers during communion.
But Elizabeth Pelly-Waldman says she has no intention of leaving the church, and in fact, the controversy has strengthened her faith.
"I'm a practicing Catholic, and the faith of both myself and the children in the Catholic Church hasn't wavered," she said. "I belived we can most appropriately effectuate change from within the church."
The Pelly-Waldmans have so far not received a reply from the Vatican.
Dogma...
- Crummy Old Label Avatar
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Yeah, well, all you doctrine-breaking rice eaters are gonna burn in hell, along with rice-eating heathen Chinamen and Pope John Paul II.
If you love Hi-REZ TAPE HISS, you're REALLY going to love Stereo Central
Crummy Old Label Avatar wrote:...burn in hell, along with...Pope John Paul II.
If he's canonized (by the infallible judgement of the next Pope), God has to accept him into heaven whether He likes it or not.
Dob
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"Democracy is a pathetic belief in the collective wisdom of individual ignorance" -- HL Mencken
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"Democracy is a pathetic belief in the collective wisdom of individual ignorance" -- HL Mencken
krabapple wrote:...if it ain't the living flesh of Christ, frankly I don't want it.
I suppose you want to drink Christ's blood, too.
Sounds like the plot for the next Mel Gibson movie.
Dob
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"Democracy is a pathetic belief in the collective wisdom of individual ignorance" -- HL Mencken
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"Democracy is a pathetic belief in the collective wisdom of individual ignorance" -- HL Mencken
"Accept Christ as your saviour. Eat his flesh. Drink his blood."
That was from 'The Omen', IIRC. Also more or less what I heard at Mass every Sunday when I was growing up. We Catholics even had a hymn called 'Sons of God"
"Sons of God, hear His holy Word,
Gather 'round the table of the Lord,
Eat His body, drink His blood,
And we'll sing a song of love,
Hallelu, hallelu, hallelu, hallelujah!"
They had us singing this when we were *8 years old*.
That was from 'The Omen', IIRC. Also more or less what I heard at Mass every Sunday when I was growing up. We Catholics even had a hymn called 'Sons of God"
"Sons of God, hear His holy Word,
Gather 'round the table of the Lord,
Eat His body, drink His blood,
And we'll sing a song of love,
Hallelu, hallelu, hallelu, hallelujah!"
They had us singing this when we were *8 years old*.
Last edited by krabapple on Tue Apr 05, 2005 8:28 pm, edited 2 times in total.
"I recommend that you delete the Rancid Snakepit" - Grant
krabapple wrote:"Accept Christ as your saviour. Eat his flesh. Drink his blood."...more or less what I heard at Mass every Sunday when I was growing up. They had us singing this when we were *8 years old*.
I also attended a Catholic grade school...but when I was 8, masses were still held in Latin, which makes everything sound that much creepier.
I sometimes would throw out Latin phrases (from mass) in situations I deemed appropriate. Once, when I was sitting down at the dinner table, I exclaimed "Sit semper vobiscum" as my butt hit the chair. Actually, I may have even spoke/sung it. My parents were not amused.
I also remember my first grade catechism class, where a nun told us boys that it was a "sin" to touch yourself when going to the bathroom. That one had my head spinning for years. It's hard to really appreciate the phrase "catholic guilt" until you've experienced it for yourself.
Ahh...memories flood my mind with bliss...
Dob
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"Democracy is a pathetic belief in the collective wisdom of individual ignorance" -- HL Mencken
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"Democracy is a pathetic belief in the collective wisdom of individual ignorance" -- HL Mencken
- CitizenDan
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- CitizenDan
- Posts: 396
- Joined: Fri Jan 14, 2005 11:26 am
- Location: Capitol City, Minn.