CNN is reporting an AP story about girl who has celiac disease. This girl, who is Catholic, requested a gluten-free communion wafer and received it. The church later indicated the communion was not valid because the wafer did not contain wheat. In order for the girl to take communion, required by the church, she would have to effectively injure herself.
The story gets a number of points wrong.
First, it refers to Celiac Disease as a rare disorder. Wrong. According to the Celiac Disease Foundation, recent studies suggest that at least 1 in every 133 to 250 persons in the United States is affected. Is this rare?
Second, it indicates the church does not permit gluten-free wafers. They didn’t do their homework. According to celiac.com, the Catholic Church recommends that worshippers with celiac disease in the United States only receive communion if the form of consecrated wine.
However, evidently the Catholic Church doesn’t allow men with celiac to become priests. Given who they do allow…
In any case, something like this makes me extra glad I’m Jewish. Judaism places health above ritual (pikuach nefesh). During Pesach, when one is commanded to eat unleavened bread, there is gluten-free Oat matzah available. Perfectly Kosher for Pesach.
Why is this important to me? What do you think the “GF” stands for in gf_guruilla?
