cappie Posted March 6, 2006 Share Posted March 6, 2006 Church denies Communion to autistic boy he Catholic Church has told the parents of a 10-year-old autistic boy that, because the child cannot consume the host, he is not receiving Communion properly. Until he does, church officials say, he cannot partake of the church's most meaningful sacrament. According to a letter from Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted, delivered to the Lake Havasu City family on Feb. 12, the boy cannot accept Communion in the Catholic Church until he can "actually receive the Eucharist, actually take and eat." Because of his condition, Matthew Moran cannot swallow foods with certain textures. So Matthew, who received his First Communion nearly three years ago in Pennsylvania, participates in Communion in an unusual way. As his father watches, the boy takes the Communion wafer and places it in his mouth. His father, Nick Moran, then removes it and consumes the host himself. Otherwise, Matthew would spit it out, his father says. Moran, who takes only the one host for himself, says it remains in the boy's mouth for several seconds. He says the bishop's letter has caused anger, anxiety and frustration in his home. "We are out of our minds over this," said the father, who with his wife, Dr. Jean Weaver, has two other children, one of them also disabled. Phoenix Diocese officials contend that Matthew has not been prohibited from Communion, only that the bishop is "not able to approve the present practice," according to his letter. He offered assistance, which has come in the form of various hosts for Matthew to try, educational material and other recommendations for the parents, including respite care, in which trained personnel would look after the children while the parents took time for themselves. [url="http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/0304communion0304.html"]Source[/url] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SeekingHisPlan Posted March 7, 2006 Share Posted March 7, 2006 I wonder if a few drops of the precious blood could be placed on his tongue and he could partake of the sacrament that way? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Socrates Posted March 7, 2006 Share Posted March 7, 2006 If he can't swallow the Body of Christ, he is probably possessed by Satan, and needs to be soundly exorcised! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Extra ecclesiam nulla salus Posted March 7, 2006 Share Posted March 7, 2006 If he is going to spit it out, they should not give it to him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HisChild Posted March 7, 2006 Share Posted March 7, 2006 I agree. He has to be able to consume the Eucharist, otherwise, he isn't communicating. I also second the suggestion that perhaps he is able to take a small sip of the Precious Blood? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donna Posted March 7, 2006 Share Posted March 7, 2006 Socrates, knock it off. Unless you have an autistic child maybe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donna Posted March 7, 2006 Share Posted March 7, 2006 They should give him from the chalice imo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Socrates Posted March 7, 2006 Share Posted March 7, 2006 [quote name='Donna' date='Mar 6 2006, 06:03 PM']Socrates, knock it off. Unless you have an autistic child maybe. [right][snapback]904648[/snapback][/right] [/quote] I was joking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cappie Posted March 7, 2006 Author Share Posted March 7, 2006 I only put the first part of the article because it was rather long. You need to read the whole article. It truly is a pastoral problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HisChild Posted March 7, 2006 Share Posted March 7, 2006 Well herein lies the gist of the article: [[A document of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, "Guidelines for the Celebration of the Sacraments with Persons with Disabilities," says, "Cases of doubt should be resolved in favor of the right of the baptized person to receive the sacrament. The existence of a disability is not considered in and of itself as disqualifying a person from receiving the Eucharist." Nick Moran said he believes Olmsted is not following those guidelines in the case of his son. In his letter, Olmsted says, "Just to touch it to one's tongue is not to 'take and eat.' In other words, it is not the reception of Christ in the Eucharist. "So while your desire is for your son to receive Holy Communion, he is, in fact, only simulating doing so."]] I still happen to agree. He isn't really receiving Jesus. He is touching his tongue to It, and then wants to spit It out? I don't understand how that would be a spiritual help to him? Or how he would actually be receiving the Sacrament. Deserves much prayer in deed. However I support my bishop in this matter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Extra ecclesiam nulla salus Posted March 7, 2006 Share Posted March 7, 2006 I really do not know much about autism, and i do not want to offend anyone but i have some questions: why is he spitting it out? what is making him spit it out? and are mentally handicapped people allowed to recieve communion with out going to confession? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cappie Posted March 7, 2006 Author Share Posted March 7, 2006 I support the bishop, but it is still a pastoral problem and also has ramifications for elderly people as well, particularly in Nursing homes suffering from dimentia Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HisChild Posted March 7, 2006 Share Posted March 7, 2006 He is having difficulties with the textures, apparently, which are not uncommon instances for autistic children (or adults for that matter, although many of those problems can be assisted with therapy. I've actually dealt with a few autistic adults while in the hospital, as well as a friend who has an autistic boy.) It looks like they really did try to help him, but he's spit out the Blood, and when they attempted with thinner, thicker, smaller, larger Hosts, he spit those out as well. Doesn't sound like an easy issue. But the fact remains, that he is unable to consume the Sacred Body of Jesus. It deserves prayers to be sure, for this child and his family. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HisChild Posted March 7, 2006 Share Posted March 7, 2006 [quote name='cappie' date='Mar 6 2006, 06:17 PM']I support the bishop, but it is still a pastoral problem and also has ramifications for elderly people as well, particularly in Nursing homes suffering from dimentia [right][snapback]904678[/snapback][/right] [/quote] Oh, I can imagine! When my stepmother was dying of leukemia, she had had a stroke right before the priest arrived. They had to test out her swallowing to make sure she'd be able to consume Holy Communion and it took her a while to do so. With demented patients, there's always the question of whether the patient knows what they are doing. My question is, if the patient doesn't know they are receiving Jesus, but do anyway, is it still valid reception? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prose Posted March 7, 2006 Share Posted March 7, 2006 [quote name='SeekingHisPlan' date='Mar 6 2006, 05:27 PM']I wonder if a few drops of the precious blood could be placed on his tongue and he could partake of the sacrament that way? [right][snapback]904556[/snapback][/right] [/quote] I was thinking that too. Also, I was told in pastoral care that is what they do when people can't take the Eucharist due to illness in senior citizen's homes. (Touch to teh tongue and priest eats it) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now