~
II.
e VOL. 45, NO.6¡ Friday, February 9, 2001
FALL RIVER, MASS. ,
Southeastern Massachusetts' Largest Weekly • $14 Per Year
Family leaves Church in dispute over Eucharist ~
Since the body and blood of Christ is present in the -precious blood as in the sacred host, young celiac sufferer was given the option, but refused. By CATHOLIC
RELIGIOUS WOMEN and men renew their vows at Holy Name Church, Fall. River, as part of World Day for Consecrated Life. (AnchodGordon photo)
Religiou~:<G:elebrat~ ..World
Day for Co'nsecratedLife By MIKE GORDON ANCHOR STAFF
FALL RIVER - Religious from the diocese gathered last Sunday at Holy Name Church for a Mass celebrating World Day for Consecrated Life and took the opportunity to renew their vows. Bishop Sean P. O'Malley, OFM Cap., was principal celebrant and homilist at the 3 p.m. Mass and thanked religious in attendance for saying yes to God. He was
RELIGIOUS OF JESUS and Mary Sister Irene Rheaume reads the history of St. Claudine Thevenet, foundress of the order, and Blessed Dina Belanger during ceremonies at Notre Dame de Lourdes Church, Fall River, last Saturday. Sister Claudette Lapointe, left, presented the relics of St. Claudine to pastor Father Richard L. Chretien, and Sister Diane Dube, right, superior of the Thevenet Mission in Fall River, presented the relics of Blessed Dina. The three sisters are all parish vocations' from Notre Dame. (Photo courtesy of Gene Thibault)
joined by several concelebrants and Msgr. Stephen J. Avila served as master of ceremonies. "We are here today at the Holy Father's invitation to celebrate World Day for Consecrated Life," the bishop said. "We gather in spirituality and joy and thanksgiving for all the gifts that God has given us. When we say yes to God something beautiful happens." Bishop O'Malley recalled when he was
a youngster taking a ride with his father and older brother to drop off the elder sibling at a retreat. Although too young to attend, the bishop said he remembers talking with an old .friar who was gardening and whom his father called the happiest man in the world. "Those words really struck me," said the bishop, adding that "religious life is a vocation where one can achieve' great happiness in love, faith and Tum to page 13 - Religious
NEWS SERVICE
BOSTON - Jennifer Richardson, five, has celiac disease. She can't eat anything with gluten in it. The Catholic Church requires that hosts for the Eucharist be made of wheat with gluten. Last fall Jenny's parents, Doug and Janice Richardson, registered Jenny in first Communion class at St. Patrick Parish in Natick, a Boston suburb. They spoke to the pastor about her condition and asked him to substitute a rice wafer for the wheat host for her first
The Code of Canon Law says that the bread used for the Eucharist "must be only wheat." In a 1929 instruction the Vatican said if another substance is used in place of wheat, iUs not .just illegal but invalid: There is no Eucharist. Communion. They offered to make the rice wafers. The pastor, Father Dan 1\vomey, said that was not possible because only wheat is allowed. He said Jenny could, however, receive Communion under the form of wine; as many others with celiac disease do. The Richardsons rejected that solution and have joined the United Methodist Church, to which Doug Richardson belonged before they got married. When Father Twomey informed Boston Cardinal Bernard F. Law of the case, the cardinal wrote to the Richardsons. He reaffirmed the Church's position but asked them to reconsider their decision and speak again with their pastor. They declined. Their story made national news after it was written up by Boston Herald columnist Joe Fitzgerald in an article hel!-dlined "Unbending church forces family to rethink its faith." He quoted Janice Richardson saying, "I know of two churches in this archTum to page 13 - Eucharist