Dog given communion wafer in church

Toronto - When a newcomer with a dog went up for communion at St. Peter’s Anglican Church, the animal was also given a wafer. While most people saw this as a nice, welcoming gesture, one man got upset and has since left the church.

Sun Media reported that Donald Keith had been invited to attend the church after police heckled him as he was sitting on the steps of the church one morning during the G20 weekend. Keith showed up at church with his dog Trapper. When it was time to go forward for communion the man took his pet with him, and interim priest Rev. Marguerite Rea gave the dog a wafer. Peggy Needham, the deputy people’s warden, told The Star that most people did not think it was a big deal. “I think it was this natural reaction: here’s this dog, and he’s just looking up, and she’s giving the wafers to people and she just gave one to him,” said Needham. “Anybody might have done that. It’s not like she’s trying to create a revolution.” One man felt the act was an affront to the rules and regulations of the Anglican Church, and he filed a complaint with the reverend and with the Anglican Diocese of Toronto. Bishop Patrick Yu, the area bishop of York-Scarborough, wrote back to the parishioner, saying it was not the policy of the Anglican Church to give communion to animals. “I think the reverend was overcome by what I consider a misguided gesture of welcoming,” he told The Star. “Unless there is any further evidence that she is giving communion to animals, the matter is closed . . . we are after all, in the forgiveness and repair business.” The church has told Keith he and his dog are welcome at services but Trapper can not receive communion again. Needham said the church has always welcomed animals and conducts a blessing of the animals every year. “In his email, the man’s argument was that Christ wouldn’t have liked it,” Needham told The Star. “But in my opinion, Christ would have thought it was neat. It was just being human. And it made everyone smile.”