God desires each member of the Body of Christ to fully participate in the life of the Church, even in the presence of physical or mental limitations. To help advance the meaningful participation of persons with disabilities, the Diocese of Allentown invited the National Catholic Partnership on Disability (NCPD) to provide a two-day disability ministry training.
The training took place April 21-22 at St. Joseph the Worker, Orefield. It was facilitated by Dr. Elizabeth Potts, Associate Director of Diocesan Relations for NCPD.
The first day of the training focused on mental health, including topics such as accompaniment, stigma, trauma-informed care, and suicide. Disability Ministry, covered on the second day, looked at ways to remove both visible and invisible barriers from parishes so that they can become more welcoming to all.
“Let's eliminate the barriers to life,” said Potts to the audience of parish and diocesan staff, ministry volunteers, and families of persons with disabilities. The goal, she said, is “belonging.”
Potts identified six “facets of belonging” developed by NCPD and rooted in the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ “Guidelines for the Celebration of the Sacraments with Persons with Disabilities.” These facets are “present; invited; welcomed; known and accepted; supported and cared for; and befriended and needed.”
Attendees were provided with a self-assessment tool for recognizing implicit bias and evaluating inclusive knowledge. Special consideration was given to the limitations of language, which can obscure the recognition of a person’s capabilities.
An interactive “barrier brainstorm” followed, with audience members invited to identify both architectural obstacles to inclusion, such as steps and narrow doorways, and non-architectural barriers, such as faulty assumptions regarding people with disabilities.
Participants agreed that, for a church environment to be “set up for success,” it should include accessible elements such as large print and/or electronic Mass aids, hymn numbers that are clearly posted and announced, and assistive listening devices.
With diagnoses of anxiety, autism, and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder on the rise, NCPD recommends sensory-friendly Masses as a welcoming option. These Masses might include visual missals, short and literal homilies, lower lighting, and softer music.
Calling the raising of awareness a “culture change,” Potts said it is important to have both a plan and a realistic timetable for building awareness. She recommended starting slowly and being consistently supportive of a pastor who acknowledges that “The parish is the door to participation for persons with disabilities.”
“Recognize what you can’t control,” she said, “and involve a diverse group of parishioners, including parishioners with disabilities, in identifying barriers and ways to remove them.”
Potts introduced the framework for the UDP, a “universally designed parish,” which proactively limits barriers for persons with disabilities. A UDP aims to accommodate differing needs by incorporating features that are accessible to all, such as sloped entrances, wide doorways, and adjustable-height elements.
“Each person is unique, and each person is specially made in the same image and likeness of God,” said Father Thomas Osei Gyau, then attending the workshop as Assistant Pastor of St. Ambrose, Schuylkill Haven, now Parochial Administrator of St. Joseph, Summit Hill.
“Each individual is going through different phases of life. We are all called to reach out to each one with compassion, conscious of our unique needs and experiences, to cooperate with God in bringing healing and peace to the wounded.”
Jeremy Leidich, Clinical Services Supervisor at Catholic Charities Diocese of Allentown, said he believes this training can affect how both professionals and everyday Catholics interact with people with mental health challenges and disabilities.
“The goal of these trainings is always to reduce stigma,” said Leidich during a break from the talks on April 21. “The NCPD helps participants gain tools they can use to educate their parishes and reduce stigma through education.
“So the parishes are often on the frontlines. They're that initial field hospital where people are encountered – there's that initial encounter that you receive in a parish, but with Catholic Charities, we're the professionals that provide resources that might not be readily available to the individual parishes.
“You have the additional support of the parishes, but we're adding to that support as well.”
Each day began with the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, celebrated by Bishop Alfred Schlert and assisted by Father Keith Mathur and Deacon Bruno Schettini.
“God works through community, through listening hearts, through professional care, and through simple presence,” said Bishop Schlert in his homily the first day. “Just as the early Christians supported one another, we are called to create spaces where people can be honest about their struggles without shame.
“If you are carrying something heavy, remember this: the Risen Christ meets people behind locked doors, just as He did with His Apostles on Easter night. There is no fear, no darkness, no inner struggle that is beyond His reach. And if someone around you is struggling, our compassion may be the very way Christ's peace enters into his or her life.”
Students of John Paul II Center for Special Learning, Shillington provided lunch through their “Pendants with Purpose” program, which promotes “responsibility and social interaction.” Participants found it fitting and beautiful that these students served the meals during this special training.
For online resources to help persons with disabilities participate in the life of the Church, go to www.ncpd.org. In the Diocese of Allentown, contact Maggie Riggins, Executive Director of Evangelization and Formation, at mriggins@allentowndiocese.org. To learn more about what Catholic Charities provides, go to www.catholiccharitiesad.org.
Photos by Ed Koskey.
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