Ministry with Persons with Disabilities
The involvement of persons with disabilities “enriches every aspect of Church life. They
are not just recipients of
catechesis– they are also agents.” National Directory for Catechesis: Catechesis
with Persons with
Disabilities (no.49)
The Archdiocesan Ministry with Persons with Disabilities offers the following assistance:
- Education and training/workshops on disability issues and awareness.
- Assistance in improving access for people with disabilities to the sacramental,
liturgical, catechetical, and
social areas of Church life in order to increase their active participation in
parish worship, ministries and
activities. - Technical assistance and support in developing architectural and program access
plans. - Pastoral response and presence to individuals and their families.
- Provide resources of programs and services available to persons with disabilities.
- Offer opportunities for participation and inclusion in the Archdiocesan Mass for
Persons with Disabilities for
individuals and families.
What a Disability is:
The legal understanding of a disability is a condition which involves a physical or mental
impairment and limits major
life activities. Since major life activities vary from culture to culture, there are
differing opinions regarding which
types of conditions are considered a disability. The term disability covers a wide range of
individuals whose
impairments differ significantly in kind and severity.
Types of disabilities include:
- Sensory (e.g. blindness)
- Physical (e.g. cerebral palsy)
- Intellectual (e.g. down syndrome)
- Mental (e.g. depression, bipolar, schizophrenia)
- Chronic Health Conditions (e.g. heart disease, diabetes)
- Aging-Related (e.g. arthritis, dementia)
- Autism Spectrum Disorder
What a Disability is not:
A disability is not a condition which makes a person inferior, or of any less value to the
ecclesial community.
Appropriate Language and Behavior
When communicating with or to people with disabilities, using respectful and inclusive language is important.
Person-first language, like “person with a disability” is generally preferred, as it emphasizes the individual rather than the disability. However, some individuals prefer identity-first language, such as “disabled person,” which is also acceptable when it is what the individual’s preferers.
Listening to understand is a great way to communicate, as it helps the individual and their caregiver or family to feel supported too.
Due to misunderstanding or unfamiliarity, people are often unsure of the appropriate language that should be used when talking with or about individuals with disabilities. Here are some suggestions of how to utilize appropriate language and behavior. Only refer to the disability when it is relevant to the conversation.
Use People-First Language when Applicable
Persons with disabilities should be addressed and understood primarily as human beings with individual interests, strengths, and personalities.
Talk Directly to the Person
Always assume an individual with a disability can advocate for themselves, understand you, and communicate with you.
Avoid Categorizing a Group
Every disability is different and every person with a disability is different. Always remember to individualize the way you speak, think, and interact with a person with a disability.
Educate Yourself on Words that are Appropriate and Inappropriate
Outdated or inaccurate words perpetuate negative stereotypes. These stereotypes tend to generalize individuals with disabilities into one group or label them as individuals to be pitied. Since these words are often used due to misunderstanding or unfamiliarity, it is important to familiarize yourself with words that reflect the dignity of the person you are speaking about.
General Examples of Appropriate Language and Language to Avoid:
| Appropriate Language | Language to Avoid |
| Person with a disability | Disabled, handicapped |
| Person without a disability | Normal person, healthy person |
| Person with an intellectual, cognitive, or developmental disability | Retarded, special needs person |
| Person with Down Syndrome | The “R” word |
| Person who has a communication disorder or uses a device to speak | Mute |
| Person who is blind | Blind person |
| Person with a physical disability | Crippled, deformed |
**The Deaf community does not see deafness as a disability, but rather see themselves as a cultural and linguistic minority. A capital “D” is used by individuals who identify as being culturally Deaf. While lower case “d” deaf used to label the audiological condition.
Ecclesial Documents and Initiatives
The Church is concerned with the health, happiness, and sanctification of all individuals with disabilities. Below is a list of Catholic resources including organizations, documents, and educational programs that consider the field of disabilities.
Ecclesial Organizations:
National Catholic Partnership on Disability
The National Catholic Partnership on Disability was founded in 1982 as a response to a mandate from the United States Bishops Pastoral Statement on Persons with Disabilities. This mandate called for the creation of national offices which can be a resource for parochial and diocesan bodies to be able to best serve persons with disabilities. Through the direction of an episcopal vicar, the National Catholic Partnership on Disability provides resources to support individuals with disabilities in parish settings as well as everyday life. The NCPD has a board which focuses on three specific areas: Education, Ethics and Public Policy, and Mission. Members of the board include people with disabilities, family members of people with disabilities, diocesan directors of disability ministry, as well as academic experts in the field of theology, disability, and education.
Ecclesial Documents:
- Guidelines for the Celebration of the Sacraments with Persons with Disabilities
- Orientaciones para la celebración de los sacramentos con personas con discapacidades
Sacramental Guidelines approved by USCCB, 2017 - Welcome and Justice for Persons with Disabilities
USCCB Statement, 1989 - Pastoral Statement on Disabilities
USCCB Pastoral Statement, 1978
Education:
- Certificate in Leading Inclusive Catholic Schools
Online certificate program offered through Loyola University. - Online Disability Faith Formation Certificate
Online certificate program offered through the University of Dayton. - Divine Mercy University
Divine Mercy University is a Catholic graduate school which offers degrees in counseling and psychology. DMU studies psychological sciences in light of a Catholic understanding of the human person.
Additional Resources:
Catholic Organizations
- National Catholic Partnership on Disability (NCPD)
- National Catholic Educational Association
- Faith and Light
Podcasts and Videos
Catechesis and Formation
Should students with disabilities be in a special and separate class?
No. Each student should be placed in the most inclusive environment possible. The strengths and limitations of each individual as well as the gifts their presence offers the entire community should be the determining factors in deciding which environment is most appropriate. It is recommended that all students attend religious education classes at the same time and in the same place as their peers.
Can clusters of parishes collaborate to provide a segregated class?
The pastoral implications of clusters of parishes combining students in one segregated class should be carefully considered. It may be convenient if a small group needs a catechist with specialized training, but there should be no question that this arrangement is in the best interest of the students. Isolating individuals apart from their local faith community is a serious decision that should not be made lightly. Students taught in segregated settings should be included in any recreational activities. People with disabilities should also receive the sacraments in their own parish with age appropriate peers.
Do students with disabilities require specially trained catechists?
While the need for catechists with specialized training may be true in some cases, it is not the norm. Catechists can help people with disabilities grow in relationship with God and learn more about the Catholic faith with little or no more specialized skill than it takes to be successful with any students. An open mind, a loving spirit, an understanding heart, a knowledge of faith, and a desire to witness to the activity of God in their lives are key characteristics of a good catechist. Teaching techniques can be improved with additional study and learning.
What texts should I use?
Using the same text used by other participants in the program is recommended, with adaptions and/or augmentation when necessary. The primary goals of each lesson can be identified and then the material presented in a fashion appropriate to the student’s abilities.
What about sacramental preparation and reception?
The U.S. Catholic Bishops approved the revised Guidelines for the Celebration of the Sacraments with Persons with Disabilities in June of 2017. The guidelines offer a set of general principles to provide access to the sacraments for people with assorted disabilities. It is highly recommended that copies of this document be obtained, studied, and the guidelines followed in every parish in the Archdiocese of Boston. Ministers are not to refuse the sacraments to those who ask for them at appropriate times, who are appropriately disposed and who are not prohibited by law from receiving them. (Canon 843.1)
Catechetical Resources
- Loyola Press
- University of Dayton
- Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy
- Catechesis of the Good Shepherd
- Saint Mary’s Press: A Place for all”
Events
Mass with Persons with Disabilities
This past spring, the Archdiocese of Boston hosted a Mass with persons with disabilities. Bishop Cristiano Barboza was the principal celebrant of the Mass with members of the faith community serving the different parts.
Here is an article written by the Pilot about the event.
For more photos of the Mass, click here.
Local Mass with Persons with Disabilities+
- Madonna Queen Shrine, East Boston offers a sensory friendly Mass the first Saturday of every month at 5:30 PM.
- St. Mary in Dedham offers a Mass with Persons with Disabilities/All Abilities on the 2nd Saturday of each month. 4 PM Mass is followed by Rosary, pizza, and community at 5 PM. Next gathering is May 10, 2025. Visit their website for more information.
- The Lynne Disability Network founded by a local Catholic mom.
How to Accommodate
What are some typical accommodations?
| Accessible rest rooms | Peer buddies |
| Adequate signage (braille, raised letters) | Peer tutors |
| Alternate progress assessment methods | Quality acoustics & sound system |
| Appropriate seating arrangements | Quality lighting |
| Assistive listening devices | Ramps |
| Braille materials | Sighted guides |
| Classroom aides | Sign language interpreters |
| Closed captions | Smartphone and computer applications for communication |
| Creativity | Specially trained catechists |
| Elevators | Stair railings |
| Flexibility | Time |
| Large print materials | Welcoming attitude |
Don’t these accommodations cost a lot of money?
Some types of access improvements are expensive, such as the building of ramps and installing elevators. However, as the U.S. Catholic Bishops explain in their Pastoral Statement on People with Disabilities, “Mere cost must never be the exclusive considerations, however, since the provisions of free access to religious functions for all interested people is a pastoral duty.” Other accommodations cost little or nothing. Many accommodations can be provided by people in the parish.
To inquire about property/building accommodations for parishes within the Archdiocese of Boston, please contact the RCAB Director of Property Management.
Who can provide some of these accommodations?
Certainly, everyone in the parish can have a welcoming attitude and can be open, flexible, creative and patient. Classmates, older students and aides can assist with writing, page turning, note taking, reading, carrying supplies and providing help where it is needed.
How should the most appropriate instructional setting be determined?
A student should be placed in the most inclusive instructional setting possible. Options are to be considered in the following order: inclusion in a typical class with no additional supports, integrations in a typical class with appropriate accommodations, part time instruction in a typical class and part time in a segregated setting either in a small group or one-to-one, or full time in a segregated setting in a small group or one-to-one.
Who should be involved in the process of determining what is most appropriate for each student?
The best approach is a collaborative one with input from the individual with the disability, family member(s), the catechetical leader, the catechist, the pastor or pastoral associate, and, if appropriate, the student’s school teacher. Great care should be taken to respect confidential information which may be discussed in the process.
Individualized Religious Education Plan
An Individualized Religious Education Plan, or IREP, is a questionnaire which asks for more detailed information on a student’s medical needs, communication skills, learning styles, physical considerations and emotional needs.
To view some examples of IREP’s you may visit the links below:
Inclusive Registration Forms (IRF’s)
In order to prepare to address any specific needs or accommodations that a student may require, faith formation leaders and catechists may find it helpful to send out an Inclusive Registration Form to families at the start of each year.
To view some examples of Inclusive Registration Forms, you may visit the link below:
For more information on Individual Religious Education Plans and Inclusive Registration Forms, please contact Kathryn Griffin.
Individual and Family Support
To Individuals
If you have a disability which presents challenges to being fully engaged in the life of your parish, please know that the ecclesial community needs your presence as a disciple and desires your active participation in Church life.
To Families and Friends
Your child, sibling, parent, extended family member or friend who has a disability is a necessary member of the ecclesial body.
Suggestions:
- Present your questions or concerns with a parish staff member. Explain to them your needs, or the needs of your family member or friend. If they are unfamiliar with the challenges that you have presented, do not be discouraged! Just because no one as presented these challenges before, does not reduce their importance.
- If your parish has questions, please direct them to this website which has resources for parishes to help promote active participation for individuals who may need support.
- Please tell us how we can better support you and your loved ones. Contact Kathryn Griffin.
Parish Support
Ensuring that every human being has the support they need to participate in the life of the Church is a primary responsibility for every parish. A person with a disability may have an impairment that presents challenges to engaging in central parts of ecclesial life such as participation in the sacraments and religious education, attending Church meetings, or engaging in social or community service gatherings.
Parishes should listen to seek to understand these individuals who are experiencing challenges and work to provide them with the support they need. Do not be discouraged or intimidated if you are asked to provide services for an individual who has an impairment that you are unfamiliar with. Every parish must start somewhere! Here are some suggestions to guide your efforts.
Begin with One Individual
- Assuring that your parish is accessible to all people may seem to be an overwhelming task. It is important to remember that ministering to members of your Church is most successful by encountering individuals one at a time.
- The needs of a person with a disability differ significantly based on their experiences, personality, and diagnosis. Two persons with autism, for example, could respond to certain forms of catechesis in completely different ways. The best way to learn how to accommodate a person with a disability is to learn about them as an individual.
Communication
- Listening is always the first step to aiding the formation of an individual with a disability to be a disciple in your parish. Express your desire to learn from them as well as their parents and other professionals about the interests, abilities, and needs of the individual. Meet with the individual or their parents one on one, or have them fill out a form which seeks to understand them on a deeper level.
Prenatal Care
Experiencing an adverse diagnosis during pregnancy can be scary, lonely, and intimidating. The Pregnancy Help office offers support for parents who have a disability or have an unborn child with a disability. Trained and caring nurses as well as trilingual (English, Spanish, Portuguese) caseworkers are available. Through this service sponsored by the Archdiocese of Boston, the Church provides the following services:
-
- Personalized support for woman facing difficult pregnancies
- Prenatal care referrals
- Assistance with health insurance
- Adoption & parenting information
- Housing & social service referrals
- Education and career information
- Maternal care addistance
- Classes on baby care
Boston Phone: 617-782-5151 Text: 617-903-7960
Brockton Phone: 774-297-2233 Text: 617-483-5589
Metro West Phone: 508-651-0753 Text: 508-728-2086
Pastoral Center, Braintree
Pro-Life Office
Sylvia Fernandez del Castillo, Director
Email: ProLifeOffice@rcab.org
Other Resources
For Support Strategies to Meet the Needs of Individuals with Autism, visit here.
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