Feature Issue on Faith Communities and Persons with ... - NCRTM

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• Teachers and aides are being taught
concrete methods and behavioral
strategies for teaching Hispanic children
with special needs. It reduces
anxiety when they can see that they
only need to know how to help this
one child, not have expertise in all aspects
of special education. Persons
with a professional background in
special education serve as consultants
to the church program in order
to develop learning and behavioral
strategies and train volunteers. Stan
Martin, Coordinator for the Special
Religious Education Program at St.
Joseph’s, obtains written permission
to look at the student’s IEP and talk
to his or her teacher. The question he
asks is: “How can we tailor our teaching
methods for this student’s needs
so that he or she will be successful?”
Teachers are amazed that there is
something else out there for their
children and are more than willing to
help. Because of the support of Hispanic
members of the staff of the
diocese, and the volunteer work of
Hispanic special educators, the diocese
is moving forward in training religion
teachers and aides.
As a result, nine parishes now provide
religious education in Spanish to
children with developmental disabilities.
In one of the first, St. Joseph’s
Church, it has become a tradition for the
students from the program to lead the
procession into church on the day they
first receive Holy Eucharist. According
to Luis Ramirez, “The other parents are
amazed by the presence of children with
disabilities. When they see how happy
they are to receive Communion, they
hold them up as an example to their
own children.”
Ongoing Advocacy
There is always a need for ongoing advocacy.
Fr. Christopher Smith has raised
the level of consciousness of his parishioners
by references in his sermons to
persons with disabilities. Now members
of the congregation inform him when
someone has a special need. “We have a
responsibility,” he says, “to serve all the
members of our church, no matter what
their language, economic or cultural
background, because they are part of
the family.” He has observed that some
Hispanic families try to keep their child
with a disability hidden. “Hispanic parents
tend to have a sense of personal responsibility
for whatever misfortune
befalls anyone in the family. They may
believe that God is punishing them for
their sins even though they are not sure
of what they did to deserve it. When you
instruct the parents that this is not how
we believe God acts, there is a tremendous
sense of relief.”
Statements such as the following
from the United States Catholic Conference
of Bishops’ Guidelines for the Celebration
of the Sacraments with Persons
with Disabilities give parish staff and
parents support and guidance in the inclusion
of the children with disabilities
in the life of the church:
Pastors are responsible to be as inclusive
as possible in providing evangelization,
catechetical formation and
sacramental preparation for parishioners
with disabilities. Persons with
disabilities, their advocates and families,
as well as those knowledgeable
in serving disabled persons can make
a most valuable contribution to these
programs. Parish catechetical and
sacramental preparation programs
may need to be adapted for some parishioners
with disabilities.
“Parents can use these supports to become
strong enough to knock on church
doors,” according to Olivia Cornejo. It is
through the advocacy and support of
parents and professionals and their willingness
to partner with diocesan and
parish staff and volunteers that Hispanic
ministry on behalf of persons
with developmental disabilities is moving
forward in the Diocese of Orange.
Mary Brosseau is Director for Special
Religious Education, Diocese of Orange,
Orange, California. She may be reached at
714/282-3071 or by e-mail at
mbrosseau@rcbo.org.
Published on the Web site of the Institute on Community Integration (http://ici.umn.edu/products/impact/143/).
Miriam and Her Family
Jesus Piceno is one of the Hispanic youth
ministry leaders at Blessed Sacrament
Church in Westminister, California. His
wife, Imelda, is a lector, reading from
Scripture at Sunday Mass. Their daughter,
Miriam, has Down syndrome and
participates with her parents in church
programs for the extended family. The
couple is active in helping parents,
especially recent immigrants, to access
community services for children with
special needs. “What a difference it makes
to have a sense of belonging to a community
of faith,” says Jesus. “At church
Miriam is part of the community. She
doesn’t appear different from the other
children and is referred to as ‘Miriam,’ not
’the child with Down syndrome,’”
according to Imelda. Imelda also notes
that the most important thing the church
has done to help Miriam’s spiritual development
is to offer this acceptance. “She
has been part of this church since she was
two, has learned about her faith here,
and knows a number of the prayers and
hymns by heart.”
Through their involvement in the
Jovenes Para Cristo (Youth for Christ)
ministry, Jesus, Imelda, and Miriam have
paved the way for the participation of
other families who have children with
disabilities. They are now looking forward
to the day when Miriam receives First
Holy Communion.
Contributed by Jesus and Imelda Piceno, Blessed Sacrament
Church, Westminster, and by Mary Brosseau, Director for Special
Religious Education, Diocese of Orange.