Herald June 1_15 07.qxd - Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada

THE HERALDJuly 1/15, 2007Our Faith“Let all the Children Come to Me”Very little has been written aboutchildren or even adults with disabilitiesand their spiritual development.Some of what has beenwritten suggests that spirituality is notnecessarily dependent upon intellect.This past fall, I had had the opportunityto visit my Alma Mater in Texas,where I spoke to a former educationprofessor, Dr. Jerry Whitworth, whohanded me his newly co-authoredbook, "Let All the Children Come toMe." I was blessed to see this book, asthese authors researched a biblicallybased guide for the understanding ofthe often-unmet needs of the challengedchildren who attend churchwith their families, as well as those whodo not attend because many churchesare not equipped to effectively ministerto them. In their research they havesuggested that the spirituality of thosedisabled may be an intrinsic or naturalfeature of the human condition whichmany of us do not even understand.Having a family member with a disability,watching my aunt in her chosenvocation of administering to the qualityof life of over forty adults with disabilitiesand knowing five adults in myparish district, who face those samechallenges, prompted me to write ofthe experiences in ministering to themand sharing with you their relationshipwith God and the church. Their actionsare unique and I have changed theirnames to ensure their privacy. I willfurther use the word child(ren) but theword will also represent those adult(s)with limitations.á‡Á‰‡Î„¥‰¸ Á‡Ô·ÌÓ‚‡Ì¥ ÔÓıÓappleÓÌËЗазадалегідь запланований похорон—це можливо найкраща послуга,що можете зробити для своєї родини чи близьких. Нині багатолюдей усвідомлюють, що планування похорону заздалегідь зменшуєі полегшує цей тягар. Таке планування забезпечує спокій, заощаджуєвидатки і запевняє прийняття рішень без стресу чи натиску часу.За інформацією чи для обговорення планування заздалегідь похорону,звертайтеся, будь ласка, до Володимира Ядловського, директорапохоронного заведення Park Memorial.Prearranged FuneralsPre-planning your funeral could be the kindest thing you do foryour family. Today more people are recognizing that planning a funeral inadvance lessens the burden for those you love. It provides peace of mindby saving money and ensuring decisions are madewithout stress or time pressure.For information or to discuss prearranginga funeral, please contact Walter Yadlowski at ParkMemorial.Walter YadlowskiFuneral DirectorThe word "handicap" originated longago when people with disabilities wereforced to beg on street corners. It haseven been reported that some parentswould purposely break their children'slegs so they would be disabled, generatepity, and get more and larger contributions.These individuals would hold outtheir caps to passer-by in the hope ofreceiving money. This "cap in the hand"practice came to be known as "handicap".This reflects a pervasive attitudethat people with disabilities should beviewed as objects of pity— needing ourcharity, rather than people entitled tothe same opportunities for employment,education and other "quality oflife" rights, as the rest of society.This has often resulted in a form ofdiscrimination known as "handicappism".An "ism" is what results whenwe believe that a label carries with it aset of characteristics.Once a label is placed on a personthat person also gets all of the characteristicsthat go with that label. Theperson becomes identified by his or herlabel. Whether or not all of those characteristicsapply to the individual isimmaterial. Society automatically assumescertain things about the individualbecause of the label he or she wears.Thus, we have ageism, racism andhandicappism.As a result, rather than the disabilitybeing one feature of a person, it isviewed by society as defining everythingabout that person. The individualis confined and limited by the label.We assume certain things about them9709-111 Avenue,Edmonton, Alberta, T5G 0B2Phone (780) 426-0050Fax (780) 424-2405Toll Free 1-800- 822-3526because of their label, and we as membersof the church place limitationsand restrictions on them as a result ofthat label.This can be seen in the terminologythat we use to refer to a person with adisability. We say "a blind man" cannothelp at the brotherhood fundraiser becausehe cannot count money, or amentally retarded woman or a disabledboy cannot be of any assistance inchurch. In other words, the disability isseen first and then the person. We thenhave forgotten the words of EvangelistJohn. We allow the disability to shapeour perceptions of who and what thatperson is. We place restrictions andlimits on him or her because of the disability.We may think, 'poor retardedBen'. 'Retarded' people cannot do thisin church, so Ben cannot serve in theSanctuary. This attitude causes us tonever really give Ben a chance to demonstratewhat he can do.In reality, all of us are different inone way or another. Most of us wouldresent having just one of our characteristicsused to define everythingabout us. To define a person and limithim or her by one characteristic, especiallyif that characteristic is a disability,is to shut that person off from societyand to deny the potential he or shemight possess. Worse yet, it deprivesthe rest of us from knowing that person,forming a relationship with them,and benefiting from what he or she hasto offer and to contribute to ourchurch community.People with disabilities have personalities,strengths, needs and differencesjust like all of us. They are people in ourchurch community with skills, abilities,personalities and frailties, no differentthan anyone else in our society. Thatdiversity is one of our society's greateststrengths. It should be celebrated andappreciated. There are numerous examplesof individuals with very debilitatingdisabilities who made enormouscontributions to our society and to oursociety and to the quality of life on thisplanet: Helen Keller and Ludwig vonBeethoven are obvious examples. Wealso find examples in the Scriptures ofpeople with limitations, or disabilities,who were used by God for great andnoble purposes. Moses was not a goodspeaker; St. Paul apparently had a visualproblem; Zacchaeus was small in stature;and Bartimaeus, though blind(продовження зі стор.12)ReverendFr. PatrickPowalinskyHyas-Kamsack-Swan RiverParish District13exhibited great faith.All too often we assume that a childmust express his or her knowledge ofour faith in order to have a spiritual relationshipwith God. Reciting the passagesof Scripture during a prayer,reading historical events and memorizingthe hymns are all examples of achild's cognition. For many of us, theexpectation is that our children mustdemonstrate a certain level of cognitionbefore we accept that a relationshipwith God is possible.But what about the child or adultwho can't read? What about the childwho cannot attend a Bible study becauseof circumstance? What about thechild who does not speak or hear orfully comprehend a message? Must thesechildren demonstrate the same levelsof cognition in order to have a relationshipwith God? Is it possible, in otherwords, for Ann to understand God'slove if she has not memorized the booksof the Bible and points to them with asmile on her face? Yes. Does that meanthat I should not expect Ann to everlearn a scripture verse of the Bible? No.But it is important to remember thatAnn may or may not learn them—butthe good news is she does not have to inorder to grow in the love of the Lord.A few weeks ago, we stood to singthe glorious hymn of "Christ is Risen",and on this day I felt especially inspiredas my own voice was overshadowed bya beautiful voice from behind me. I wasso taken by the sound of this man'svoice lifting up the words we weretaught to proclaim more than 2,000years ago 'Christ is Risen...', that I becamesilent so I could hear him singthe hymn with so much energy. As weended our blessing and took our seatsat the Paschal breakfast, I looked overmy shoulder. What I saw made metearful. Behind me stood Anton, all fullof happiness and exclaiming the fundamentaltruth of the church with thegreeting, 'Christ is Risen, Indeed He isRisen' in our mother tongue. This wasa blessing to me!(to be continued)Праведні перед Богом, ці люди достарості не мали дітей, бо жона непліднабула. Одного разу під час кадінняв Божому храмі, коли безлічнароду молилoся, знадвору явивсядо Захарії Ангел Господній Гавриїл.Він сповістив наляканому священику,що Всевишній почув його молитву—дружина Єлисавета сина породить.Велів назвати його Іоанном босин той стане на втіху Захарію і всімлюдям, і буде він великим у Господа,''ні вина, ні п'яного напою не питиме,а ще в утробі матері Святим Духомнаповниться".Не повірив Захарія, бо старийуже був і дружина немічна. За цеАнгел позбавив мови його до тогодня, поки народився Іоанн. Ховаючисьвід слугів царя Ірода, котрі вбивалималих дітей, Єлисавета пішла здитям в пустелю. Лише через тридцятьроків повернувся Іоанн в Йордані підготував людей своєю проповіддюдо приходу Спасителя. ПісляХрещення Ісуса Іоанн Хрестительпродовжував проповідуватинароду смирення й покаяння. ЦарІрод дуже боявся Славного Пророка,особливо після того, як той засудивйого прилюдно за те, що оженивсяна братовій вдові з дитиною.Він наказав кинути до в'язниці Іоанна.Під час бенкету дочка дружиниІрода забажала, аби цар Ірод подарувавїй на тарілці голову ПредтечіХреститиля. Слуги виконали цю забаганку.Після цього царя Ірода, йогородину і військо спіткала велика біда.Голова Іоанна Хрестителя булаперевезена в Константинополь і покладенав дворецькій церкві.