Symposium at Madonna University on Nov. 2 to focus on inclusivity, education for parishes and pastoral ministers
DETROIT — As a practicing Catholic and a father to a child with special needs, Patrick Romzek is passionate about inclusivity for Catholics with disabilities.
“Too many people with disabilities feel excluded,” Romzek said. “While the Church’s heart is in the right place, many leaders in our parishes just do not know what to do to help people with disabilities.”
In response to this need, Romzek and his fellow volunteers on the Special Needs Leadership Council for Catholic Charities of Southeast Michigan are hosting a symposium on disability inclusion in parishes.
The “All Belong Symposium” will take place Nov. 2 from 7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Kresge Auditorium at Madonna University in Livonia. General admission is $17.50 and can be reserved here.
Romzek said the goal of the symposium is threefold.
“We want to inspire, create awareness and understanding and to expand inclusion and belonging for people with disabilities in the Church in the Archdiocese of Detroit,” Romzek said.
Participants will attend Mass, breakout sessions and two keynote talks. Topics will include diverse topics such as strategies for catechists, networking and support for creating belonging in the parish, strategies for extending the sacraments to people with disabilities, why individuals should be included in parish life and best strategies for faith formation.
Charleen Katra, who serves on the board of directors for the National Catholic Partnership on Disability, will give a keynote about including people with disabilities in the sacraments and parish life. Though most parishes are well-intentioned, many simply are not aware of the challenges that some of their members face, she said.
“One challenge is when individuals are perceived as being not capable to grow spiritually,” Katra said. “Individuals who do not communicate verbally are sometimes believed not to understand what is being said or taught, though this may not necessarily be true.”
In a 1995 document, “Guidelines for the Celebration of the Sacraments with Persons with Disabilities,” the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops addressed how to include people with disabilities in the sacraments, Katra said. The document explicitly states that every parish should strive for full accessibility, and lists permissible modifications to sacramental preparation for persons with disabilities.
For example, the document states, all Catholics are invited to receive confirmation, regardless of whether developmental disabilities keep them from reaching the age of reason. People with feeding tubes are encouraged to receive Communion by accepting a few drops of the Precious Blood under their tongue, and non-verbal penitents are permitted to make their confessions “using the communication system with which they are most fluent.”
Romzek said these guidelines have the ability to make Catholic parish life accessible to a significant portion of the population, which is why the Special Needs Leadership Council has adapted them into simplified handouts for parishes. Parish workers just need to know they exist, Romzek said.
“Unfortunately, most people are unaware of these guidelines and unaware of the opportunities for people with disabilities to fully participate in the Church,” Romzek said.
Romzek said ministering to people with disabilities isn't just the right thing to do; it's also important from an evangelical standpoint.
“Even pragmatically, it’s the right thing to do because 13 percent of the population has a disability,” Romzek said. “That’s 13 percent of the population missing from the pews if we don’t minister to them.”
Romzek said he knows of many families who have left the Church because their disabled child was not accommodated.
“If you lose the child, you lose the family,” Romzek said. “If they’re not welcome, then the parents often take it personally and do not feel the family is welcome.”
He said that’s exactly why the All Belong Symposium is so important.
“The feedback we’re getting from people is that it’s necessary. We’re just trying to do the best we can to make an impact,” Romzek said.
Register for the “All Belong Symposium”
What: A conference for parishes to learn how to minister to persons with disabilities. Learn the U.S. Catholic Church’s teachings, guidelines, insights, and best practices from national experts. Be inspired and informed about how to expand disability inclusion and ministry in your parish.
When: 7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 2
Where: Kresge Auditorium at Madonna University, 36600 Schoolcraft Road, Livonia
Tickets: $17.50 apiece; register here
More information: https://allbelongsymposium.org/.To learn more about inclusivity for Catholics with disabilities, visit https://ncpd.org/.
