By MARY KAYE FALCONY
A PLACE FOR ALL
Each of us encounters God in our own way. This reality was always reinforced for me when I would have conversations with my students. I was always amazed at how meeting Christ looked so different for each of them. For some, it was a retreat; for others, silence in the midst of chaos; or maybe it was a simple walk among the autumn leaves. For others, the encounter might occur while sitting with gaze fixed on the tabernacle.
The beauty of our lives is that God seems to find us right where we are. Many of us experience no fanfare but, instead, a heightened sense of awareness that we are not alone and are in the presence of our beloved. We need to do nothing except to be open to what is being offered to us by the one who loved us before our first breath.
This is the reality for each of us. It never depends on our age, intellect, economics or current circumstance. Sometimes, in our humanity, we place conditions that, for God, do not exist.
This being said, as we celebrate Down Syndrome awareness month, I would like to share with you a process that was created in the mid-1960s by Father James McCarthy, Sister Mary Therese Harrington and Sister Susanne Gallagher in the Archdiocese of Chicago. It offers opportunities for those with developmental disabilities to encounter Christ and his love through community. The work of these three came to be known as Special Education Religious Education Development, or SPRED. The process seeks to facilitate opportunities for “those living with developmental disabilities (to experience) a sense of the sacred, a sense of church, a sense of the Christ, and a sense of God.” This process is still present within Catholic parishes across the country. Our diocese has two communities – one at St. Joseph in Jasper and one at All Saints in Evansville.
In its mission statement, SPRED really lays out its hopes for those who gather – to form small faith communities, welcome persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and foster inclusion in assemblies of worship.
Those goals are accomplished by extending an invitation to the parish community. Individuals may be welcomed as a participant/friend (in age groups 6-10,11-16, 16-22 and 22+), or in a catechists role (chairperson, leader catechist, activity catechist, catechist helper).
Training is provided for each catechist role, as well as catechetical materials and outside resources for each group, for use during reflection weekends, ongoing formation. Parishes in close proximity often work together and host different age groupings at different parishes.
When I was a young adult, I participated as a catechist helper for many years in SPRED. I have witnessed the vibrant communities that come to be from this process, and how strangers quickly become family to one another – not just for a short period; but often throughout seasons of their lives. It is not only the friends that feel welcomed and embraced, but their families as well.
If you would like to learn more about SPRED please visit www.queenofangelsspred.org. I encourage you to listen to the stories of those who are part of SPRED at Queen of Angels Parish in Chicago, and what it means to them to be present in this community.
You may also contact the Office of Catechesis 812-424-5536, Ext. 218, if you have any questions. The Committee for Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities is currently compiling information about SPRED to be shared with all our parishes in the near future.