Pastoral Care for Persons with Disabilities

Parish Contact Program | Parish-Cluster Contact Activities | Sign Language Interpreters
Event Flyers-Resources | Deaf Apostolate | Staff

Event Flyers - Resources

PCPD Spring Workshop / Flyer and Online Registration - Saturday, February 20, 2010
Click here for Directions.
PCPD Mass for Persons with Disabilities/ Flyer and Online RSVP - Sunday, March 21, 2010
PCPD Parish Contact Program Appointment Form
Parish Suggestions - Supporting Families with Children with Disabilities
Support for Families Expecting Children with Disabilities
Monthly Prayer of the Faithful Suggestions

Resources for Inclusive Parish Religious Education Program (PREP)

Statement of Purpose
"Now you together are Christ's Body; but each of you is a different part of it." I Corinthians 12:27

The Department for Pastoral Care for Persons with Disabilities was established in 1991 and strives to proclaim the Gospel to all people through witness and proclamation to foster the full inclusion of people of all abilities into the life of the Church in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. The Department serves as a pastoral resource for parishes, institutions, families and individuals in providing access and welcome to persons with disabilities
In November of 1978, the National Conference of Catholic Bishops through their Pastoral Statement on Persons with Disabilities called for a broader integration of persons with disabilities into the full life of the church, through increased evangelization, catechesis and by participation in the Church's sacramental life. The bishops reaffirmed this call to active and integrated participation in 1995 with the passage of the Guidelines for the Celebration of the Sacraments with Persons with Disabilities and in 1998 with the Statement, Welcome and Justice for Persons with Disabilities. These documents along with the National Directory for Catechesis give clarity to the Department's efforts to assist parishes in their efforts to be inclusive of persons with disabilities and their families in providing evangelization, catechetical formation and sacramental access.
Liturgical Support: Assistance is provided in planning and implementing liturgical celebrations, which include the participation of persons with disabilities. Closed captioning for the Archdiocesan Sunday Mass ( WPVI-ABC6 5:30 am Sunday ).

Awareness/Sensitivity: Experiential and attitudinal aspects of disabilities can be explored within schools or for Parish staff/parishioners. Workshops including topics such as: Disability Etiquette and Hospitality; Making Meetings and Programs Accessible; Inclusion: A Gospel Perspective on issues related to accommodation.

Spirituality: Days of prayer and reflection offered in parishes and institutions on: Living with a disability; Praying with a disability; Saints who had a disability; other topics available on request.

Support Services: Plan retreats; Pastoral outreach; Advocacy; Accessibility reviews; Information/referral; Assistance to the Office of Catechetical Formation and parish religious education programs.

PCPD welcomes financial contributions to support the following initiatives: Spiritual Development Fund- financial aid for an individual to attend or an organization to provide retreats, days of prayer and activities that feed the soul and strengthen the spirit. With God all things are possible. For information and applications call V:215 587-3830/TDD: 215 587-0510.

TV Mass- Closed Captioning- funds are needed to cover the cost of captioning for the Archdiocesan Sunday Mass (WPVI-ABC6 5:30am Sunday)

Equipment Available for Loan: Portable Ramp; Assistive Listening System (FM System with Neck Loops and Headsets). ; Pockettalker Personal Amplifier; Speak N Hear Voice Amplification System. Also, purchasing Information is available for a wide range of support equipment.

Volunteer Opportunities:

Office Support
Disabilities Mass Volunteer
Disability Awareness Presenter
Sighted Guides
Reader for the Blind
Parish Contact Program
Religious Education Catechist for Deaf Children
PCPD Advisory Board

Videos / DVD Available for Loan: For a complete list of the titles and topics, call: 215-587-3530

Jean Vanier: Images of Love, Words of Hope
The Inclusive Catholic Church
Scripture Based Inclusion
Faith and Light - faith communities for people with mental retardation, family members and non-disabled assistants.
Welcome One, Welcome All - Teaching the Gospel Around Children with Differences
We Are One Flock - 1978 Bishop's Pastoral
Ramp of Hope: Disabilities Awareness
Nickelodeon: Everyone Counts Grades 4-6
Nickelodeon: Everyone Counts Grades K-1
Ten Commandments of Communication with People with Disabilities
Open Hearts, Open Minds, Open Doors
Creating Caring Congregrations - Mental Health Ministries

PCPD Parish Contact Program

In 1999 the Respect Life Office, Department for Pastoral Care for Persons with Disabilities (PCPD) initiated the Parish Contact Program. Currently over 110 Parish Contacts act on behalf of persons with disabilities to assist the pastor in his role of inviting people to full membership and to share fully in the life of the Parish. Each contact is appointed by the Pastor to serve as a liaison between persons with disabilities and their parish and between the parish and the Archdiocesan Department for Pastoral Care for Persons with Disabilities. Contacts are volunteers who meet two times a year for on-going education and support.

Did you know: More than half of people 65+ years report having at least one disability; one in 12 children are diagnosed with a physical or mental disability; and five million adults in America have some form of mental illness in any given year. Surveys indicate that there are 14 million of our Catholic brothers and sisters that live with a disability.
Contact responsibilities include: assisting the pastor in his ministry with persons with disabilities and their families; identifying persons with disabilities in the parish; sensitizing the parish to the needs and gifts of persons with disabilities; welcoming and making recommendations for accommodating persons with disabilities into parish programs; attend two meetings a year.

The Department provides Parish Contacts with: support; resources; and trainings through Parish Contact Meetings held at accessible locations throughout the Archdiocese.

If your parish does not have a parish contact or would like to appoint a new contact, please complete and return the attached form. If you have any questions or need additional information, please contact Sr. Kathleen Schipani, IHM or Ms. Janell Lavender @ 215-587-3530 or e-mail PCPDDEAF@adphila.org.

PCPD - SUGGESTED PARISH/CLUSTER CONTACT ACTIVITIES
The Parish Contact will need approval by their pastor before initiating any activities for their parish.

Organize a Disability Awareness Mass. For PCPD - Prayer of the Faithful,

Identify and invite persons with disabilities to participate in roles of ministry such as ushers, lectors and Eucharistic Ministers.

Provide or help arrange transportation to Mass for persons with disabilities.

Invite members of community homes or people in nearby institutions to your parish for Mass followed by a reception with light refreshments.

Assess the pastoral needs of parishioners with disabilities and their families through surveys, interviews or other methods.

Display literature regarding issues of disabilities and mental illness at the entrance of your parish/church.

Provide bulletin announcements which present disability and mental illness facts and USCCB statements regarding disabilities.

Distribute parish bulletins to families and individuals unable to attend Mass.

Invite someone with a disability to speak about his/her experiences.

Ask clergy to include the concerns of persons with disabilities in their homilies.

Discuss or present the connection between disability and life issues such as abortion, euthanasia and stem-cell research.

Assess parish accessibility.

Encourage parish organizations to financially support improving building, liturgy, and program accessibility.

Assist parishes in accommodating people through the use of large print or brailled material, assistive listening devices and other equipment.

Be a resource to other parish committees or groups to make parish meetings, events and programs accessible.

Recruit and coordinate volunteers that include persons with disabilities.

Borrow a video from the Department for Pastoral Care for Persons with Disabilities for use at a parish,school or religious education function

Maintain contact with the Archdiocesan Department for Pastoral Care for Persons with Disabilities and attend PCPD contact meetings.

Familiarize yourself, parish staff and pastoral council with church documents and Bishop's Statements regarding disabilities.

Organize an essay contest with parish school/religious education program relating to issues of disability. Sponsor a display at parish event.

Be an advocate for inclusive education at your parish.

Be a resource to priest, deacon or Pre-Jordan team in providing support to new parents of a child with a disability.

Have a movie night that would stimulate discussion on living with a disability using a current movie or documentaries with a disability theme. Suggest books that would stimulate discussion on living with a disability, for adults suggestions would be: No Pity by Joe Shapiro, FDR's Splendid Deception and By Trust Betrayed by Hugh Gallagher, From Welfare to Civil Rights by Richard Scotch, Rehabilitating America by Frank Bowe. For Children: Andy and His Yellow Frisbee by M. Thompson, What's Wrong with Timmy by Maria Shriver, and other current works.

Assist parents of children with disabilities to form a support group or faith sharing group and collaborate with parish faith formation programs to assist with the integration of persons with disabilities in P.R.E.P., R.C.I.A. and other parish programs.

Be present and provide information regarding disabilities at parish programs and ministry fairs.

Advocate on the local and national level.

GUIDE FOR WORKING WITH SIGN LANGUAGE INTERPRETERS
IN CATHOLIC RELIGIOUS SETTINGS

What is an Interpreter?
A professional sign language interpreter translates between spoken language (such as English or Spanish) and a form of manual communication (sign language). The interpreter facilitates communication so that the parties involved have equal access to information. The interpreter is not involved in the discussion or given any other tasks. Interpreters are not coordinators of ministry for the Deaf and should not be asked to make decisions on behalf of individuals who are deaf.

When is an Interpreter Needed?
Catholic churches and organizations are given direction by the Pastoral Statement of the U.S. Catholic Bishops on People with Disabilities (November 1978, revised 1989).

It is essential that all forms of the liturgy be completely accessible to people with disabilities, since this is the essence of the spiritual tie that binds the Christian Community together. ...Realistic provisions must be made for persons with disabilities to participate fully in the Eucharist and other liturgical celebrations...Celebrating liturgies simultaneously in sign language enables the deaf person to enter more deeply into their spirit and meaning (Par. 23).

A deaf/hard of hearing person should be offered the opportunity to have the following interpreted:

Sacraments / Liturgical Celebrations

Retreats / Religious events

Sacramental Preparation Meetings

Religious Education / RCIA

Parent-Teacher Meetings

Pastoral Counseling Meetings

Funeral Rites

Why should an interpreter be provided?
In accord with canon 777, n.4, pastors are responsible to be as inclusive as possible in providing evangelization, catechetical formation, and sacramental preparation for parishioners with disabilities (Guidelines for the Celebration of the Sacraments with Persons with Disabilities, June 1995).

The U.S. Catholic Bishops remind us that the parish is the center of the Christian experience; therefore, pastoral minsters should make every effort to fully include parishioners with disabilities. For people who are deaf to be fully included they need access to programs and liturgies in sign language or interpreted into sign language.

How Do I Contact an Interpreter?

The Archdiocesan Department for Pastoral Care for Persons with Disabilities (PCPD) works with area interpreters who are skilled in religious setting interpreting. Individual parishes can utilize their services by calling the PCPD 215-587-3530. Parishes are asked to assume responsibility for paying the interpreter or make a contribution to the Deaf Apostolate Fund from which interpreters fees are paid.

Parishes can contact the Deaf-Hearing Communication Center (DHCC), Interpreter Referral Division, 610-604-0450 or the Communication Connection, 610-272-4948

Local professional Sign Language interpreters may be contacted personally. To expect parents, relatives or friends of the deaf to serve as their interpreters is usually not appropriate.

What other Resources are Available?

The National Catholic Office for the Deaf (NCOD) has a written policy for working with Sign Language Interpreters in Catholic Religious Settings. Contact the Department for Pastoral Care for Persons with Disabilities for a copy of this 8 page booklet or contact NCOD directly 301-577-1684

DHCC has a one page guide to working with Sign Language Interpreters.

The staff of the Archdiocesan PCPD and the Deaf Apostolate can assist you in meeting the needs of parish members who are deaf.

Resource Links:

National Catholic Partnership on Disability (formerly Nat'l Catholic Office for Persons with Disabilities)
US Catholic Bishops Disabilities
National Apostolate for Inclusion Ministry
Congregational Resource Guide-Disabilities
Philadelphia Disability Resources
Handicap Encounter Christ
OYYA (Office for Youth and Young Adults)
Mental Retardation Services of C.S.S.
Community Outreach Program of CSS
Mayor's Commission on People with Disabilities
Liberty Resources
National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI)
Pathways to Promise: Ministry and Mental Illness
Vision for Equality