The Catholic Herald
Aug 13, 2024
From its inception in 1974 to the present time, the Arlington diocese has been at the forefront of welcoming people with disabilities into parish faith communities by educating them in the Catholic faith, encouraging reception of the sacraments and providing a multitude of services including residential homes.
This movement was initially inspired by parents of children with disabilities. The first such program began in 1967 at St. Louis Parish in Alexandria. Following their lead, St. John Parish in McLean developed a “model parish community ministry to the handicapped” in 1971 in cooperation with surrounding Catholic and Protestant faith communities.
The growing effort to expand religious services to people with disabilities in Northern Virginia was spearheaded by Frances Campbell when her son with disabilities was unable to participate in typical religious education classes in the early 1970s.
Written by Nancy Emanuel, diocesan coordinator for Special Needs Ministries.
Her efforts as well as her devotion and dedication led to her appointment in 1977 as volunteer coordinator of special religious education in the diocese. Campbell served as a consultant to not only the diocese but to the Advisory Committee on Ministry to the Handicapped Individuals for the U.S. bishops. In 1978, she was invited by President Jimmy Carter to attend a meeting of the president’s Committee on Employment of the Handicapped.
The Arlington diocese quickly became the nationally respected leader in the movement to include people with disabilities in religious education and parish life. Several diocesan priests and women religious as well as Bishop Thomas J. Welsh joined in the movement to include people with disabilities in religious education and in the life of the expanding diocese. “God loves the physically and mentally handicapped as he loves all the other members of his human family,” said Campbell in 1977. Her groundbreaking work and visibility led to the continued growth of programs, opportunities and services for people with disabilities in the diocese.
Special Religious Development, known as SPRED, was developed in the 1960s by the Archdiocese of Chicago for people with significant disabilities unable to participate in traditional religious education programs. Finding this to be a match for the needs of parishioners and families, the SPRED program was embraced and adopted by the Arlington diocese in 1981. This led to the formation of the St. John Center for SPRED at St. John Parish in McLean, which served as a regional program for developmentally disabled persons from four parishes — St. John, St. Luke, St. James and St. Catherine of Siena.
Over the past 50 years, awareness about the value and importance of including people with disabilities in parish life and religious education has grown exponentially. Under the direction of Bishop Michael F. Burbidge, 14 parishes throughout the Arlington diocese now provide SPRED instruction for people with disabilities, from 6 years of age until adulthood. Currently, guided and inclusive religious education programs including SPRED can be found in the 70 parishes of the diocese.
The diocese firmly believes that Catholics with disabilities should participate in the sacraments as full members of parish communities. A full-time professional staff member serves as the coordinator for special needs ministries and provides guidance and training for the SPRED program in addition to educating directors of religious education, volunteers and families. More than 100 people with significant disabilities now participate in the SPRED program and countless people receive guidance and support through this ministry. Bishop Burbidge, selected as episcopal moderator of the National Catholic Partnership on Disability for his devotion to people with disabilities, prioritizes including children and adults with special needs in all diocesan programs.
Financial support is provided through the generosity of the Bishop’s Lenten Appeal and fraternal organizations. The Knights of Columbus have long supported people with disabilities through their fundraising. The Knights sponsor and support six group homes in the diocese for adults with disabilities and also provide family support. Diocesan Catholic Charities funds two group homes for families in need and offers counseling services, food and financial support.
Porto Charities, a nonprofit organization dedicated to assisting persons with disabilities, was started in March 2009 by members of the International Order of Alhambra, a fraternal organization of Catholic men and women. Their mission has been to raise funds to provide grants to schools and organizations in Northern Virginia serving children and young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. In its first decade, Porto Charities awarded $1 million in grants. In September 2020, Porto Charities recrafted its mission to include advocacy programs and other initiatives to increase educational and employment opportunities for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities in the diocese.
People with disabilities are now employed at diocesan schools, parishes and offices at the chancery. Training programs throughout the diocese have made it possible for people with disabilities to become altar servers, lectors, greeters, assistant ushers and other highly visible parish community participants.
Four Catholic high schools in the diocese provide the Options program for students diagnosed with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The program began more than 25 years ago with the goal of providing individualized and inclusive, student-centered Catholic education in small classes. Classes help students work on individual goals and develop skills needed to transition into adulthood and the workplace. Peer mentors help students with their coursework, serve as advocates and facilitate inclusion in academic and nonacademic settings. Many diocesan elementary schools also welcome children with intellectual and developmental disabilities into their programs. The Arlington diocese supports, encourages, and rejoices in the belief that all people are made in the image and likeness of God and are equal in the sight of God.