Focus on Those with Disabilities: U.S. Bishops Speak

Adaptive Finding God Concept Stories

At the most recent plenary meeting of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops in Orlando, FL, the bishops approved the drafting of a new pastoral statement to address the role of persons with disabilities in the life of the Church. The U.S. bishops’ last pastoral statement on persons with disabilities was published in 1978, so this is a great opportunity to refocus attention on our brothers and sisters with disabilities and to incorporate current language and knowledge related to those with disabilities.

At Loyola Press, our commitment to serving those with disabilities is unwavering, as we are committed to helping parishes and especially catechists serve families of children with special needs. Over the years and with the guidance of faith formation professionals, experts in effective learning methods for children with cognitive and other disabilities, and families, we have developed innovative and award-winning tools to serve those with adaptive learning needs. Check these out:

We look forward to the vision that the U.S. bishops will share in their upcoming pastoral statement. Let us all remain committed to this vision put forward in the National Directory for Catechesis: “All baptized persons with disabilities have a right to adequate catechesis and deserve the means to develop a relationship with God.”

About Joe Paprocki 2742 Articles
Joe Paprocki, DMin, is National Consultant for Faith Formation at Loyola Press, where, in addition to his traveling/speaking responsibilities, he works on the development team for faith formation curriculum resources including Finding God: Our Response to God’s Gifts and God’s Gift: Reconciliation and Eucharist. Joe has more than 35 years of experience in ministry and has presented keynotes, presentations, and workshops in more than 100 dioceses in North America. Joe is a frequent presenter at national conferences including the Los Angeles Religious Education Congress, the Mid-Atlantic Congress, and the National Conference for Catechetical Leadership. He is the author of numerous books, including the best seller The Catechist’s Toolbox, A Church on the Move, Under the Influence of Jesus, and Called to Be Catholic—a bilingual, foundational supplemental program that helps young people know their faith and grow in their relationship with God. Joe is also the series editor for the Effective Catechetical Leader and blogs about his experiences in faith formation at www.catechistsjourney.com.

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