Since Pope Francis launched a worldwide consultative effort this past fall in preparation for the Synod of Bishops in 2023, the insights of Catholics from different ages, backgrounds, circumstances and locations were sought on a grassroots level through parish listening sessions and online surveys to be compiled into diocesan and then national reports.
At St. Aloysius Parish in Leonardtown, Maryland, the parish listening sessions included an Adapted Synod Listening Session on Feb. 9, 2022 for a parish group of young adults with disabilities called Friends of Faith, joined by their family members.
“The Adapted Synod Listening Session gave our people an opportunity to authentically express their heartfelt love of God,” said Liz Tomaszeski, a special needs catechist at St. Aloysius Parish who helped lead that listening session.
Tomaszeski was among about 50 people from 14 Southern Maryland parishes who participated in a Regional Synod Session on March 26 at Our Lady Help of Christians Parish in Waldorf, where they shared their experiences with their parish listening sessions.
The Adapted Synod Listening Session at St. Aloysius Parish used resources provided by the Office of Deaf and Disabilities Ministries of The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington, with materials for the Synod specifically adapted for people living with intellectual disabilities.
In an email interview with the Catholic Standard’s editor, Mark Zimmermann, after the Southern Maryland Regional Synod Session, Tomaszeski described the Friends of Faith group, and the insights that they and their family members offered at their parish listening session.
“Friends of Faith is a faith and fellowship small group whose members are young adults with disabilities. We meet regularly on Wednesdays in the St. Aloysius Parish Hall in Leonardtown,” she said, adding, “Our goal is full inclusion in parish life.”
Faith formation materials are adapted according to participants’ strengths, interests and gifts. At St. Aloysius, members of the Friends of Faith group volunteer as greeters for people arriving at Mass, and as altar servers, gift bearers, lectors and choir members, and some volunteer with the parish’s food bank and help decorate the church.
Tomaszeski said the Friends of Faith members at their listening session “expressed the joy that accompanies full inclusion when they remembered a variety of parish events such as the Special Needs Mass or the Friends of the Poor Walk.” They told how they enjoyed being greeted warmly at church by their pastor and other parishioners, and how they look forward to their weekly fellowship meeting. Speaking about the Eucharist, one participant noted, “Church makes me feel good to receive Jesus.”
The special needs catechist said she felt that “the most compelling moment of the discussion occurred when the mothers shared their hearts and their stories. All had known rejection, being treated unkindly or not being welcomed at church because of their child’s disability. Thankfully, they persevered and found a home church.”
The insights of those mothers could help improve parishes, Tomaszeski said.
“Parishes are inconsistent in how they include Catholics with disabilities,” she said. “Some Catholics have turned away from the Church due to being treated unkindly. There is a great need to educate all parishioners. Priests, as well as lay ministers, must receive regular training on the rights and needs of our special needs members.”
Tomaszeski added, “It is important that the needs of persons with disabilities be met personally. Parents need more information on how to best advocate for their child. Families need opportunities to visit, tour the Church and make a plan to help them adapt and be welcomed in their parish.”
She noted how in the St. Aloysius Parish bulletin now offers a regular “Did you know?” segment with links to information and resources on a variety of conditions such as Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and mental illness, and stories about saints with disabilities.
When asked what she hopes the impact of the Synod process will be, the special needs catechist said, “I hope that by listening to one another, we can hear God’s voice.”
Concluding the email interview, Tomaszeski said, “Whenever Jesus healed someone who had a disability, he was very personal. He healed each one differently. He wants us to encounter one another in that valued and personal way that will lead them to Him.”
