Creating Access and Inclusion in Worship

TALKING POINTS FOR INCLUSION REPRESENTATIVES

Parish Inclusion Representatives can use the following talking points to speak about the Open Hearts, Open Minds, Open Doors program on Inclusion Awareness Day. These points can be modified for presentations of the Open Hearts, Open Minds, Open Doors video to the parish council, parish staff or other parish groups.

• Today is Inclusion Sunday. Throughout the Archdiocese of Chicago, parishes are celebrating the many ways they welcome parishioners of all abilities every day of the year.



• Inclusion is offering the same respect and opportunity to participate to all people.



• An inclusive parish offers the same opportunity to worship, minister and study to all parishioners regardless of physical and mental abilities.



• Cardinal Joseph Bernardin began the effort to include parishioners with disabilities into all aspects of parish life in 1996 when he called a conference on inclusion. He asked Pathways Awareness Foundation to partner with the archdiocese on this movement.



• The Open Hearts, Open Minds, Open Doors video was produced to help parishes identify the needs of their own congregations and to develop short and long term plans for inclusion.



• Cardinal Francis George has continued this effort and has asked each parish to appoint an Inclusion Representative to coordinate inclusion efforts on the parish level.



• My name is ________________. I have volunteered to act as Inclusion Representative for our parish. (Outline your plans for this ministry. This may include: the formation of an Open Hearts, Open Minds, Open Doors Committee, surveying the needs of the parish, providing accommodations so that parishioners with disabilities can serve in liturgical ministries, etc.)



• Today we would like to celebrate all that our parish does to welcome parishioners of all abilities into active membership every day of the year. (Acknowledge parish accomplishments and/or accommodations provided now.)



• Please contact me if I can be of service to you and your family. Thank you.