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Open Hearts, Open Minds, Open Doors
Inclusion in Worship
Intermediate Student Guide
LIFE EXPERIENCE
Jamie is 10 years old and has used a
wheelchair since she was a toddler. Her
family just moved here from another part
of the country where she attended a
school just for children with disabilities.
Now Jamie is in Blackwell School with
the other children in her neighborhood
and will be attending religious education
classes for the first time in her life.
Today is Jamie’s first day. Her mother
parks the van in the accessible space
near the church entrance. She wheels
Jamie down the ramp and out into the
parking lot. Jamie’s heart beats very fast
as she and her mother get to the
entrance of the school building where
the classes are held. Jamie remembers
when she was little and the other
children in her backyard wouldn’t let her
play in her own sandbox. She
remembers when she went back to her
locker last week and found taco sauce
poured all over her books.
She wants to make friends like everyone
else, but sometimes the other kids don’t
give her a chance. What will it be like in
religious education class? Jamie looks
up and sees a picture of Jesus laughing
and holding the children on his lap. She
hopes that she will find the welcoming
love of Jesus in her new class.
Imagine that you and your friends are
waiting in the classroom to meet Jamie.
-
How do you feel?
- What do you say to your friends
about Jamie’s coming?
- What questions do you ask your
catechist about Jamie and how
she will fit into your class?
FAITH AND SCRIPTURE
St. Paul tells us in his first letter to the
Corinthians, “There are different kinds of
spiritual gifts but the same spirit...one
and the same Spirit produces all of
these, distributing them individually to
each person as he wishes.” (1
Corinthians 12) In our classrooms, there
may be many children who are
“differently-abled.” Sometimes we can
feel uncomfortable with people who look
or act differently than we do. We are not
sure what to say, so we say nothing. We
do not know how to act, so we ignore
that other person.
Let’s look at what Jesus did. Jesus
spent a lot of time with people who were
different and not included in society.
Jesus saw the strength and goodness –
the power of the Spirit and the
remarkable gifts and talents – in each
person. He saw others for what they
could do – not what they could not do.
Jesus refused to focus on differences in
walk, in speech, in sight, or in behavior.
Also, Jesus knew that people who have
unusual physical or mental challenges
can teach us about the power of the
Spirit within each of us.
METHODS OF INCLUSION
We can welcome children who have
disabilities in many ways:
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by smiling and talking normally to
them when we meet them
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by sitting down to be on their eye
level if they use a wheelchair
-
by learning American Sign
Language
-
by making sure that people who
use wheelchairs can get to and
from the classroom without
difficulty
-
by being patient and firm, yet kind
with those who find it hard to stay
in their seats and who distract
others during class
-
by using “people-first” language**
Each of us is a unique creation of God,
a blessed and holy person who is part of
one body with its community of
members. Remember the beautiful
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