Open Hearts, Open Minds, Open Doors

Assisting congregations to welcome persons with disabilities

Evanston Review

October 9, 2003

Laura Mallor

Staff Intern

Special Mass raises awareness of the need 

for inclusion

After he read passages from the Bible during Sunday's worship services at St. Athanasius Roman Catholic Church, parishioners told Leo Kirwan that he had done a good job.

I got a lot of compliments because I spoke clearly," said Kirwan, who will turn 45 this month.

But it wasn't just a church service Kirwan took part in.  Instead, it was a service in honor of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago's Inclusion Awareness Day.

The goal was to bring people of all different disabilities into the worship service," said Kirwan, who broke his neck and back in a 1995 car accident.  The church asked individuals in wheelchairs - including myself - to participate in the service."

The popularity of such inclusion efforts has changed the movement to an interfaith initiative.  Many other denominations have since begun their own inclusion programs.

This year was the first official inclusion service at St. Athanasius.  The church had 12 people with disabilities take part.

It was the first time the people in wheelchairs participated in the liturgy," said Razia Khokhar, a pastor associate.  It was very moving."

It was a God moment.  I call those God moments. When every person is recognized for whom they are."

Khokhar's involvement with Over the Rainbow, an Evanston not-for-profit organization that builds houses for people with disabilities, helped her meet Kirwan and other individuals interested in inclusion services. 

Kirwan, director of operations for Over the Rainbow, said having people with disabilities participate in public activities, like worship services, can have a huge impact.

There are people with less obvious disabilities that may receive the courage from seeing people with more obvious disabilities participate," he said.  There are a lot of disabilities you can't see, both mental and physical."

The inclusion services also can help people without disabilities, Khokhar said.

It's important to make people aware of the little things they take for granted," she said.  It was important to raise the awareness."

Khokhar's ultimate goal is to make people with disabilities feel at home in the parish.

That has already happened for Kirwan.  While the general public sometimes still treats him differently than everyone else, he said the parishioners are much more at ease with him and his disability.

I've grown so used to ignoring it that I don't even notice it anymore.  From children it's curiosity, from adults it's a 'don't stare' kind of attitude," he said.  [The church] is a much more welcoming community.  People come up and initiate conversation."

And for Khokhar, that's a huge accomplishment.

Our desire is to make it normal, so that they feel welcome at the usual masses," she said, so the community is more aware of them, and they feel more accepted."