Open Hearts, Open Minds, Open Doors

Assisting congregations to welcome persons with disabilities

Published in the Catholic New World, September 15, 2002,

“Welcome to church,” says Nora Prindiville as she greets and shakes the hands of parishioners at mass. Prindiville is a participant in the First Sunday program, the new inclusion ministry at St. Paul of the Cross in Park Ridge.

On the first Sunday of every month four young adults with developmental disabilities have joined St. Paul’s hospitality ministry. Accompanied by an adult mentor from the parish, the young adults serve as greeters and presenters of the gifts.

“We offered these young adults an opportunity to serve the parish, an opportunity everyone should have,” said Karen Johnson, St. Paul’s inclusion representative.

St. Paul of the Cross parish is active in the Open Hearts, Open Minds, Open Doors project. Sponsored by Pathways Awareness Foundation in partnership with the Archdiocese of Chicago, the project promotes the inclusion of persons with disabilities in worship. In the Archdiocese, 115 parishes have designated a volunteer representative to make inclusion of persons with disabilities a priority. Many parishes have formed inclusion committees.

At St. Nicholas in Evanston, the inclusion committee is arranging an elevator in the social hall. “They say all are welcome to participate in church programs, but it’s hard when people are not able to get [there],” said David Gayes, who uses a wheelchair.

Gayes, 16, is active in the church youth choir and youth group. Many youth group activities are held in the social hall, which has not been accessible. “Inclusion is not about charity and it’s not about pity,” said Gayes. “Inclusion is doing whatever you can to allow people to share their gifts and talents. When people are excluded, the growth of the parish is reduced.”

St. Nicholas’s inclusion committee is planning a celebration for September 29, designated Inclusion Awareness Day by Cardinal George. The purpose is to celebrate how parishes include persons with disabilities.

On Inclusion Awareness Day at St. Nicholas last year, Gayes carried the cross in the opening procession at mass. St. Nicholas’s celebration also included a talk given by the parishes’ inclusion representative and a bulletin article about inclusion.

St. Paul of the Cross conducted a survey of inclusion needs at all of its Masses on Inclusion Awareness Day a few years ago. “It gave us a very good idea of where we needed to focus,” said Johnson, the inclusion representative.

For Johnson, making inclusion a priority strengthens faith communities. “The First Sunday program has been wonderful for our parish,” she said. “Everyone wants to be involved. It is just a wonderful situation because everyone benefits when all participate.”

Also on Sept. 29, St. Mary parish, Buffalo Grove, will dedicate the newly ramped east entrance to the church. Soon, all buildings on the parish campus will be accessible, said Father. Marc Reszel, pastor.