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Our Lady of Perpetual Help
Our Lady of Perpetual Help parish celebrated Inclusion Awareness Day 2007 with a
special Inclusion Awareness Day Mass at 9:30 a.m. Young people with disabilities
served as ushers/greeters, lectors, gift bearers and read petitions at the
Prayers of the Faithful. Mentors trained the young people for their roles and assisted
as needed on the day of the event. A reception after the Inclusion Awareness Day mass was sponsored by the Knights of
Columbus.
Our Lady of Perpetual Help has participated in the Pathways Awareness Open Hearts program since 1997. Pathways Awareness presented an informational session for the parish pastoral council and under the vigilance of the parish nurse long range plans were made to improve accessibility at the church. The parish has remodeled washrooms for access, built an interior marble ramp to the altar and created a section for parishioners who use wheelchairs or walkers to sit.
Special care is taken at every liturgy to see that parishioners who are unable to come to the altar to receive the Eucharist are brought the Eucharist at their place. Assistive listening devices are supplied to parishioners who need them.
The parish submitted a nomination for an Open Hearts Award to Pathways Awareness and received a $1,000 grant in 2008 to continue their access and inclusion efforts.
Two Pathways Awareness volunteer parish inclusion representatives coordinate the annual Inclusion Awareness Day events. The parish hosted a regional meeting of Pathways Awareness parish Inclusion Reps in 2007.
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