Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame.’ ‘Sir,’ the servant said, ‘what you ordered has been done, but there is still room.’ Luke 5: 22
Welcome! You can call me Junes...I’m Autistic and Catholic! I want to share my faith and village with you!
Mirabel Madrigal does not have a visible disability but many people with disabilities may relate to her in some ways. [...] The Madrigal family initially characterizes Mirabel as “unexceptional,” and “not special.” [...] people with disabilities are often characterized in opposite terminology, being referred to as “special” or “exceptional.” However, the premise of the distinction is similar
One of the reasons I am especially grateful to writers and producers of The Chosen series is for their faithful portrayals of various Bible characters with different disabilities throughout the series, and for their insight into how some of Jesus’ disciples might have very well been people with disabilities. In so doing they show that people with disabilities do not need to be cured in order to follow Jesus or to serve him well.
In this third video from David Fitch, he talks about the different ways of engaging with people in three 'circles' of interaction with one's faith community, one's home or small group, and in one's neighbourhood or community. Practicing faithful presence with one another means being present in all three circles.
“People with various disabilities are those who are immensely gifted, obviously, to see things and do things that maybe I can’t see. But the bottom line is that I am able to see God’s presence at work in them… and then they’re able to engage me and a space is opened up, a very unique space. And this is the way that God has created the world, for us to be in these social spaces of transformation.”
We must "help [faith communities] understand that we are focusing on participation, inclusion, and belonging as a way to empower, not pity. That we want people to develop roles that make them important and valuable to communities. So we're looking for connections, not avoidance, for support, not stigma"
For many families who experience disabilities, getting away for rest and relaxation might seem like an inconceivable goal - especially if parents are hoping to take a break without the kids. At the Inclusion Fusion Live! conference in Cleveland this spring, Jonathan McGuire from Hope Anew shared 5 simple ways to take "Five-minute vacations" to help refresh your care.
Earlier this week, an excellent video on "Disability in Heaven" was shared by the Center for Philosophy of Religion at the University of Notre Dame. You will find the video posted below. In it, philosopher and author Kevin Timpe wrestles through some of the questions around whether people will carry their disabilities into heaven. A range of [...]
I share my story, not because I need to be heard, but because people still haven’t noticed how hard it is for some bodies to be in a church building, or participate in corporate worship services or activities.
