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Mission Statement
The Office for Ministry with Persons with Disabilities, Catholic Life & Evangelization, Diocese of Allentown, is committed to facilitate the implementation of the Pastoral Statement of U.S. Catholic Bishops on People with Disabilities which calls for "realizing the unique gifts individuals with disabilities have to offer the Church" and Society and to advocate for the inclusion of persons with disabilities in the full participation of the liturgical and sacramental life of the church.

Programs
As many as 20 out of 100 people in the US have a disability. The Diocese of Allentown has 275,000 registered Catholics. From an extrapolation of the national figure, approximately 55,000 residents have some type of disabling condition including mobility impairments, blind or vision impairments, deaf or hard of hearing, intellectual disabilities, learning disabilities or mental illness. The Office for Ministry with Persons with Disabilities meets the needs of these individuals with the Parish Advocacy Program and also has two other programs to address other specific needs.

• Parish Advocacy
  Pastors of each parish within the diocese are asked to name an advocate for persons with disabilities. These advocates serve as liaisons between persons with disabilities, their parish and Catholic Life & Evangelization. Currently sixty-six parishes and over 77 volunteer advocates help promote the active involvement of persons with disabilities in the life of the parish.
  
  
• Deaf Apostolate
  Interpreted Masses for the Deaf are offered in Berks County and the Lehigh Valley on a weekly and bi-weekly basis respectively. Some diocesan liturgies and events are also interpreted. Sacramental preparation is available as needed.
  
  
• Services for Adults with Developmental Disabilities
  Services are offered on an annual basis. They include retreats and overnight trips.

Go Make A Difference Slide Show: Click Here

PARISH ADVOCACY

WHAT IS AN ADVOCATE?

• A Parish Advocate is someone who acts on behalf of persons with
  disabilities to ensure that all are invited to share in the life of their
  parish.
  
• The Advocate follows the example of Christ the Good Shepherd and
  seeks out parishioners who have disabilities to determine their
  physical and spiritual needs.
  
• The Parish Advocate is invited to accept this responsibility by the
  pastor of the parish.
  

WHAT IS A DISABILITY?

• A disability is defined as difficulty seeing or hearing, moving the body, or understanding everything quickly.
  
• It is a physical or mental impairment, which limits one or more of a
  person's life activities.
  
• It can be from birth; it can come with age. Approximately one out of
  five people lives with some type of disability.

WHAT ARE THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF AN ADVOCATE?

• Work with the pastor to welcome and include persons with
  disabilities into the parish.
  
• Identify and make contact with persons in the parish that have
  disabilities.
  
• Sensitize parishioners to the needs and gifts of persons with
  disabilities.
  
• Welcome persons with disabilities and their families into parish life
  and parish programs.
  
• Work to eliminate physical and attitudinal barriers in the parish.
  
• Be a liaison to the Office for Ministry with Persons with Disabilities
  for referral purposes.

HISTORY & PURPOSE

• The Parish Advocacy Program resulted from the 1978 National
  Conference of Catholic Bishops.
  
• In their Pastoral Statement, the Bishops recognized that "it is not
  merely enough to affirm the rights of people with disabilities. The
  Church must become an advocate for and with" people with
  disabilities and "it must work to increase the public's sensitivity
  toward (their) needs and support their rightful demand for justice."

SUPPORT FOR THE ADVOCATE

• The Office for Ministry with Persons with Disabilities provides
  materials and support on a continuing basis toward the fulfillment
  of the parish advocates responsibilities. Materials include
  information on disabilities, strategies for identification and
  inclusion, and ways to make parishes accessible.
  
• A resource library is available containing books, videos and DVD's
  on topics including Disability Awareness, Liturgical and
  Sacramental Resources, Sign Language, Teacher/Parent Resources
  and Specific Syndromes.
  
• Training is provided at an annual Diocesan Parish Advocacy
  Conference.

ACCESSIBILITY SYMBOLS

• The symbols below may be used to promote or solicit needs of
  accessibility of places, programs and other activities for persons with
  disabilities.

 Indicates accessible facilities, paths, rest rooms and parking areas for people with limited mobility.

 Indicates enhanced hearing devices or technology are provided.

 Signifies print in 18 point or larger.

 Indicates sign language is provided.

 Indicates print materials available in Braille upon request.

CATECHETICAL RESOURCES FOR CHILDREN/YOUTH WITH DISABILITIES
Options:

Resources:

RESOURCE LIST OF AGENCIES/PROVIDERS/VENDORS

CATHOLIC CURRICULUM AND RESOURCES

Kennedy Curriculum:  The Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Program to Improve Catholic Religious Education for Children and Adults with Intellectual Disabilities. 1-877-275-4725.

• Student Activity Books are also available at different levels

STARSS:  Symbols Teach And Reveal Sacred In Secular.  A Creative Symbols Workbook of the Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Program.  Call Office for Ministry with Persons with Disabilities for information 610-289-8900 X 245.

Mass a Guide for Visual Learners:  A booklet that goes through the Mass especially designed for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder or children who are visual learners.  Faith Publishing Service, Lansing MI, 48906, 517-853-7600 or www.faithmag.com

This Is My Church:  A power point template of a church tour that you may inset digital photos of your own church to share with your child(ren) to become familiar with it.  Contact:  Department for Pastoral Ministry with Person with Disabilities, Archdiocese of Newark.  973-497-4309 or masteran@rcan.org

Welcome One, Welcome All:  Inclusive Religious Education Resource Binder,
Network of Inclusive Catholic Educators (NICE), University of Dayton, Ohio
1-888-532-3389 or www.udayton.edu/~ipi/nice

Textbooks that can be used as supplemental materials:  Network of Inclusive Catholic Educators (NICE), University of Dayton, Ohio, 1-888-532-3389 or www.udayton.edu/~ipi/nice

• Apostles Creed
• Who Is Mary
• The Sacraments
• Bible Stories
• The Beatitudes
• The Saints
• New Life
• Prayer
• Blessings
• The Rosary
• The Sacraments

This Is My Church:  A Power Point program especially helpful for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and/or Intellectual Disabilities in which you may individualize and print your book by following the picture reference included to add digital photos of your church that can be used for instruction on the physical environment of the church. Contact:  Office for Ministry with Persons with Disabilities, Diocese of Allentown, PA, 610-289-8900 x 245 or jjohnson@allentowndiocese.org

Going To Mass: A Power Point program especially helpful for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and/or Intellectual Disabilities in which you may individualize and print your book by following the picture reference included to add digital photos of your parish church, priests and parts of the liturgy which can be used for instruction. 
Contact:  Office for Ministry with Persons with Disabilities, Diocese of Allentown,
PA, 610289-8900 x 245 or jjohnson@allentowndiocese.org.

The Child With Autism Learns the Faith:  Bible Lessons From the Garden of  Eden to the Parting of the Red Sea by Kathy Labosh.  Labosh Publishing:  East Petersburg PA, www.laboshpublishing.com.

The Catholic Vision of Love for Students with Special needs:  Guidelines for Christian Education in Sexuality and the Family, Diocese of Pittsburgh, Secretariat for Education.

Catechesis for All Children by Dr. Joseph White and Ana Arista White, Our Sunday Visitor Publishing, 2002.  Offers insights and methods for accommodating unique emotional and behavioral needs in the classroom.  Available from Our Sunday Visitor, 1-800-348-2440 or www.osv.com.

Awakening Spiritual Dimensions:  Prayer Services with Persons with Severe disabilities by Fr. William Gillum, OFM Cap.  Available from: Author House, 1663 Liberty Drive, Suite 200, Bloomington IN 47043, 1-800-839-8640 or www.AuthorHouse.com. Or book order hotline 888-280-7715, bkorders@authorhouse.com.

disAbility Awareness:  Activities for Children, Teens and Families by Joann E. Davis.  The book offers children at home or in a classroom setting an Understanding of what persons with disabilities go through everyday.  Over 50 pages of mazes, puzzles, coloring sheets, beatitudes of acceptance, Saints with disabilities, Braille, signing pages, and more.  Joannedavis22@hotmail.com or 1-517-787-1189.

Picture Books published by Diocese of Pittsburgh and distributed by RCL-Benziger:  www.rcbenziger.com or 1-877-275-4725.

• My Church:  A young girl shares her Catholic Deaf Community
• Created in God’s Image:  A Photo-essay on Faith, Family, and Friendship
• Seeing Through God’s Eyes
• Just Like Me
• We Go To Mass (geared for children with autism).
• One Flock, One Shepherd:  A Collection of Prayers by Parents of Children Who Are Disabled

Catholic Prayers in American Sign Langusge:  Deaf Apostolate, Archdiocese of Philadelphia, pcpddeaf@adphila.org, 215-587-3913.

Liturgical Signs & Prayers:  A Resource for Deaf Ministries (video) produced by the Deaf Ministry Offices of the Archdiocese of Washington and Baltimore, 2008.  Available from the Center for Deaf Ministries, Archdiocese of Washington, 301-459-7464, adwterprequest@aol.com or Deaf Ministries for the Archdiocese of Baltimore, 410-347-0704, ecolarusso@archbalt.org.

Large print Lectionary and Sacramentary available form the Office for Ministry with Persons with Disabilities, Diocese of Allentown, jjohnson@allentowndiocese.org or National Catholic Partnership on Disability, www.ncpd.org.

 

SACRAMENTAL PREPARATION AND RESOURCES

Sacraments Preparation:  Individualized Lesson Plans, Network of Inclusive Catholic Educators (NICE), University of Dayton:  Mary Pat Carter/Marilyn E. Bishop,
1-888-532-3389, www.udayton.edu/~ipi/nice

• Sacraments:  Gifts for All-Eucharist
• All About Mass- Student Edition
• Who Is Jesus- Student Edition
• Sacraments:  Gifts for All-Reconciliation
• Reconciliation-Student Edition
• Sacraments:  Gifts for All-confirmation
• Confirmation-Student Edition

Called To His Supper, Revised: A Preparation for First Eucharist by Jeanine Timko Leichner, Our Sunday Visitor Publishing Division, Our Sunday Visitor, Inc., 200 Noll Plaza, Huntington, IN 46750

Making Things Right, Revised:  The Sacrament of Reconciliation, by Jeanine Timko Leichner, Our Sunday Visitor Publishing division, Our Sunday Visitor, Inc., 200 Noll Plaza, Huntington, IN 46750

Reconciliation:  A Power Point program especially helpful for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and/or Intellectual Disabilities that assists them in the preparation and reception of the Sacrament of Reconciliation.  It makes use of pictures and signs that can be printed for the child and the priest.  The Office for Ministry with Persons with Disabilities, Diocese of Allentown, PA, 610-289-8900 x 245, jjohnson@allentowndiocese.org.

My first Eucharist/Sacrament of Reconciliation:  These videos and teachers guides created by the National Catholic Office for the Deaf (NCOD) provides a signed and closed captioned sacrament preparation to assist in preparing deaf children to receive the Sacraments of Reconciliation and Eucharist.  www.ncod.org

Saint Mary’s Curriculum for Students with Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities:  Sacramental preparation and Religious Education Materials for children with autism and intellectual disabilities.  www.autismreligiouseducation.net/index.html

Sacrament of Reconciliation:  A program in American Sign Language to prepare students who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing for the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
DVD, Lesson Plans, Work Sheets, Produced by the National Catholic Office for the Deaf, www.ncod.org, 301-577-4184 (tty/vp), 301-577-1684 (voice/fax).

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
Online:

National Catholic Partnership on Disability
www.ncpd.org
National Catholic Office for the Deaf
www.ncod.org
National Organization on Disability
www.nod.org
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
www.usccb.org

Diocese of Allentown/Catholic Life & Evangelization:

• Parish Advocate Resource Handbook
  
• Office for Ministry with Persons with Disabilities Brochure(English/Spanish)
• Parish Advocate Brochure(English/Spanish)
  
• Ministers of Hospitality Brochure(English/Spanish)
  Basic Guidelines for Ushers and Greeters
• Parish Advocate Newsletter
  
• Lending Library
  

For review of the resources listed or information about the Office for Ministry with Persons with Disabilities contact Sr. Janice Marie Johnson, R.S.M., at: 610-289-8900 x245 or jjohnson@allentowndiocese.org


Post Office Box F  •  Allentown, PA  •  18105-1538