2007 to 2011 Goals
Disability Awareness Committee will call upon people of goodwill to re-examine their attitude toward their brothers and sisters with disabilities, promote their well-being, recognize their unique gifts that they offer to the church, and to work to integrate them into a fuller participation into the Christian community.
Objectives:
- Develop Inclusion Representatives in at least 75 percent of parishes in the Diocese to invite parishioners with disabilities to participate in liturgy, parish ministry, organizations, and help provide accommodation for those that wish to participate.
- Provide training and support for these representatives to assist them to carry out their role.
- Review and make recommendations for the revision of the Art and Architecture document, and to assist, where asked, in its implementation.
- Support the development of education in the faith of those with special educational needs.
- 5. Use the Material from Opening Doors, Volumes I and II from the National Catholic Office for Persons with Disabilities as a guide to assist parishes in becoming communities that welcome all members to full participation in parish worship services and other parish functions.
Upcoming Events
Inclusion Representative Training for New Reps and Ongoing Education for Current Reps: This two tracked event is set to take place on 4-14-12 from 9:00 AM till 2:00 PM at Immaculate Parish in Owensboro. Please watch for further information in the Western Ky Catholic and in bulletin announcements.
Minutes from Recent Meeting:
Disability Awareness Committee
Minutes
December 1, 2011
In attendance were Dick Murphy, Sue Weaver, Bernadette Howard, Katie Riney, Judy Kapelsohn, James Geralds, Sister Audrey Mary Gold, and Sister Debra Ann Bailey. Due to unforeseen circumstances with telephone communication it was not possible to include those who usually call in. Dick said that he would send an apology to them.
The meeting was started by a prayer given by Sister Audrey Mary at 5:25.
The minutes were read with a few corrections that will be corrected for the next meeting.
Sister Audrey Mary asked how the Lifting-Up Mass went that was held on the 6th of November. Dick said that the Lifting-Up Mass was well attended. There were around 150 people that had attended that day. It was held at the Wendell Foster Campus in Owensboro, KY. During communion after everyone had come up for communion those who couldn’t come up were offered communion by Fr. Hostetter personally. He made it a point to make sure each person was special in his eyes as they received communion. It was a very moving Mass. Dick said that Michele Clouse and Rachel Couch will put an article with pictures in the Western Kentucky for the February issue on the Mass.
James said that they had to get more chairs out for the Mass because people kept coming in for the Mass. It was very crowded but it was very well organized. They had many students from Brescia University to help set up for the Mass and to help with the reception afterwards.
Judy suggested that we have several sheets out for people to sign in on for the next Lifting-Up Mass instead of a notebook. It would make signing in much faster with several sheets instead of just a notebook. She gave Sister Audrey Mary a copy of the sheets with everyone on it. It included their name and from what parish they were from.
Dick mentioned that the 75th anniversary of the diocese was going to be in 2012. He said that Bishop Medley would like to attend a Lifting-Up Mass during the year. He said for us to get several dates for him to choose from. We will give him the following dates: June 10th, August 5th, September 9th, and September 16th to choose from. It was suggested that we have the Mass at Blessed Mother or at Our Lady of Lourdes as they are fairly large churches. The Cathedral will not be an option as they are going through renovations. Dick will get back to us with the date of the Mass with the Bishop.
Sister Audrey Mary suggested that we have 2 Lifting-Up Masses in the diocese per year. She suggested that we look into another city such as Bowling Green or Paducah for another time next year. She would like to have a separate Mass from the regular Sunday Masses that would be special for the disabled and their families. She said that when it had been celebrated at a Sunday Mass it was all right for a few years but then it disappeared. She raised the question is it too soon to combine it with a regular Sunday Mass on a diocesan level.
James suggested that we have the Lifting-Up Mass during the regular Sunday Mass time. He said that it would include the physically and mentally challenged people with the regular members at Mass. He also mentioned that Mass is also televised at Blessed Mother. Katie mentioned that if we did have it during a regular Mass that we put it in the bulletin a couple of weekends before the Mass so that everyone would be included in the Mass.
Sister Audrey Mary then asked about the Advocate Training. Sue said that she had talked to Fr. Tony Jones at Immaculate and he said that we could have it there again in the spring. It was decided on April 14, 2012. Sister Audrey Mary suggested that they get a subcommittee to plan the Advocate Training day. The subcommittee will consist of Dick Murphy, Sue Weaver, Judy Kapelsohn, and Sister Audrey Mary Gold. It will be held at Judy’s home on December 15th at 1:30.
The next meeting will be on February 9th at 5:15 at the Sisters of the Lamb of God.
The meeting was adjourned at 6:35 with a prayer given by James.
