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Ministry for Persons with Disabilities, Special Needs, and Caregivers: “We Are All Children of God"
Linda Adamczyk had a son with special needs, and in 2004, there was nothing available for her family at the parish.
At the request of Fr. Tom Cloherty, Linda represented All Saints at a Diocesan seminar on starting a ministry for persons with disabilities and caregivers and then gathered faith community members to discuss the initiative.
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“Today, we’re like a family that supports each other and gives each other love when you need it most,” says Barbara Anne Rusk. “We want everyone in the community to feel welcome because we are all children of God and brothers and sisters of Jesus.”
All Saints was one of the first churches in Dallas to establish a Ministry for Persons with Disabilities, Special Needs, and Caregivers.
“Ministry members work to ensure that parishioners with special needs or disabilities and their caregivers are able to participate in all aspects of parish life,” Barbara says. “We want to support and advocate for all our parishioners so that everyone can be involved.”
Members of All Saints’ Ministry for Persons with Disabilities, Special Needs, and Caregivers
Ministry members have met regularly since the ministry’s inception. They meet on the third Wednesday of the month at 7 p.m. in the small room off the narthex. In August they gathered for a social time and watched a saint biography, and enjoyed food and fellowship. They also have a short board meeting.
“We do different projects to try and get families together like the snow cone booth at the Fall Festival,” Barbara says. “Once a year at Christmastime, we have a luncheon together with A Better Way, which is a support group for teens and adults with mental health issues.”
All parishioners are welcome to be involved in the ministry and its initiatives, whether you have a disability or special need or not. The group has members involved in different parish ministries and has programs so that individuals with special needs can prepare for and receive Communion.
“One of our members started a medical equipment program by which you can loan or get free medical equipment, and the Diocese now runs the program,” Barbara says. “We also have listening devices in the church now and constructed a ramp so that one of our members could be a lector. We’ve made recommendations to the church for different things like handicap accessible restrooms.”
In 2013, the National Catholic Partnership on Disability held a conference in Houston, and churches were invited to share what they had accomplished in welcoming those with disabilities in their faith communities for an award provided by Loyola Press.
The Loyola Press Opening Doors Award highlights the importance of parishes recognizing the gifts and needs of persons with disabilities and includes a $1,000 gift to the parish to further this work.
“Linda Adamczyk submitted an essay relating what All Saints had accomplished,” Barbara says. “All Saints was the recipient of this award as it set a standard that other parishes should strive to achieve as they make efforts at welcoming persons with disabilities.”
Currently, Barbara serves on the Diocesan Ministry for Persons with Disabilities and Hearing Impaired, and she has been personally impacted by the ministry formed at All Saints.
“I joined the group in 2006 for support with my adult son, and then I thought that maybe I could do some good through this group,” Barbara says. “When I go to a meeting or do something for the group, afterward I feel so elated because it touches my heart and soul.”
On Oct. 16, the ministry is planning a meet and greet for families and people with disabilities in the Fellowship Hall. The gathering will take place from 10 a.m. until noon. Everyone is welcome to join and find out more about this ministry and its work in our faith community.
“Please join us, and young families are especially welcome because we do need some young people to take over ministry leadership,” Barbara says. “It will be informal, and I’ll explain a bit about the ministry. It’s an opportunity for us to come together and support each other.”
