Seasonal Inspiration By Rev. John Phalen, CSC President of Holy Cross Family Ministries
Ordinary Time: The Welcoming Church
One of the elements of the Gospel which is most noticeable is the welcoming attitude which Jesus manifests, especially to sinners and the socially outcast. The Pharisees, those who are the professional teachers of the law, are appalled that Jesus would dine with sinners or heal a man with a withered hand on the Sabbath. They are used to putting the letter of the law above people.
But Jesus again and again teaches us to be welcoming. He even calls a tax collector, one known to be a cheat and one considered a traitor to his own people, to be an apostle. He dines with such people, saying it is the sick who need the doctor, and the sinner who needs his presence. When the woman was caught in adultery or the lepers were begging for healing, Jesus responded giving her pardon and granting the leper’s request. He seemed to be afraid of no one; even the Gerasene demoniac was able to return to sanity because of his openness.
We have a difficult time as Church living out this tradition in our own day. Many of our parishes are still unequipped with a ramp for wheelchair accessibility. This eliminates some very important members of the community of Faith, making it impossible for them to worship with the rest of us. Some parishes are equipped with cry-rooms; others are not. But Jesus insisted that his apostles let the little children come to him. If we are bothered by the noise or inconvenience of children at the liturgy, we can think how lifeless the congregation would be without them. Some children meet some pretty dour faces at the parish from those who apparently do not agree with Jesus’ teaching.
In this “Ordinary Time,” we could all reflect on what ought to be second nature to us; how to be welcoming after the example of Jesus. Some of those who join us on a given Sunday are hoping for a smile of recognition, or at least of welcome. They do not always feel like part of the people of God when they first arrive. We can help to make them feel that way if we live the Gospel.
We all have disabilities. Some of us are impatient, or absent minded or unaware of the needs of those around us. For other people of great ability, they may have a more obvious physical or mental disability which need not put us off. It can be refreshing when people refuse to let a particular disability define someone else. I offer here some practical tips for helping people feel welcome in our parishes. Enjoy the Ordinary Time, when we seek to conform ourselves gradually to Jesus’ way of treating people.
HOW YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE AND HELP PEOPLE WITH
DISABILITIES FEEL WELCOME IN YOUR CHURCH
There are many things that you, as an individual, can do to help people with disabilities feel welcome in your church, so that all persons may bring their gifts to the altar of God.
Golden Rule: I will consider someone first as a person with abilities and then as a person who may need assistance to use their abilities.
1. I will treat all people as people first – as I would like to be treated.
2. I will speak directly to the person with a disability, not to the nearby family member, companion, interpreter, or the canine companion.
3. I will offer to shake hands when introduced to a person with a disability. (Persons with limited hand use or who wear an artificial limb may shake hands. Shaking the left hand is O.K., too.)
4. I will place myself at eye level, in front, for easy conversation with a person in a wheelchair, with crutches or with a walking frame.
5. I will offer assistance and wait until the offer is accepted. I will then ask for instructions.
6. I will be patient and wait for the person with difficulty speaking rather than speaking for the person. I may help by asking short questions that require short answers, a nod or a shake of the head.
7. I will see the wholeness of spirit beneath the surface of someone with a disability and overcome the tendency to turn away or ignore the person.
8. I will treat adults with developmental disabilities as adults, not as children. I will use first names only when using the same familiarity for all persons.
9. I will get the attention of someone who is hearing-impaired by lightly tapping their elbow or shoulder, or by waving my hand. I will look directly at the person and speak clearly, slowly and expressively to establish if the person can read my lips.
10. I will guide a person with visual impairments by giving verbal clues to steps, curbs, escalators or doors.
Pathways Awareness Foundation · 123 N. Wacker Drive · Chicago, IL 60606
800-955-2445 · fax 312-701-3038 · www.pathwaysawareness.org