Easter. The parking lot is crowded, the pews fill up and the overflow of people attending Mass heads down to the new Parish center to watch Mass on an overhead screen. When it's time to hand out Communion, Msgr. Malovetz heads down there with a number of Eucharistic ministers to hand out Communion . When he returns, he goodnaturedly quips that it was a longer walk down there than he thought -with a smile on his face. It was an effort he made that was done with joy. He knew what it would mean to those people who could not get into the church and felt excluded to have him show up to give out Communion.
Sometimes "showing up" is what makes things happen. My mailbox is full at times from people with disabilities who tell me they want to go back to church (and these are not just Catholics -it's an interfaith thing). And I write back to them and we talk about their concerns. And one of the things I say is "show up". However it's not that simple for some. And there is work to be done to help those who are excluded, who aren't even able to get to the "overflow" service.
You can't show up if you can't get there. Transportation is an access issue. I have a survey up about transportation needs because that is one problem.
You can't show up if churches don't let you know about their accessibility. You don't know if you can get inside. We need to encourage parishes to put on their websites and any ads they may have if their church is accessible - ramp, accessible bathroom, large print materials and the like.
You can't keep showing up if you're greeted with exclusionary attitudes. Well you can but it leads to lack of access in other ways. We need attitudinal change as well as physical access. Are the church's activities accessible and inclusive? Are people with disabilities given a chance to participate in service work and the social life of the parish?
We need better education, outreach and awareness of what is needed to bridge gaps. The truth is that inclusion is not a static state but an ongoing ministry.
We need to be willing to walk (or roll) the extra mile, go out of our way and minister to the excluded.
5 comments:
Two of my friends with disabilities went to church with me today. Because I go, the ushers knew what we needed. They both want to go back. That's progress. I've learned from reading your blog how to handle situations and we can do this. I took a lot on the chin because I was the first one to break the ice but today that didn't matter.
No one who wants to go should feel turned away or unwelcome.
I finally have time to start visiting all the friends who were kind enough to offer their sympathies when my Daddy died.
It's good to be back here, but kind of sad to see that inclusion at church is still a problem you have to keep blogging about. I'm the webmaster for our church blog. I still haven't put anything on our site about our church welcoming those who need special accommodations. I know not to use the word "handicapped", thanks to you, but how should it be worded?
So glad to see a comment from you! You've been in my prayers and thoughts. Thanks for asking this question. There was a church site I saw that just listed the accessibility it had - a ramp, parking , an accessible bathroom , large print materials (hymnals for example) - and of course many of these things are for seniors as well as people with disabilities. I don't think the site mentioned "handicapped" except for the parking which makes sense since that's what it's commonly called. This info is helpful for parishioners who would like to bring their aging parents - or even guests - and certainly newcomers and visitors. If we could look at it as information that people need to have to get around and be mobile, then maybe we could all remember to add it to web sites. It's like providing directions in a sense.
I found your blog through the piece you wrote in Disability Studies Quarterly this issue. I've been reading the comments and it's interesting how there's such a range between receptivity and denial of the problem. As an educator I find the same thing to be true when I teach disability studies. Some students get it while others just don't.
Wow! I never thought of myself as someone with a disability.
But I have some medical issues that mean I can't drive, and live in an area where the transit service doesn't operate on the weekends...
This means that I am amomg the "some" who consider "showing up" to be a challenge in itself.
Furthermore, my son has some needs that haven't been well recieved, and certainly not well met within our church.
We've, sadly, had to seek out another fellowship because of an previously well disguised exclusionary attitude.
You raise some excellent points. You have summed up my own recent experience more clearly than I was able to.
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