Mar
5
Inclusion…the process
March 5, 2007 | 2 Comments
There can be a problem with inclusion when people expect there to be no problems.”
-Me
I really don’t know if anyone else ever said that, but I’m going to go out on a limb here and say it’s my quote.
Yesterday I ran into an inclusion issue at church. A retreat I wanted to go on is [...]
Mar
5
Inclusion versus tolerance
March 5, 2007 | Leave a Comment
Sometimes as we struggle with our efforts toward inclusion, we may find ourselves getting “stuck” at a plateau- that is more aptly described as tolerance. It can be tempting to confuse the two concepts and settle for tolerance rather than inclusion.
Tolerance means that a person with a disability is allowed to be in a place. [...]
Mar
5
What is access versus inclusion?
March 5, 2007 | Leave a Comment
Access to our churches is about overcoming structural and communication barriers. It allows a person with a disability to physically “get to Mass” . It may mean installing a ramp, having materials available in Braille, or arranging for an interpreter for deaf parishioners. It may be something as simple as a different seating arrangement, so [...]
Mar
4
Is *my* parish inclusive?
March 4, 2007 | Leave a Comment
This is the most frequently asked question I get in my mailbox. People with and without disabilities ask me this all of the time. So let me answer it here on the blog (and then I can refer people to this post)!
Yes, my parish, St. Charles Borromeo in Skillman NJ, is inclusive.
I’ll tell you [...]
Mar
3
Whenever I speak before parish groups, the bravest audience members ask me questions. The questions always have the same theme – they want to know what my experience is like as a Catholic with a disability.
Here are a few samples:
*How does it make you feel when people talk to you about your disability at church?
*What [...]
Mar
3
Welcome to our new blog!
March 3, 2007 | 3 Comments
Welcome to this brand new blog – an abridged version of Wheelie Catholic.
When I started writing Wheelie Catholic, I was hoping to raise awareness of the issue of spiritual inclusion for people with disabilities in the Catholic church. I’m happy to say that many Catholics have read that blog and I’m hoping even more will [...]
