As a mother of a special child and a church member I believe that if we want our special children to be accepted in the public we have to make them behave the best we possible can in public. We are lucky enough to have special person that is with our daughter in her sunday school class to take care of her and give her special attention. What is funny is we think that special needs children don’t understand certain things but they understand a lot more then we give them credit for and if you let them get away with stuff that you would not let a “normal” child get away with then they are going to push you to the limit. I believe if my child was spitting, hitting, peeing, starting peoples cars at church, I would be very embarressed. I would want to do anything possible to make church a better situation and maybe starting with having him watch the mass from the basement of the church with his parents and other members of the church will help him learn how to handle certain situations. God gives you special needs children to special families, you need to handle situations with grace. Rather than be hard headed maybe she should approach the congregation and let them know she is having a hard time. Be a little more openminded. I am sorry but he definately needs a little disapline. It takes a special needs child approximately 2000 times to learn something but they can do it. Don’t just let them continue to reek havoc. Teach him something. Start with not peeing in church or hitting other people.

my previous comment mentioned “Mother of 4″…I meant to say “Mother of disabled child”

I am not sure what the father’s occupation has to do with any of the important facts of this story. The mother might be pushing buttons, but would any of the civil rights movements have occured if people were afraid to stand up.
This is her child.

Redtown,

I truly hope that if you consider yourself a follower of Christ, you will really listen to what you are saying. You’re saying that Christianity is only acceptable as long as it doesn’t put you in harm’s way. That is simply not Christ-following. If you follow Christ, you follow his example. Period. His actions are what we follow. He doesn’t have to say that we are to “put ourselves in harm’s way” but He sure did for the sake of others! I’m sorry that you haven’t had the opportunity to experience the amazing life you can have when you risk boldly to follow Jesus rather than being concerned about “public safety” or your own safety.

Again, the TB example is illogical. Autism is not contagious. With reasonable accomodations and intervention, Adam can attend church.

I’ve read a fair amount about this on the Internet as well, and haven’t once read the church explicitly state what accommodations they have offered. I have heard that they offered to have him stay home, watch from a video feed and to do a separate mass for the family. — none of those have come from the church’s statements either. So, what, specifically, are the accommodations that the church offered? Last I checked, excluding the family is not including them.

That’s great that you were a special ed teacher, but remember that the REAL experts are the disabled and their parents, not the teachers or the therapists or the doctors or anyone else. They are the ones that live with the disabilities and know best how to work with them.

And hey, sentimental sloppy agape is way better than no agape at all. Frankly, choosing to love unconditionally is hardly sentimental and sloppy. It’s well thought out, planned, difficult and committed. It’s also much more rewarding than exclusion.

“However, nowhere do we see Jesus advocating that others should be physically exposed to unhealed lepers. Nowhere do we see him advocating that others should deliberately put themselves in harms way, or create situations dangerous to public safety. Jesus loved everyone, but he didn

I was a member of the church and I know the family and what Adam is capable of doing… he is a big guy. His parents restrain him the whole time in church and he acts out a lot. He spits climbs over the pews urinates in church and has hit people as well. Father Dan has made many different appoarches for the family so that they can still go to church and all were declined. He even said that he would do a separete mass for the family for their safety and the other members and that was also declined. So really is it his fault? This was Father Dans and the council members last decision and I know right now that this is not what he wants but it is for the safety of the members and for Adam.

Comparing going to mass with being allow to drive has no logical basis. There are tests and screenings that determine if someone has the capability to drive. They are impartial tests. If people are going to have to “qualify” to be good enough for mass, I suspect that many people (those who sleep, chat, wiggle, argue and any number of other things I’ve seen when sitting through a mass) would fail.

This priest or church has not shown that they have really tried. They have been extremely vague about their “accommodations” they offered, and they went against scripture by seeking a court to solve this internal problem rather than solving it on their own.

Adam Race is a child of God who’s ability to show the glory of God has been tainted by a creation corrupted by sin. It is not his fault. Yes, he should behave. But, YES his church should be intervening and helping to make that possible. It’s a sad thing that his own priest can’t recognize that.

Incidentally, Jesus often mingled with crowds full of people with contagious diseases and people who were dangerous. He never once sent anyone away because they were dangerous or contagious. He did speak strongly against judgmental people who condemned the weak and sick. So, before you start speaking for Jesus on the issues of inclusion, then you might want to actually study his life. He, in fact, invited, EVERYONE to the wedding feast.

I am the mom of 2 kids on the spectrum and sadly, this isn’t the first time I’ve heard this happening–not necessarily to the point of a restraining order, but I have a friend with a child on the spectrum who was also asked to leave said child at home. I had previously been to church with this couple and their little girl was not disruptive.

My oldest was an altar server and was taken off the list because once during mass, he wasn’t moving fast enough for father. No explanation, no apology, one time only-so he wasn’t messing up on a regular basis. I was told his services were no longer required because he didn’t know what he was doing. He was in 8th grade, he had been doing this since 5th grade.

As in any religion, there are wonderful and compassionate people out there, but there are idiots too. Catholics are duty bound to help out people who are less fortunate than themselves (if they are practicing–and knowledgeable about their religion). So why not help this family out???