March 12, 2010



 
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Beatitudes for Friends of People who are Disabled

Blessed are you who take time to listen to difficult speech,
  for you can help us to know that if we persevere, we can be understood.
Blessed are you who walk with us in public places and ignore the stares of strangers,
  for in your companionship, we find havens of relaxation.
Blessed are you who never bid us to “hurry up”, and more blessed, you who do not snatch our task from our hands to do it for us,
  for often we need time, rather than help.
Blessed are you who stand beside us as we enter new and untried ventures,
for our failures will be outweighed by the times when we surprise ourselves and you.
Blessed are you who ask for our help,
  for our greatest need is to be needed.
Blessed are you who help us with the graciousness of Christ who did not bruise the reed or quench the flax,
  for often we need the help we cannot ask for.
Blessed are you, when by all these, you assure us that the thing that makes us individuals is not in our peculiar muscles, nor in our wounded nervous systems, not in our learning difficulties, but in the God-given self which no infirmity can confine.

Author unknown.

  “No one would deny that every man, woman, and child has the right to develop his or her potential to the fullest.  With God’s help and our own determination, the day will come when that  right is realized in the lives of all persons with disabilities.”
    - USCCB, Pastoral Statement of U.S. Catholic Bishops on Persons with Disabilities (1978), no. 35		  


Serving Christ through service to others

 
  
 

The MISSION of the COALITION:
The Coalition makes recommendations to the bishop regarding diocesan policy and acts as a consulting body to him in instituting ministry with persons having disabilities in the diocese.

The Coalition:
• recommends goals for ministry with persons having disabilities at the diocesan and parish levels
• help plan activities
• work to raise awareness of Catholics with disabilities in the diocese
• help insure that persons having disabilities have access to the Church in every way possible and are free to give of their talents and time through liturgy and activities of the parish. 

In this way, the Coalition helps realize the truth that the Church is one flock with one shepherd.

WHO WE ARE AS COALITION MEMBERS:
Members of the Coalition are appointed by the Bishop in his role as chief pastor and teacher. They include persons with disabilities as well as family members and professionals who represent each deanery of the diocese.  Meetings are held a minimum of three times a year.  If you are interested in serving on the Coalition, please contact us by emailing seanm@scdiocese.org.

Current Members:
   Mary Arens – northwest Deanery
   Christ Carney - southeast deanery
   Jody Gardner - southwest deanery
   Diane Lopez - southwest deanery
   Rev. Dennis Meinen – southwest deanery
   Maggie Johnson - central deanery
   Maureen Strader - central deanery
   Diane Lane - central deanery
   Lisa Traufler – southeast deanery
   Sue Wind – south central deanery
   

WHAT COALITION MEMBERS DO:
• The vision of the coalition is to assist parishes to become more involved and inclusive toward persons with disabilities.
• For almost twenty years, with the generous financial support from local and state Knights of Columbus Councils and many dedicated volunteers, we have been able to provide a retreat opportunity for persons 18 and older who have moderate developmental disabilities. Retreats used to be held in February and March. They are now held in September and October. More information will be posted here two months before the retreats.
• We celebrate the gifts that persons with disabilities have and pray for their needs. Special Masses are celebrated for persons with disabilities is during October, “Respect Life Month”.  More information about these masses will be posted here in the fall.
• We provide resources and information for sacramental preparation and religious education for children with special needs and for persons with hearing and sight impairments.
• We serve as advocates for accessibility to church buildings and full participation in the sacramental life of the church and in the life of the faith community.
• We publish a newsletter called INCLUSION.  This newsletter is provided to help raise awareness about the various kinds of disabilities and the gifts that persons with disabilities have to share with all of us.  If you would like to be on our mailing list, please send us your email or your mailing address. 
• We provide a contact person for individuals who are homebound.  Fr. Dennis Meinen is available to visit with persons from the Diocese through letters, on-line correspondence, or a one to one visit at a handicap accessible location.  Fr. Meinen has been diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis and understands the day-to-day challenges of living with a disability.

To Contact Fr. Meinen:
 PHONE:  712.258.9120
 EMAIL: taofdm1@yahoo.com
 MAILING ADDRESS:  1701 W. 25th Street, Sioux City, IA 51103

Fr. Meinen also has a column in the Diocesan newspaper, The Globe.  You can read his insights about life with a disability and his encounters with people who have a variety of disabilities, he writes about the serious and the sacred, and adds his own blend of humor in dealing with life.  Look for his column called “A VIEW FROM THE SCOOTER”.

Coalition welcomes your comments and questions. 
To contact us, click here

HELPFUL DISABILITY AND AGING LINKS

http://www.befrienderministry.org/
BeFriender Ministry
BeFriender Ministry is a national, ecumenical program that provides leadership training and program support for a listening ministry of lay pastoral care.

http://www.ncod.org/
National Catholic Office for the Deaf
A unique national ministry for deaf and hard of hearing Catholics.

http://www.ncpd.org/
National Catholic Partnership on Disability
Advancing inclusion in church and society.

http://www.pathways2promise.org/
Ministry and Mental Illiness
Pathways to Promise is an interfaith technical assistance and resource center which offers liturgical and educational materials, program models, and networking information to promote a caring ministry with people with mental illness and their families.
  
 

Religious Education & Family Life


Mr. Sean Martin
Director of Religious Education & Family Life


Secretaries of Religious Education & Family Life
Judy Forrest
& Kaleigh Yantz

Phone: (712) 255-7933
Fax: (712) 233-7598

Email: seanm@scdiocese.org
  
 
 
Diocese of Sioux City
1821 Jackson St
PO Box 3379
Sioux City, IA 51102-3379
712-255-7933