When you are the parent of a
child with special needs, Mass can be stressful sometimes. You might work to
get to church early and get the perfect spot, only to deal with a series of
outbursts and meltdowns until the final blessing. The Special Blessings
ministry at St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception Church and Father John P.
Mosimann, pastor, welcomed each and every one of these “joyful noises” at a
Mass for children with special needs in Fredericksburg Aug. 14.
“I really appreciate Father
Mosimann being so welcoming to people with special needs and really making them
part of the community here,” said Kim Duplantier, mother of two boys with Down
syndrome, Andrew, 16, and Joseph, 8. “The Mass really meant a lot to us.”
More than 70 people attended the
Mass followed by a reception in the courtyard meeting room. Organizers hope the
Mass becomes an annual tradition at the parish.
The St. Mary’s Special Blessings
Ministry began in 2018, after a number of parents read an article in the Catholic
Herald about the Special Blessings group in Manassas, said Joyce Bodoh.
“After that article was
published, I reached out to Maria Buonocore of the Manassas group,” said Bodoh,
whose daughter has special needs. “She had received inquiries from several
other parents in the Fredericksburg area who were inspired to begin a similar
group here. We have about 25 people in the group and typically have about five
to 10 in attendance at our virtual meetings. We work in conjunction with the
Manassas group, who are invited to our virtual meetings so we can have a larger
impact.”
Speakers during the meetings
have included Father Mosimann; Diane Elliott, former assistant superintendent
of diocesan Catholic schools; and Michelle Schachle, mother of Michael
Schachle, who has Down syndrome. His parents believe he was cured of hydrops (a
build up of fluid in a baby’s tissues and organs causing swelling) after their
prayers to Blessed Michael McGivney, founder of the Knights of Columbus. The
miracle was confirmed by the Vatican, which led to McGivney’s beatification in
October 2020.
Other topics have covered wills
and trusts, raising children who are gifted or developmentally/learning
delayed, special education, individualized education, and due process and
responsibilities of the school.
The inaugural Mass provided an
opportunity to celebrate the success of the ministry and involve special-needs
children as servers, gift-bearers, cross-bearers and ushers.
Catalina Perez assisted at the
altar for the first time alongside her older sister Lauren. Catalina, 13, has
autism, according to her mother, Johanna Merino, who helped organize the event.
Catalina participates in Special Religious Development, known as SPRED, a
program that prepares developmentally disabled parishioners for the sacraments.
Despite
Catalina’s added challenges, an unknowing onlooker would have assumed she was a
seasoned altar server with her reverent demeanor and attentiveness.
“I couldn’t believe it,” said
Merino. “She obviously has been watching (the servers) this whole time.”
“I really feel strongly that by
engaging and bringing together parents of special needs children, we can
provide each other hope, support and encouragement,” said Bodoh, another of the
event organizers. “Too many times it can feel isolating and stressful to be the
parent of special-needs children and making decisions and worrying about doctor
appointments, surgeries, therapies and behavioral or mental issues. The
Catholic faith is so beautiful as it reminds us that the suffering that God
allows us is, in itself, a gift, and we have been given the distinct privilege
and responsibilities to raise our children.”
Kassock is a freelancer in Fredericksburg.
