Bishop Michael F. Burbidge challenged
Catholics to be more inclusive of people with special needs at the Mass for
Persons with Disabilities at Holy Spirit Church in Annandale Sept. 29. The Mass
and reception afterward were sponsored by the parish, the diocesan Office of Faith
Formation and Porto Charities.
Deacon Mark Arbeen read the Gospel from
Luke — the parable of the rich man who went to Hell and the poor man named
Lazarus who went to heaven. In his homily, Bishop Burbidge said he thought the
rich man’s sin was one of omission.
“I do not think the rich man
intentionally and deliberately did anything evil,” said Bishop Burbidge. “He
did not order Lazarus from the gate. He did not treat him intentionally
cruelly. The failure of the rich man was that he simply did not notice Lazarus
right there in his midst. Instead, the rich man accepted him as part of the
landscape.”
All of us can become blind to the
suffering around us, said Bishop Burbidge. He urged the Massgoers to reject
complacency and look for ways to help the neglected and those in need.
“I am very proud of how our diocese does
this in so many ways, through our Respect Life Office, our Catholic Charities
programs, Porto Charities, ministries within our parish and school ministries,”
he said. “In particular, I want to highlight today the Expanded Services and
inclusion and Options programs that our Catholic high schools and some of our
elementary schools (have), where those with learning challenges and gifts are
part of who we are and what we do.
“In these schools, (students with
special needs) show others the face of Christ and bring out the best in all of
us. It is my expressed desire and hope and intention to makes these expansion
programs part of every parish and every school.”
Some 15 Catholic schools in the diocese,
such as St. Mark School in Vienna, Holy Cross Academy in Fredericksburg and
Holy Spirit School, enroll students with special needs. Many more hope to open
their doors to students with special needs in the coming years.
Parent Jessica Maleski came to the Mass
to thank Bishop Burbidge for his support of inclusive Catholic schools. She
works at St. Veronica School in Chantilly and her son Danny, a first grader,
was one of the first to enroll after the school began accepting students with
special needs.
“Danny is the youngest of seven and it’s
nice that he can do Catholic schools like all of his siblings did Catholics
schools,” she said.
At St. Veronica, the students with
special needs are in the classroom with their peers and are pulled out of class
or get assistance from a teacher in class when the need arises. “The teachers
over there are fabulous and supportive. The environment is great,” said
Maleski. “Everyone is onboard, so it's fun to see.” Danny is a fan, too, she
said. “He loves it.”