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Catholic Autism Program: Improving Religious Education and Family Life

A program designed to improve Catholic religious education and family life for individuals with autism, developed by Deacon Lawrence R. Sutton, Ph.D. and former Board President of the National Apostolate for Inclusion Ministry. This program includes interactive and one-on-one instruction, support materials, and preparation for sacraments such as Eucharist, Reconciliation, and Confirmation. It aims to provide a welcoming and inclusive environment for children with autism and their families, involving various stakeholders such as catechists, clergy, and the parish community.

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Catholic Autism Program: Improving Religious Education and Family Life

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  1. A program to improve Catholic religious education and family life for individuals with autism

  2. Deacon Lawrence R. Sutton, Ph.D. Former Board President National Apostolate for Inclusion Ministry and Member of the Council on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (NCPD)

  3. Two Stories Michael • Limited/no language skills until age 9 • Could not express himself Greg • IQ changed over time • Improved information processing

  4. There are a lot of Michaels and Greg’s.

  5. Headline News • Fear, ignorance played a role in autistic boys’ death (March 2004) • Sacramental preparation classes to begin for children with autism (March 2006) • People with special needs are welcome (June 2008) • Returning to the Church; Catholic programs for disabled children help reach parents (2010)

  6. The Need for an Adaptive Program In April 2003, two second-grade children with autism were turned away before celebrating their first Eucharist.

  7. The Need for an Adaptive Program • Limited religious education • Preparation for Confirmation • Inclusion in the adult Catholic community

  8. Who Does Autism Impact? • Children with autism • Families • Catechists • Parish community • Clergy • School principal • DREs and other who teach/work with IDD children

  9. Functional Definitions of Autism

  10. What is Autism? • Developmental disorder • Global term • Noted impairment in four domains • Developmental onset • Language* • Social • Behavioral/Sensory

  11. What Is Autism?Developmental Impairments • Delayed use of language • Difficulty understanding what is said • Difficulty expressing thoughts with words • Latency in response

  12. What Is Autism?Language Impairments • Difficulty understanding tone • Do not understand facialexpressions • Do not process people, justattributes

  13. What Is Autism?Social Impairments • Individual play and leisure time • Lack of social sense • Difficulty with empathy and other emotions • Demonstrate very concrete understanding

  14. What Is Autism?Behavioral/Sensory Impairments • Tantrums • Repetitive behaviors • Fears/Phobias • Stims • Picky eaters • Sensitivity to touch and sounds

  15. Is Autism Real? • CDC estimates that about 1 in 50 children has been identified with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD). • Doctors look at the child’s behavior and development to make a diagnosis.  • ASDs can sometimes be detected at 18 months or younger.  • By age 2, a diagnosis by an experienced professional can beconsidered very reliable.

  16. So what is it I really know about autism? • Who do you know who is autistic • What can an autistic people do • How can I be ‘pastoral’ to a child who is autistic or to their family, my degrees are in philosophy and theology… • What does ‘stimming’ really mean?

  17. The Goal We must open the door for autistic children to enter the Kingdom of Heaven.

  18. The Curriculum • Interactive • One-on-one instruction • Support materials

  19. The CurriculumWho Is Involved?

  20. The CurriculumStructure • Preschool/early Pre-Eucharist years: Years 1 and 2 • Preparation for Sacraments of Initiation and Reconciliation • The Saints, the Mass, and Rituals • Confirmation • Post-Confirmation

  21. The CurriculumPre-Eucharist • Based on the Book of Genesis • A two-year weekly series of lessons

  22. The CurriculumPreparation for the Sacraments • Weekly lessons • Exercises to reinforce weekly theme • Practice in rituals

  23. The CurriculumPreparation for Sacraments Reconciliation • For those with language skills: • Review the ways people hurt God • Have the child say modified Act of Contrition • For those without language skills • Use manipulatives to show good and bad behavior • Repeat modified Act of Contrition with child

  24. The CurriculumPreparation for Sacraments Modified Act of Contrition Oh my God, I am sorry for my sins. (In choosing to sin and in failing to do good, I have sinned against you and your church. I firmly intend, with the help of your grace, to make up for my sins and to love as I should.) Amen. (Beth Mayer)

  25. The CurriculumPreparation for Sacraments I pray with my family. I ask God for forgiveness for the sins I committed with the help of the priest. The priest offers God’s forgiveness. I pray my penance.

  26. The CurriculumPreparation for Sacraments • Practice aspects of rites • Use visual examples in the child’s home church with a family member • Allow the child to see, touch and to be a part of Church practices

  27. The Curriculum:Mass and Rituals • The Mass • The Stations of the Cross • Rituals—A guide to theSacraments

  28. The CurriculumWho Is Involved? • Teen Faith Mentors • Directors of religious education (DREs) • Clergy (Pastor) • Parents

  29. The CurriculumWho Is Involved—Communication is Key Key players need to understand how to communicate and how that individual child communicates.

  30. The CurriculumWho Is Involved—Communication is Key • Autism is an information processing disorder. • How does a child with autism communicate? • Communicationis understanding. • Play to the strengths of the child (what does the child do well, can they draw, • sing, complete crafts...

  31. The CurriculumWho Is Involved—Teen Faith Mentors Teen Faith Mentors need to . . . • Know what autism and other developmental disorders are • Understand the difference between developmental disorders and psychiatric disorders • Review, understand, and preparematerials

  32. The CurriculumWho Is Involved—DREs DREs are responsible for . . . • Defining the roles of catechists, parents, and outside professionals (e.g., psychologists) • Listening to and engaging the family • Determining how to best include a child with autism in the classroom and the community

  33. The CurriculumWho Is Involved—Clergy Clergy need to know how to . . . • Be pastoral to the disabled person and his or her family • Find meaningful accommodations • Reach the disabled from the pulpit • Communicate during the Sacrament of Reconciliation • Did you know there are autism clergy?

  34. The CurriculumWho Is Involved—Parents Parents will have to . . . • Know what to expect (and not expect) • Define what their child needs • Observe and participate • Know when (and where) to seekadditional help

  35. Some of Our Challenges • Concrete/Literal Thinkers • Fears and Concerns of DREs • Allergies • Emotional Concerns • Environmental Challenges

  36. Some of Our ChallengesConcrete/Literal Thinkers How does one explain the mysteries of our Church to someone who thinks literally?

  37. Some of Our ChallengesFears and Concerns of DREs • Miscommunication • Behaviors • Qualifications • Sacraments

  38. Some of Our ChallengesAllergies • Some people with autism have allergies to gluten. • Altar breads must be made with wheat and contain gluten. • The Benedictine Sisters of Perpetual Adoration bake low-gluten altar breads.

  39. Some of Our ChallengesAllergies The Office of the Secretariat for Liturgy approved their low-gluten altar breads: “Having reviewed the laboratory reports you sent . . . I am pleased to state that these special hosts are indeed made according to the requirements of the Code of Canon Law (c.924) . . . and may be validly used at Mass in the diocese of the United States with appropriate permission.” www.altarbreadsbspa.com

  40. Some of Our ChallengesEmotional Concerns • People with autism perceive things differently. • Differences in routines cause stress. • They have ineffective strategies for dealing with stress.

  41. Some of Our ChallengesEnvironmental Challenges • Sources of distraction • Perceptual issues • Internally disorganized

  42. Good Surprises • Students • Teen Faith Mentors • Families • Improved quality of life

  43. Additional Resources • Deacon Lawrence R. Sutton, Ph.D. lawrence.Sutton@stvincent.edu; lsutton@diopitt.org • National Catholic Partnership on Disability (www.ncpd.org) • National Catholic Office for the Deaf (www.ncod.org) • Special Religious Development, Archdiocese of Chicago (www.spred.org) • Archdiocese of Washington, Ministry for Special Needs (www.adw.org) • University of Dayton -The Virtual Learning Community for Faith Formation (VLCFF)https://vlc.udayton.edu

  44. “Inclusion begins in our hearts. It begins with affirmation. We should open our hearts to one another and recognize the strengths of every person. . . When we open our hearts and our community to the gifts each person brings, we are all strengthened.”  ~ Joseph Cardinal Bernadin

  45. The time is now.Please start.

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