Then, child-by-child, they learned how to respond to the needs, and after a period of time, they had a “program.”
Families and teachers of children with autism can be the best source of information and ideas for religious educators and congregational leaders. In learning the needs of the child before you, begin with inquiries about his or her interests and gifts, what makes him or her unique, and then proceed to the particular needs for support. ( See Guidelines for Clergy and Religious Educators for Conversations with Parents, p. 23 ). We are all people first. Particularly in a faith community, different abilities and disabilities do not determine our personhood, though they do influence what each person is able to do. In this conversation, demonstrate an attitude of openness and support. Assure the parent(s) that your questions are motivated by a sincere desire to provide the most supportive environment for the child and that privacy will be respected. The information will be shared only with whomever the parent and child allow, which should at least include the people working directly with the child. This will help to explain different behaviors, leading to awareness and improved understanding.
After you have a good understanding of the child, determine what the parent(s) want and the level of inclusion they hope for. There are many possibilities, such as being incorporated into a “mainstream” religious education group with appropriate support in place, spending some time with children in “mainstream” groups and some time in a more specialized setting, or in a totally separate group. However, even when religious education occurs in a separate environment, the goal is always connection with the larger community in some way, as often as possible. Further, the strategies and goals of religious education should reflect the particular needs of the person and the values and traditions of your faith community. One of the basic tenets in the autism community is that when you have met one person with autism, you have met one person with autism (Stephen Shore). Another is that they often have difficulty applying and using what they learned in one situation to another, even if the two are nearly identical. For example, being familiar with worship in one location may not translate to worship in another. In Catholicism, participation in the Mass is very important, so it is important to include
Our Lady of Mercy Twin boys were preparing to receive the Sacrament of First Eucharist. One boy was autistic and his twin was not. In our parish, each child makes a banner that hangs on the pew for their sacrament day. Seeing all of the preparations, the mother came to me with tears in her eyes. I asked her what was wrong, to which she replied, “There is nothing wrong at all! For the first time my two sons are doing something together. They usually go to their separate school and activities and today they are side by side.”
comfort and familiarity with the church space, as well as comfort with the actions, words and rhythm of the Mass. In addition, if a child with autism is in a “special religious education program,” there also needs to be a strategy for participation in the worship of the community. Some families are able to bring their son or daughter with autism to worship. Other families may need more support from their congregation. Again, the child’s teachers in school could be very helpful. Because teaching specific behaviors is typically part of the education of a child with autism, some teachers will include behaviors for successful participation in the family’s faith community as part of a child’s education plan, because this experience, together as a family, is so important. If that is not possible, he or she may still be willing to guide you in the process, or you may be able to find a special educator or behavioral consultant who is happy to assist. If we accept that all people have a right to be welcomed into faith communities because we are all created by God, then we are morally bound to support the education that leads to participation in the full life of the community. In fact, you might envision learning how to participate in the worship life of the community as the beginning curriculum.
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A Journey Into Community
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