Project: Adam's Pew

Please Sign Our Petition to US Council of Catholic Bishops (USCCB)

Reverend Council of Catholic Bishops,

“In accord with the knowledge, competence, and preeminence which they possess, they (the Christian faithful) have the right and even at times a DUTY to manifest to the sacred pastors their opinions on matters which pertain to the good of the Church, and they have a right to make their opinion known to the other Christian faithful, with due regard for the integrity of faith and morals and reverence toward their pastors, and with consideration for the common good and dignity of persons.” (Canon 212, par. 3, emphasis mine)  In fulfillment of the obligations under this canon the following letter is being sent to you, our most Reverend Shepherds of the Universal Catholic Church:

Out of deep respect for your pastoral care for the faithful of the United States, we, the undersigned bring forth for your prayerful consideration the spiritual needs of many members of the Catholic faith who have been unable to participate fully in worship in our Church.  We recognize in our human dignity, as being made in the image and likeness of God, both our inalienable right to be received into the church through the sacraments of initiation and the religious education which accompanies those sacraments, as well as to be included into the life of the local parishes, (Canon 213, 217), and our obligations,  including that of regular attendance at the Eucharistic celebration (Canon 897, 898, 912) and to raise our children in the faith, (Canon 851 par 2).

We, therefore, humbly petition you, our Shepherds, to strengthen the resolve of the 1978 Pastoral Statement of the US Catholic Bishops on People with Disabilities.  While we applaud the 1978 Pastoral, which has inaugurated a massive movement toward inclusion of persons with disabilities into the life of the Church, we find that yet, for some persons, the doors of the Church remain closed for those who are disabled mentally or physically.  These barriers remain in place due to lack of education and on occasion, because there is currently no mandate on local priests and parishes to implement them.  It has been a full generation since the US Pastoral has been written, and while we applaud the works of the National Catholic Partnership on Disability, and the many diocesan offices of disability ministry, there remains for some the constant anguish of not being able to attend Mass or participate in the life of the Church.   For some of these individuals, each Sunday brings about great pain because of their inability to be welcomed as full members of their parish community, rather than the deep joy that should be present by full inclusion into the mystery of the Eucharistic celebration.  Since the Mass is the source and summit of Christian life, (Lumen Gentium 11), how are these individuals with disabilities able to live out their calling when they are unable to receive the very source of Life?

We ask you to prayerfully consider commissioning a study of the pastoral to see where improvements can be made in its implementation.  Additionally, we would like you to consider requiring education at the seminary level as well as the annual diocesan conferences for presbyters and deacons on the spiritual significance of including people with all levels of disability in Church life, as well as in terms of social justice.  Finally, we would like you to consider making accommodations for the disabled mandatory for all parishes, in that a task force could be set up in each diocese with possible appeal to the National Catholic Partnership on Disability, to implement reasonable accommodations for those who ask for them. 

Sincerely yours in Christ,

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