Autism

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I don’t agree that autistic person should become hermits…
There has to be a balance and therefore people who are introvert or very much locked up in themselves, don’t fit for contemplative life.
 
moonlight87 said:
I don’t agree that autistic person should become hermits…
There has to be a balance and therefore people who are introvert or very much locked up in themselves, don’t fit for contemplative life.
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I will attempt to communicate more clearly.

I am aware that “extroverts make the best cloistered nuns,” but that is throwing a roadblock before God and His choice of who to call to the cloister.

We cannot force those with ASD to communicate with those they are not comfortable with. Those on the spectrum often have intuitive/emphathic gifts which are developed through prayer. One person with autism I know of has an intuitive gift for describing Down Syndrome children to their parents – sometimes from a distance. Through a regular lifestyle of following a timetable, the spectrum person can actually develop spiritually to the point of being able to communicate with others.

Since we have the vocation to solitude – meaning it is an option within the church – I don’t see why we cannot inform them of such an option, and permit them to develop spiritually through desert spirituality. As I said on one of the sites, persons with ASD follow rules, and the One Rule is God’s Will. USE of sacramentals like the rosary and chaplets, without obsessing over them, is helpful to growing closer to God. A challenge would be getting them to follow the rule that chaplets, etc., are to be used as a tool to grow in holiness, and not get wrapped around their physical beauty.

What I see is a world full of neurotypicals trying to force ASD to communicate on NT terms. Even TEACCH says “You don’t have to make eye contact, just let me know you’ve heard me.” Yes, there has to be a balance, but on the ASD person’s terms, not the NT world’s.

I’m not saying that persons on the spectrum shouldn’t try to be taught to communicate. Doing so has to be on their level. I should know, I have an affected child.

This is our experience here in North Carolina, where we have a LOT of autism. Such may not be quite as prominent in other areas.

Blessings,
Cloisters
 
well joe, because you’ve convinced your son that mass must be done, he has to like doing it because autistics love to follow the rules. any opposition to mass is put down, so how on earth is he gonna say he hates it?
 
HDLSeanWileyTin said:
well joe, because you’ve convinced your son that mass must be done, he has to like doing it because autistics love to follow the rules. any opposition to mass is put down, so how on earth is he gonna say he hates it?
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Well, he doesn’t talk at all yet, so that’s probably the main reason he doesn’t say that he hates it. 😉

It’s my job to convince all my children that they must go to Mass – autism or not. It would make things much easier for me if my son followed all the rules I put in place, but, alas, he does not. Or if he does, it’s for about five seconds. 😛 Now that the weather is getting warmer, he’ll cry for about ten seconds when we turn down the street to go to Church because he realizes we are going to Church and not the park. But after that he’s good. 🙂
 
I think the best place to start with anyone discerning a vocation is to have a Spiritual Director they meet with on a very regular basis (ex: once or twice a month) and discuss their discernment with them.

A Spiritual Director will help you to understand where God may be leading you.
 
i believe i should try doing TV mass while using communion of the sick due to my sensory issues. if your children start to get sensitive, then it be best to let them leave when they have to.
 
HDLSeanWileyTin said:
i believe i should try doing TV mass while using communion of the sick due to my sensory issues. if your children start to get sensitive, then it be best to let them leave when they have to.
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I know a Catholic who worked for a pagan, who refused to take her to Mass. The only other choice she had was to have hosts on hand and watch a live TV Mass, holding the host up to the TV at the consecration. That way, she would be able to have communion. Please pray for her, as I haven’t heard from her in over a year.

Blessings,
Cloisters
 
And of course, to become a hermit is easier, but its still just as much of a loving challenge as religious life. I am sure any of them can take the challenge and do it well. I can name many examples of disabled people that were great saints or could be on their way to becoming one. Any skepticism towards our weaker brothers and sisters is not kind and comes from Satan. He believes might makes right. There is a Carthusian monk that is completely blind. He is doing very well in his community. There is a blind Priest. There is a blind nun and she was able to enter a mainstream religious order. The world iks filled with our Lord’s love, if only we would look and realise.

Now, to answer the question Henry was curious about. Yes, I believe some of them may be suited to the hermit life, especially if its their call. Sometimes, you have to try something to realise that is what Jesus is calling you to. Thank you for caring. I hope I have been of help.

Comparing blindness to the Autism spectrum is not a fair comparison. As another poster said autistic people are a blessing to the people whose lives they are apart of. Im not understanding what you mean when you say being a hermit would be easier for an autistic person? Being a hermit is a difficult vocation for anyone as we are social creatures. What scares me about this topic is the notion that other people would benefit from austistic people becoming hermits.
 
Hypothesis:** IF **persons with ASD tend toward solitude, THEN lay or canonical eremitism could indeed be their vocation.

If solitude is the praxis for eremitism, and ASD persons tend more toward solitude, why not turn that solitude into a religious experience? That would be the first level – an introduction to religious solitude, if the ASD person has faith.

The second level would be their growing through such an experience. Being grounded in God would lead to improved communication, through the help of the Holy Ghost.

A third stage of the process could lead to actual canonical eremitism, should the person with ASD, along with their spiritual director, and caretakers, agree that canonical eremitism is where they are being called.

When I was at Division TEACCH in Greensboro, NC, learning “common threads” that would assist in caring for my affected son, I had a conversation with one of the trainers, who mentioned a lack of “autistic spirituality” resources. He was most interested in hearing what I had to say. The NC Autism Society was also supportive of any efforts of forming religious associations for persons on the spectrum, whether it be an eremitical network, or an actual religious institute.

When I make a reference to blindness, it is simply from the point of view of having lived the ASD life, and having an affected child, and seeing braille used for those with severe reading disability. I have pondered learning braille and sign language both myself, wondering if I could learn/read easier through use of these methods. I tested out at 96 out of 100 on the ADD scale – .“severe inattentive” ADD. I am grateful for Missals in the pews, although I am getting better at closing my eyes and listening. Shutting off the visual helps the auditory. Lectio Divina, however, is a great challenge.

I do hope this clears things up.

Blessings,
Cloisters
 
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