Catholicism and the Disabled

[WJeffrey]

A Jewish friend is encountering trouble with her developmentally disabled son and the way her son is being treated at their Temple. She asked me about the way that Catholics handled people with disabilities at Church services. I don’t know the answer.

I told her that I believed that a person could fully participate at Mass and receive communion so long as they intellectually reached the age of maturity, (I think that is the term) which is age 7. (I also hope that is correct.) Behavior issues are handled on a Parish by Parish basis, but Priests often will make accommodations for all of God’s children whether they are 2 or 92.

I believe that the Church has formulated some policies for all aspects of disabled peoples lives,(even outside of church service) but I do not know what they are or where to look for them. Her family has been treated quite poorly by people of her faith. She has been asking me questions about Catholicism a few times per week. I think she has noticed the change in my personality since I returned to the Church. This is the first time she has personalized it to her own family.

I’d like to give her some basic answers, and the ability to direct her to more specific information. I think there is a chance for evangelization, because her husband is an atheist and she makes the religious decisions for the family.

What are Catholic policies on the way the Church handles the lives of people with disabilities? Also, was my basic answer about Mass correct, or did I provide bad information?

 

[Wesrock]

I have not had a chance to read the full article, but this document from the USCCB should help.

usccb.org/beliefs-and-teachings/how-we-teach/catechesis/upload/guidelines-for-sacraments-disabilities.pdf

Edit: That said, people will be people. There is what there should be, and what there is. I hope that all communties treat those with disabilities as they should.

 

[InThePew]

What are Catholic policies on the way the Church handles the lives of people with disabilities? Also, was my basic answer about Mass correct, or did I provide bad information?

Answering the second question first, your answer to her was pretty much correct; although the issue is largely handled on a case by case by basis, as long as any person is (a) physically able to receive either or both of the Body and Blood and (b) can recognise / appreciate / understand it as being something special and so not ordinary food / drink then they should be able to receive the eucharist.

With the first question, I’m not aware of any policies as such although having said that there are likely to be numerous statements issued by individual bishops / bishops’ conferences as well as by Vatican bodies. as a more practical / pastoral level, the L’Arche community sprung to mind as an example of a Catholic organisation that actively promotes / advocates for the rights of the disabled. As well, a bit of googling found this - the website for the National Catholic Partnership on Disability which would appear to be a vertiable treasure trove of resources!

So while we don’t (strictly speaking) “evangelise” Jews, any opportunity for exercising pastoral concern to those in need is also an opportunity to witness to all that our faith offers.

Hope this helps!

 

[TimothyH]

I told her that I believed that a person could fully participate at Mass and receive communion so long as they intellectually reached the age of maturity, (I think that is the term) which is age 7. (I also hope that is correct.) Behavior issues are handled on a Parish by Parish basis, but Priests often will make accommodations for all of God’s children whether they are 2 or 92.

My understanding is that reception of the Eucharist has nothing to do with reaching an arbitrary age nor the level of maturity of the individual. Severely mental disability is not a barrier.

We shouldn’t deny anyone the Eucharist. If they are not competent to decide then their caregiver decides for them, just like anything else. As long as they are able to swallow and not profane the blessed sacrament then they should receive.

I am open to correction from someone more knowledgeable than I.

-Tim-

 

[1ke]

As for education/formation, most larger dioceses have resources for catechesis for those with disabilities. For example, here’s a page from the Austin Diocese’s website which lists many resources including materials in braille:

austindiocese.org/offices-ministries/offices/religious-education-formation-educaci%C3%B3n-y-formaci%C3%B3n-religiosa/special-0

For example, the Rose Kennedy curriculum for those with special needs:

comcenter.com/product/RCLB-S6900/Rose-Fitzgerald-Kennedy-Program/

And St Rose curriculum for those with autism:

autismreligiouseducation.net/

 

[CB_Catholic]

My understanding is that reception of the Eucharist has nothing to do with reaching an arbitrary age nor the level of maturity of the individual. Severely mental disability is not a barrier.

We shouldn’t deny anyone the Eucharist. If they are not competent to decide then their caregiver decides for them, just like anything else. As long as they are able to swallow and not profane the blessed sacrament then they should receive.

I am open to correction from someone more knowledgeable than I.

-Tim-

Eastern Catholics commune infants, and they cannot understand. I have seen severely mentally disabled people receive Communion with assistance from the caregivers in my parish. Maybe one of the priests can help with this question.

 

[TimothyH]

Eastern Catholics commune infants, and they cannot understand. I have seen severely mentally disabled people receive Communion with assistance from the caregivers in my parish. Maybe one of the priests can help with this question.

This is my experience. People who wouldn’t understand if you walked up and said “Hello” to them regularly receive the Eucharist. I distribute to them sometimes.

We also have a little girl in our parish, two or three years old, her parents were Eastern Orthodox. She regularly receives but they get in the priest’s line so that there is no misunderstanding.

The answer to the OP’s question is that the Church excludes no one from the gift of God’s grace because of mental or physical disability. On the contrary, they are the Church’s greatest treasure.

-Tim-

 

[Dorothy]

A Jewish friend is encountering trouble with her developmentally disabled son and the way her son is being treated at their Temple. She asked me about the way that Catholics handled people with disabilities at Church services. I don’t know the answer.

I told her that I believed that a person could fully participate at Mass and receive communion so long as they intellectually reached the age of maturity, (I think that is the term) which is age 7. (I also hope that is correct.) Behavior issues are handled on a Parish by Parish basis, but Priests often will make accommodations for all of God’s children whether they are 2 or 92.

I believe that the Church has formulated some policies for all aspects of disabled peoples lives,(even outside of church service) but I do not know what they are or where to look for them. Her family has been treated quite poorly by people of her faith. She has been asking me questions about Catholicism a few times per week. I think she has noticed the change in my personality since I returned to the Church. This is the first time she has personalized it to her own family.

I’d like to give her some basic answers, and the ability to direct her to more specific information. I think there is a chance for evangelization, because her husband is an atheist and she makes the religious decisions for the family.

What are Catholic policies on the way the Church handles the lives of people with disabilities? Also, was my basic answer about Mass correct, or did I provide bad information?

I can only answer for my own parish that I am familiar with. When there is someone with a walker who walks very slowly, their caregiver, or even themselves can get the attention of an usher (they are very available) before Mass and make it known that they would like to receive where they are sitting. This is then taken care of by the priest or an extraordinary minister of the Eucharist during communion time.

Some parishioners have mobile devices that they handle well and use them to go up the aisle to receive.

There was a lady in our parish who was an extraordinary minister of the Eucharist and used to use her mobile device to take the Eucharist to several people in a very nearby assisted living residence.

There are adequate reserved parking places designated for those disabled with a visible sign on their car that shows they need to park in those areas.

There is a door at the side of the church where there are no steps where those who need to enter that way can.

Of course, communication helps for those families with adults or children that may need assistance of some kind for CCD or other events. They may need to talk to a priest privately if they are new to the parish and what is available.

Peace,

Dorothy

 

[Josie33]

You might want to check out Catholic Disability Teachings. According to the site, “[t]his website is dedicated to providing Catholic teachings and suggestions to assist persons with disabilities to participate more fully in the Church. If you are from another religious tradition, this website is a way for us to share our beliefs about persons with disabilities.”

God bless

 

[phil19034]

I’ve been to a Mass with a disabled person and the priest walk to that person to give them communion before the rest of the parish receives. Many parishes have a section in the some of the first pews dedicated for wheelchairs. Our Cathedral, for example, removed a few sections of some of the first row pews in order to turn them into wheelchair access areas.

The Cathedral also has two side doors with ramps (and we are talking about a Cathedral built in the 1800s)

Also, a number of modern Churches have “cry rooms” where loud children (or loud people with disabilities) can go. Parishes with them are typically used to the noise.

There are also a number of Catholic schools for the mentally disabled and/or challenged. I know of a few in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia and one in the Diocese of Wilmington (Delaware, where I was born).

 

[Phemie]

Eastern Catholics commune infants, and they cannot understand. I have seen severely mentally disabled people receive Communion with assistance from the caregivers in my parish. Maybe one of the priests can help with this question.

What applies to Eastern Rite Catholics doesn’t always apply to Latin Rite Catholics. Children in the Latin Rite don’t receive Communion until the age of reason.
Can. 913 §1. The administration of the Most Holy Eucharist to children requires that they have sufficient knowledge and careful preparation so that they understand the mystery of Christ according to their capacity and are able to receive the body of Christ with faith and devotion.

§2. The Most Holy Eucharist, however, can be administered to children in danger of death if they can distinguish the body of Christ from ordinary food and receive communion reverently.

 

[CB_Catholic]

What applies to Eastern Rite Catholics doesn’t always apply to Latin Rite Catholics. Children in the Latin Rite don’t receive Communion until the age of reason.
Can. 913 §1. The administration of the Most Holy Eucharist to children requires that they have sufficient knowledge and careful preparation so that they understand the mystery of Christ according to their capacity and are able to receive the body of Christ with faith and devotion.

§2. The Most Holy Eucharist, however, can be administered to children in danger of death if they can distinguish the body of Christ from ordinary food and receive communion reverently.

I am well aware of that, I’m not ignorant when it comes to my religion. I was merely pointing out that when First Communion is received is not consistent across the Catholic Church, and there are other views on this than the Latin view.

 

[TimothyH]

What applies to Eastern Rite Catholics doesn’t always apply to Latin Rite Catholics. Children in the Latin Rite don’t receive Communion until the age of reason.
Can. 913 §1. The administration of the Most Holy Eucharist to children requires that they have sufficient knowledge and careful preparation so that they understand the mystery of Christ according to their capacity and are able to receive the body of Christ with faith and devotion.

§2. The Most Holy Eucharist, however, can be administered to children in danger of death if they can distinguish the body of Christ from ordinary food and receive communion reverently.

It was not always this way in the Church. What you have cited is Western church discipline, not revealed truth.

Note that it says children must understand the mystery of Christ “according to their capacity.” Capacity varies with age.

-Tim-

 

[ProVobis]

It was not always this way in the Church. What you have cited is Western church discipline, not revealed truth.

Note that it says children must understand the mystery of Christ “according to their capacity.” Capacity varies with age.

True. It’s pretty subjective but I would think that one should be able to distinguish ordinary bread from consecrated bread, which has the substance of the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Christ. That is, in order to fit the Canon.

Picking an age which is one-size-fits-all within a certain culture does have some advantages, however. Provides a community atmosphere for one thing, or at least it should. Confession should be pushed for the same reasons, I would think.

 

[babochka]

What applies to Eastern Rite Catholics doesn’t always apply to Latin Rite Catholics. Children in the Latin Rite don’t receive Communion until the age of reason.
Can. 913 §1. The administration of the Most Holy Eucharist to children requires that they have sufficient knowledge and careful preparation so that they understand the mystery of Christ according to their capacity and are able to receive the body of Christ with faith and devotion.

§2. The Most Holy Eucharist, however, can be administered to children in danger of death if they can distinguish the body of Christ from ordinary food and receive communion reverently.

This is a pretty low standard, really. I have seen 2-year-old children receive Holy Communion with a great deal of reverence and I’ve seen 10-year-old children (and teens and even adults) receive with irreverence. As far as distinguishing it from ordinary food, I’ve always wondered about that standard. Are they to distinguish with their senses? That cannot be, because none of us can do that. If you show me a consecrated host next to an unconsecrated host, I cannot distinguish which one is the Body and Blood of Christ. Are they to distinguish from context? Your average 2-3 year old who has been taught can certainly tell you that when we receive Holy Communion, we receive Jesus. If you ask such a child, “What are the people doing? What is Father doing?” at Communion time, many will answer, “Receiving Jesus.” Do they get it? No, but neither do I. I assume that nothing more than that should be applied to a person with an intellectual disability in order for that person to receive Holy Communion. I could be totally off-base with this and I don’t really know what the standard is. Aside from Eastern Catholic children attending Mass, the lowest age that I know a child to have received Communion in the Latin rite was five.

 

[babochka]

True. It’s pretty subjective but I would think that one should be able to distinguish ordinary bread from consecrated bread, which has the substance of the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Christ. That is, in order to fit the Canon.

It is pretty subjective, and foreign to the very cut-and-dried Latin mindset. But how does one distinguish? How do you distinguish between ordinary bread and Holy Communion? I do so by context. If I’m at Mass or Divine Liturgy, I have been present for the consecration and believe it to have occurred. I see the priest with a chalice, distributing Holy Communion. If I’m in the hospital and somebody brings me Holy Communion, I distinguish it because that person has told me that it is Holy Communion and my knowledge of the faith tells me that Holy Commuion is the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Christ. My 3-year-old makes that distinction in the exact same way. When I bring my baby up for Communion, I whisper to her that we are going to receive Jesus. She’s not old enough to understand right now, but by the time she is 2 or 3, she will know who Jeus is and she will have been told her whole life that she is receiving him. Isn’t that enough for someone with limited capacity?

I can see the advantage to a one-size-fits-all, especially in cases where you have a large parish and the children are not individually known to the pastor. They have to start somewhere and canon law presumes that it has occurred by the 7th birthday, so that is where parishes generally start.

Provides a community atmosphere for one thing, or at least it should. Confession should be pushed for the same reasons, I would think.

ProVobis, did you just praise the value of a community atmosphere?

I’m not sure what you mean that Confession should be pushed for the same reasons.

 

[ProVobis]

ProVobis, did you just praise the value of a community atmosphere?

I’m not sure what you mean that Confession should be pushed for the same reasons.

Yes, but not in the sense that you think. I just feel going to confession and receiving communion AS A CLASS AT THE AGE OF REASON reinforces the proper understanding of the faith for that group. (The age of reason is what is normally used for being able to make a good confession but again this is somewhat subjective.) Generally, though, you hope that if several members can get the basic concepts (mortal sin, Real Presence, etc) then the whole class will eventually.

I realize you’re speaking from an Eastern standpoint of receiving as early as possible so I know your arguments will be different than mine in most respects here.

 

[babochka]

Yes, but not in the sense that you think. I just feel going to confession and receiving communion AS A CLASS AT THE AGE OF REASON reinforces the proper understanding of the faith for that group. (The age of reason is what is normally used for being able to make a good confession but again this is somewhat subjective.) Generally, though, you hope that if several members can get the basic concepts (mortal sin, Real Presence, etc) then the whole class will eventually.

I can definitely see how this could be an advantage. Even with getting kids to go to Confession, it is easier if you’ve got a class or group of the same age going. There’s a certain amount of positive peer pressure and the support of a group that makes it easier.

I realize you’re speaking from an Eastern standpoint of receiving as early as possible so I know your arguments will be different than mine in most respects here.

Yes, I am coming at this from an Eastern perspective, but mostly I’m trying to work through how the principles and practices of the Latin Rite might be most generously applied to developmentally delayed individuals so that they can receive the Sacraments. In this case, would the Church consider the understanding that a 3-year-old is capable of communion to be sufficient? Or is more required?

 

[MissRose73]

In my parish, there is a young lady with Downs who receives Communion regularly and does so reverently. She behaves well most of the time too when she comes to Mass with her parents.

We do have a few disabled people who attend Mass on a regular basis, some with mental disabilities and some others with physical disabilities. Some do receive Communion, others don’t.