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• Invite those in your parish who are homebound or those who have disabilities to become a part of your Respect Life Committee
• Attend the monthly God's Special Children Mass
• Reach out to caregivers in your parish to see if they could use a break
• Provide prayer cards to those who visit the homebound in your parish
• Connect with your Advocate for Persons with Disabilities in your parish; if you do not have one, speak to your pastor about finding a volunteer for this position

 

• Padua Communities Services through Catholic Charities — comprehensive and specialized care for children and adults with disabilities
• Deaf Apostolate for the Archdiocese
• St. Michael's Special School
• God's Special Children - Monthly Mass for children with disabilities and their families and your parish can create a buddy program with the CYO
• Peace with Dementia Rosary  Assistance & support for caregivers
• Handicapped Encounter Christ - retreat for physically disabled persons of all faiths Contact Peter (504) 421-1200 or Carol (504) 577-1415
• Learning resources for those with special needs, including materials for sacramental preparation, are available from Loyola Press.   
• Xavier Society for the Blind produces braille books on spiritual and religious topics, & provides braille catechetical textbooks for students in religious education courses & the Propers of the Sunday Mass. Call 212-473-7800.
• Commission on People with Disabilities
• Inclusive Mass at Blessed Francis Seelos Catholic Church - Every Sunday, 9:30 am, 3037 Dauphine St. 
• Teen Time Hangouts - Gives teens with autism ages 13-17 an opportunity to interact with peers, play games, practice social skills, and build friendships. 

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• Prayer for those with Disabilities:
  Lord Jesus Christ,  You know the pain of brokenness, You took our weaknesses upon Your shoulders and bore it to the wood of the cross. Hear our prayers for our brothers and sisters whose bodies fail them and whose minds are crippled by the ravages of disease. Implant a love for them deep within our hearts, that we, disfigured and disabled by our sin, may treasure and nurture the gifts of their lives. May we find You in their weakness, and console You in our care for them. For You are Lord, forever and ever.  Amen
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• Prayer for those with Disabilities (for younger children to pray):
• Dear Jesus, sometimes people have problems that do not allow them to do everything that most people can do.  Help us to always remember that even though a person may not be able to move or think or do many things that they are still just as valuable to you and to us as everyone else.  May we always help those who are weaker or less able to do things both by our prayers and our actions whenever a person needs help.  Please protect those who are disabled or elderly in all that they do.  In Jesus' name, we pray...Amen.
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• Prayer for Caregivers:
• Healer of souls & comforter of the weary, help to lighten the burden of families who are caring for their sick loved ones.  Accompany them on their journey and ease their anxiety and fears. Surround them with the love and strength of others, so they may experience the healing presence of the communion of saints. We ask this through the intercession of Our Lady of Lourdes and in the name of your Son, Jesus and the Holy Spirit, now and forever. Amen.

From the USCCB’s Welcome and Justice for Persons with Disabilities:
“Defense of the right to life implies the defense of all other rights that enable the individual with the disability to achieve the fullest measure of personal development of which he or she is capable. These include the right to equal opportunity in education, in employment, in housing, and in health care, as well as the right to free access to public accommodations, facilities, and services.”