Catholicism and Learning Disabilities

[Beanmistriss]

Hi everyone :) Can anyone tell me if there are any specific beliefs regarding people with learning disabilities with in the English Catholic Church today. Also are there any attitudes to disability which are commonly found among people who would regularly attend church. Also can anyone tell me the specific role that an alter server has. Thanks very much

[malaise]

Not entirely relevant, but I work as a support worker for adults with profound learning disabilities. One of the service users at my project is assisted to visit his great grannie quite often, a staunch catholic, who frequently says things such as "he'll get his voice in heaven" and to the suport workers, "he'll get you both to heaven" (presumably we get to go to heaven because we look after him). I think it's common to believe that people with learning disabilities are poor wee lambs and will get to be "free" when they're in heaven. Clearly they haven't seen the carnage that this guy in particular creates, haha.

Don't actually know what the church's "official" stance on it is, though.

[arwenant]

the Roman Catholic Church is Chrisian and so does not ever discriminate against people about their disabilities, it would not even be necessary to write specific views of certain handicaps as this would be seen as discriminatory. the only things the Pope has commented on recently have been the Euthanasia (or right to die) law that was slipped through parliament, it is a thing that Roman Catholicism would never agree to in any circumstance whatsoever as with abortion.

an altar server has seceral roles within a Roman Catholic Mass and primarily they are there to assist the priest with the smothness of a Mass. i was an altar server for several years when younger and it involves putting out the vestments for the priest and setting out the altar before the Mass begins but also during the mass should something have been forgotten its the severs responsibility to sort it out discreetly. i hope this helps i can add more detail if you require it

[Jennykins]

Hi, arwenant said it all .. The Catholic church would not ever look down on a person just because God made them extra special.. We all have disabilites.. they just very from small to big ... I have two brothers that have very BIG disabilities in two very different ways.. and one brother who looks and acts a bit different then the other 15 year old boys is very involved in church and travels with the teen group. As for the attitudes you say people show to disablitilty found in church.. well .. either your in the wrong church ..( haha).. or maybe what your seeing is something you make your self see.. almost expecting attitude.. so if somebody glanses your way you think there staring??? Its just a thought..Trust me Iam VERY protective over my brothers.. But sometimes I think a little to much into the situation.

You have a great day, and I hope you get the answers your looking for .. JEN

[Beanmistriss]

Thanks for the responses. The reason I was asking is cos one of the guys I support was asked by someone else who works with us to be an alter server at the church he attends. We were trying to figure out whether it was cos they thought that he would be able to make a valuable contribution or cos he would make it look good and all encompassing and everyone would go ahhhh isn't that sweet. We turned down the offer this morning after discussion with the guy when it became clear that he had no understanding of the rituals he would be part of and thank the lord! we did. When we told the man who had asked him he said that this guy had not been asked for specifically but they had asked did we, and I quote, "have any downs syndrome" who could take part cos they do in other churches and it's very nice. I think there in lies the answer to my original question. Cheers everyone :) x

[Jennykins]

I think people look WAY to into things sometimes

[Beanmistriss]

Nope soz Jennykins we didn't look WAY into it. The simple fact is they wanted someone with downs to make them look and feel good. Nowt to do with the contribution that specific individual could make or how they could make him be a more active part of the community. Anyone of our guys there would have done - as long as they had downs.

Also your comment about "god making them extra special" was one of the kind of attitudes I was questioning really. There is nothing extra special about them - they're same as me and you. Thanks for responding tho :)

[Jennykins]

And no there not the same.. just like we are not the same.. we are all different.. And they are extra special because they were born with a challenge very different than the average person... For my brothers that have disabilites they know they are different then the other boys there age and to them its just the way it is... and because of that.. to me ... they are EXTRA special.. and they allways will be... a "normal" person could never poses the beautiful quaities they have..

I hope you all find peace in a church with your friend. A Church is a place a prayer to keep us together with faith. Not a place to pretend to like each other for statis.

Jen Have a wicked awesome day!

[malaise]

Beanmistriss: "There is nothing extra special about them - they're same as me and you. "

Couldn't have put it better myself. Evidently we work in similar sectors! ;)

I am also pretty sure that, yes, normal people can posess "beautiful qualities", just like disabled people can posess pretty awful ones. x

[Jennykins]

Theres nothing extra special.. WHAT EVER !! bX