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Office for Persons with Disabilities

“We are a single flock under the care of a single shepherd. There can be no separate Church for persons with disabilities.” (Welcome & Justice, par.1)

News, Updates and Events


Recently the Disability Office held four Building a Culture of Life workshops in different locations to educate and encourage anyone who may want to become involved in any of the five initiatives.  The initiatives are as follows: 

Be Not Afraid Ministry – A peer support ministry that supports parents carrying to term following a poor prenatal diagnosis (PPD).  The focus of support changes as the pregnancy progresses and volunteers include peer ministers who engage parents and journey with them based on the shared experiences of having carried to term with a PPD and/or having experienced a perinatal loss. Volunteers support parents by way of prayer sponsorship, funeral planning, the making of burial gowns, assistance with childcare and meals, translating, etc.

Christian Formation Support – Special Education Committee that will work with the Office of Catholic Education to help ensure that Catholics with disabilities are nourished in their faith and are able to receive the sacraments.  The committee will find resources for the parishes, e.g. special ed materials, professionals or parents that can educate the catechists on disabilities, aides and/or student mentors to help in the classroom.

Christian Support Groups/Social Groups Initiative – This Committee will help mentor parishes in setting up support groups  for families of individuals with intellectual disabilities/developmental disabilities (formerly known as mental retardation), including autism.  This committee will also help mentor parishes who want to start a Social Group for individuals with disabilities, i.e. Capernaum, an ecumenical social club that provides an opportunity for individuals to get-together, have fun, and learn about Christ.

Disability Awareness Youth Initiative - This Committee will seek to raise awareness of disabilities to the youth of our diocese.  This will be done through a participatory project of learning first hand what it is like to have a disability. Further, awareness will be raised through Kids on the Block puppet presentations.  The youth in our churches are valuable untapped resources and can act as mentors to the youth with disabilities, and/or participate in the awareness presentations, e.g. Kids on the Block and/or Disability Awareness Project.

Mental Health Awareness Initiative – This Committee will consist of people who have knowledge of Mental Illness.  One in four persons will have mental illness at some point in their life.  Because of the stigma of mental illness, individuals and their families often do not come forward. This Committee will work to raise awareness through education and provide hope through Christian Support Groups.

If you would like more information, please contact Nita Grignol at 804 622-5260 or ngrignol@richmonddiocese.org  


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