The University of Notre Dame’s McGrath Institute for Church Life and the National Catholic Partnership on Disability (NCPD) are together hosting six online seminars in March and April to help develop pastoral guidance regarding the experiences and needs of persons with disabilities.

The online series, “In Communion: Advancing the Full Participation of Persons with Disabilities in the Church,” launched on March 7. Each seminar highlights a different angle on communion and participation and features three to four speakers.

The seminars were launched in light of an upcoming pastoral statement on disability and inclusion in the Church that was announced in June of last year. The USCCB Committee on Laity, Marriage, Family Life, and Youth, headed by Bishop Robert Barron of the Diocese of Winona-Rochester, Minnesota, will lead the drafting process.

Charleen Katra, executive director of NCPD, said that one of the central needs of the Church right now is “removal of barriers to access: from properties, liturgies, faith formation, and schools.”

“The gifts of persons living with disabilities are vast. When fully included in faith communities the entire community flourishes in the most surprising ways — much like in families,” she told CNA in an email. 

“Another need is for the Church to extend to persons with disabilities and their families our best efforts to support their spiritual journey and affirm their Catholic identity,” she said. 

“We are called to accompany all the faithful in sharing their challenges and blessings experienced in the body of Christ,” she continued. “We need persons with disabilities to slow us down and to see the world in another way. Calling each of us to be a better person: more patient, empathetic, and loving.”

“Through these seminars, we hope to help Church leadership understand that when persons with disabilities are welcomed — and invited to participate in all aspects of Church life — the body of Christ is more complete,” Katra said in a March 6 press release.

Each webinar is hosted by “a cross-disciplinary group of experts, including people with disabilities, theologians, clergy, laypeople, and professionals in the field,” the press release noted. 

“The content of these educational seminars is designed to communicate foundational and aspirational ideas that will be of special benefit to the committee members drafting the new statement, who we expect will want to attend the seminars or watch the archived footage,” Katra told CNA. 

“The needs and realities of the disability community vary from person to person,” she noted. “Hence, we intend to raise awareness and discuss as many lenses as possible via instructional content, panel discussions, case studies, and more.” 

Katra said the first seminar had “impressively high” attendance.

Clare Kilbane, the director of research and development for McGrath’s Digital Education Program, said in a press release that one important goal is to help leaders understand how “to welcome Church members who experience disability more fully into the life of the Church.” 

“We will look at how … the Church can welcome all members into greater communion and sharing of divine love, and each individual into a deeper relationship with God,” Kilbane said.

“We also plan to explore how methods of inclusion and intentional efforts to promote belonging can transform opportunities for relationship and faith development for all,” she added. 

Kilbane noted that the seminar is geared toward helping the authors of the pastoral letter engage with the experiences of people with disabilities as well as an appreciation for the gifts they have to offer.

The U.S. bishops have offered guidance in the past on inviting persons with disabilities into the Church, building off a foundational pastoral statement published in 1978.

The webinar will conclude with a presentation from Bishop Barron on April 25. 

When asked how individual parishes and communities can be more supportive of persons with disabilities, Katra emphasized the importance of “increased awareness of the needs of persons with disabilities and an appreciation for their gifts.” 

“Seek out training, which is now more readily available than ever, to become better equipped to respond proactively to all persons who desire growth in their faith and to be in communion with the Church,” she suggested. “Take an assessment of parish properties for accessibility. Raise awareness of issues and needs regarding autism and mental health, etc., via prayers of the faithful, in homilies, registration forms, and so on. Consider inviting a person with a disability to serve on a parish committee — faith formation, school, finance, or pastoral council to see your community through new eyes!”

The free online seminars began on March 7 and will continue on March 14 and 21, and April 11, 18, and 25, and are available to the public. To view the schedule or register, visit here. 

For more background on the USCCB’s 1978 pastoral statement, view the March 7 seminar here.