When Keith and Marta Laser moved their family across state lines, they were overjoyed to find a school specially suited for their 4-year-old son, Michael. The Lasers are Catholic. Michael is a special-needs child.

”The public schools in the area are superb,” says Keith, himself principal of a Catholic elementary school, “but they can't take care of the spiritual dimension of the students.”

The school they found is the John Paul II Center for Special Learning in Reading, Pa., where students go to daily religion classes, attend Mass and prepare to receive the sacraments.

One of three special-learning centers sponsored by the Catholic Social Agency of the Diocese of Allentown, Pa., this center is the only private one in its county. Last September, the center's 32 students and their staff moved into a new $1.5 million facility in Shillington, next to Precious Blood Convent. The location is perfect because Sister Francis Bisland of the Precious Blood Sisters founded the school in Reading in 1982.

In age, the students spread about evenly from 3 to 21. Half have Down syndrome; others have degrees of mental retardation and developmental disabilities. A few are autistic. Not all are Catholics. “A lot of non-Catholics feel we have a safe, nurturing environment,” explains Mary Adams, the center's principal.

During the daily 45 minutes of religious instruction, students learn everything from what forgiveness is to how to make sign of the cross. “Basically,” says Adams, “we're trying to get across the presence of Jesus — who he is and what he represents.”

Religion classes also prepare the Catholic children to receive first holy Communion or confirmation and participate fully in the life of the Church. Once they're ready, the children can opt to receive their sacraments at a school Mass or in their home parish. “By far,” says Adams, “they choose their own parish.”

”They're very excited when they receive Communion,” the principal says, “but they're also very aware of the reverence Jesus deserves. Some students may not be able to say the word ‘Jesus’ in speech, but they know what it means.”

Amazing Awe

Michael Laser already has an amazing understanding. He loves Mass and kneels in front of the Blessed Sacrament, says Keith. “He knows there's something special up there.”

Marta Laser applauds the center because it nurtures her son's natural love for God. She describes how, in the large metropolitan area where the family previously lived, Michael attended a public school. Once, when he bowed his head to say his grace before lunch, the teacher told him he was doing something that wasn't allowed.

”Children with special needs have this absolute reverence for Our Lord,” adds Marta. For this reason, she laments her out-of-state friends whose special-needs children have no Catholic school available to them.

In January, Michael and his fellow students counted more blessings when the center received permission to have the Blessed Sacrament reserved in the chapel.

”John Paul II Center is unlike most of our elementary schools insofar as it is not located geographically next to a parish church,” explained Allentown Bishop Edward Cullen in a recent statement. “In light of this reality, permission to reserve the Blessed Sacrament in their chapel was granted. It is my hope both staff and children will reap the unique blessings associated with prayer to and of Jesus in the Most Blessed Sacrament.”

Students can now visit Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament on a daily basis. Each class visits the chapel at least once a week, and they attend Mass as often. Every month the entire school attends Mass together.

There's always plenty of material for reflection in the chapel. “We try to gear things toward the season,” says Adams.

Every week a liturgical coordinator works with the students on music and liturgy, such as choosing readings for the Masses. Seminarians from St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in Philadelphia help with religious instruction and prepare some students to become altar servers here and in their home parishes. Keith Laser says he knows Michael will want to be an altar server.

At nearby St. Ignatius of Loyola Church, Msgr. James Treston speaks of two John Paul II Center graduates, 22 and 24 years old, who are altar servers at his parish. On occasion he has “some of the children come to our school's children's liturgy,” he says, explaining how students are paired up in a supportive “buddy system” for Mass.

Richard and Mary Deemer's 16-year-old son, Matthew, has been a student at the John Paul II Center since he was 5. The Deemers’ two older sons attended Catholic schools. “Having Matthew have that same opportunity is wonderful,” says his mother. “He deserves a Catholic education like his brothers had. Everybody here treats the students as people, and they know they're cared about.”

Matthew now reads at the third-grade level and can solve basic addition and subtraction equations. “He has confidence in that he speaks to other people and feels he has a part in things and puts his two cents into conversations,” Mary says.

Matthew was confirmed this past fall. “He was very excited about it,” says his happy mother. “He grasped that this is very important. He goes to Communion every time he goes to Mass, with reverence. He has that understanding. And that continues to be reinforced at the school.”

Special Witness

As a parent, a volunteer and now also the office secretary, Mary Deemer points out that the love of God is contagious among the student body. Seeing one another's example, “the children ‘get’ that [loving God] is important,” she says.

”And the students truly care about each other,” Mary adds. “The more capable help those less capable.” They'll even vie to see who pushes someone's wheelchair. “Even though they themselves have problems,” she says, “they're learning a lesson that others have worse problems than they do, and that they can help someone else. They're taught to treat each other as Christians.”

The Christian kindness now extends into a new program. Because of the new facility's size, the center could add a day program for young adults over 21 who can't work in the community to help them maintain abilities and skills they do have.

One beneficiary is Patrick Close, son of Dr. Richard and Virginia Close. He's been at the center the longest. Now 26, he started when he was 11. He has Down syndrome and is profoundly retarded, walking with assistance.

”It's been a wonderful place for Patrick,” says Virginia. “The philosophy of the school is always to let children reach their highest potential. There aren't a lot of children with Patrick's level of physical and mental retardation. So, with the smaller classes, he received a lot of attention.”

Patrick was confirmed at the Closes’ parish several years ago. At first Virginia hesitated because she understood confirmation meant being a “soldier of Christ,” proclaiming the faith. But she's ever grateful to a seminarian volunteer who told her and her husband: “Just Patrick being who he is — that's a wonderful example to others.”

At John Paul II Center, rewards cut both ways. Mary Deemer counts her special blessings. “It's neat to me being a parent and a staff member,” she says. “I get to see the kids every day.”

”We get so much out of the kids,” says Adams. “The kids remind you what's important and what the priorities are in life. They're an inspiration. You come in here glum and sad, but the kids make you smile.”

Joseph Pronechen writes from Trumbull, Connecticut.