May 27, 2008
Hi everyone…Please take a moment to read the below story this blog refers to so we can be on the same page…
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Priest Bans Autistic Boy From Church
Mom Told She’d Be Sent to Jail if She Brought Autistic Son to Church
BERTHA, Minn.
May 19, 2008
A Catholic priest has filed a restraining order against the parents of a severely autistic 13-year-old boy in an effort to keep him from attending the church in Bertha on Sundays. The Rev. Daniel Walz alleges that Adam Race’s unruly behavior endangers others who attend the Church of St. Joseph. Race’s parents have ignored the restraining order, calling it discriminatory, and Carol Race, Adam’s mother, was cited by police and is due to appear in court on Monday for violating the order. “He said that we did not discipline our son. He said that our son was physically out of control and a danger to everyone at church,” Carol Race said. “I can’t discipline him out of his autism, and I think that’s what our priest is expecting.” Carol Race said it all started last June, when Walz and a church trustee visited the Races at their home address the behavior of Adam, who stands taller than six feet and weighs more than 225 pounds. In an affidavit, Walz said the church “explored and offered many options for accommodations that would assist the family while protecting the safety of parishioners. The family refused those offers of accommodation.”
Carol Race said the family of seven, which has attended St. Joseph since 1996, typically sat in the cry room or in the back pew to keep avoid disrupting the services and did not hear a complaint from the parishioners until Walz showed up at their home in June. Even after the restraining order was served, the family continued going to the church and would leave during the closing hymn to avoid contact with others, Carol Race said. The Diocese of St. Cloud issued a statement saying the petition was filed “as a last resort out of a growing concern for the safety of parishioners and other community members due to disruptive and violent behavior on the part of that child.” Walz said the boy’s behavior worsened over time, telling authorities that Adam has been “extremely disruptive and dangerous” since last summer. According to Walz, Adam struck a child during mass, nearly knocks elderly parishioners over when he hastily exits the church, spits and sometimes urinates in church and fights when he is being restrained.
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Okay…here’s what I think! A church is a place for all believers, for those who want to learn more about faith, belief, their Savior and a place for those of us who want to associate with other like-minded believers. Why shouldn’t this family be allowed to be there with their loved ones…ALL of them…and sit wherever they choose. My Heavenly Father loves him just as much as any other one of us…I see nothing wrong with the family being in His House to worship along with everyone else. I can tell you this, if I was told that my family was un-welcomed, I’d find a new church! There is NEVER A REASON TO DISCRIMINATE against someone based on such…and that’s exactly what this is! This is wrong as far as I’m concerned, but particularly vile when it comes to the church. The members, pastors, all there should in pratice what they preach and encourage and love this family with their support. We need to recognize that this child, as all of us as believers, are God’s own, and as such, one of THEIR own in the Church Family. It’s un-thinkable! So, what do YOU think?
Lisa
May 27th, 2008 at 12:08 pm
I disagree. If a child is being disruptive in church and ruining others from enjoying THEIR chance to worship, then the child (or in this case adult) should be removed. It would drive me crazy if I felt this boy was a danger to me or my children. The boy has been known to be violent towards others and to urinate in church! How good is it for everyone else if someone in the back is urinating??? And no, the mother may not hear complaints but I’m sure the priest did. Why should one person (who probably doesn’t even understand why he’s in church or what it’s for if he’s autistic) ruin the experience for everyone else? If it wasn’t handled… and the priest did nothing… I’d leave the church.
July 24th, 2008 at 1:09 am
I agree. I can see the mother’s point, however; when the child is endangering others or inhibiting their worship then something should be done about it. It is just not fair to others.
August 15th, 2008 at 11:02 pm
Speaking from expeience I am from an Indipendant Baptist Church and we had a guy there who suffered from a anurisim and left him severily handicapped.
He was in his thirty’s but had to rely on his parents for each day of his life. When he talked he seldom made good sense and he was very loud but the Lord blessed him to still be able to sing in church. And need I say he and his family were very good at singing. His favorite song to sing was I CAN’T EVEN WALK WITHOUT YOU HOLDING MY HAND.Every time that he sang this it was so beautiful. The message from the song, his wonderful voice and the fact the song was very true about his life. Each time he sang this song in church there would never be a dry eye and there was many who were led to God through his singing and songs. Yes he blurted out in church but we all were thankful for him. Alot of the time he would ring out with aloud AMen or Praise The Lord that showed us that the Lord could still reach him and love him. He died approx. one year ago and the church hasn’t been the same. He is missed very much and is still praised and thanked for the wonderful songs and testimonies he gave that reached many that he didn’t even realize. These people can be a blessing and the Lord can still use them in his preparations. I read the KJV Bible and I believe the Bible when it says we shouldn’t judge others and this seems to be what happened to the boy you spoke of. Each person should examine his or her own life and find their true relationship with God. We are all his children and we’re all brothers and sisters in Christ we should love our neighbor and help to share God’s word with ALL.