The Unexpected Blessings of Serving Those With Special Needs During the Pandemic| National Catholic Register

For the Catholic ministries that serve the disabled, the COVID-19 pandemic called them to adapt their approaches.  “I kind of smiled when this all started, because in the disability community, ‘adapt’ is our middle name,” said Charleen Katra, executive director of the National Catholic Partnership on Disability.  The disability community isn’t a monolith. As parents and diocesan leaders had to rethink how to provide catechesis, fellowship and access to the sacraments, their efforts had as many outcomes as the people they serve. In some regards, the isolation from the lockdowns took a greater toll on people with developmental disabilities, while the new virtual landscape opened new doors of outreach to people who for too long have been missing from the pews.  “I think a blessing in disguise has come out of it because it is more acceptable to use virtual platforms,” Katra said. “We can reach more people now, especially the disability community, because they’ve always been more isolated and disadvantaged.” 

The Unexpected Blessings of Serving Those With Special Needs During the Pandemic| National Catholic Register