TAYLORSVILLE — The annual diocesan Catholics Can Mass, which recognizes the contributions of those with disabilities, is an opportunity to “share the wonderful gifts of these men and women to the Church,” Bishop Oscar A. Solis said at this year’s Mass, celebrated Sept. 15 at St. Martin de Porres Catholic Church.
Fr. Jan Bednarz, pastor, concelebrated the Mass.
The Catholic Church is a welcoming place, and the presence of those with disabilities “is a testimony of how God loves each and every one of us, no matter how different we are … We are still members of one family, we are brothers and sisters in God,” the bishop said.
In his homily, the bishop reflected on the Gospel reading from the 15th chapter of Luke. The parables related in the reading were about God seeking the return of the lost sheep, the lost coin and the prodigal son to his fold, the bishop said. God is merciful, loving and forgiving, and “we are all sinners, but the good news is that there is always hope for sinners. … We have a loving, forgiving and merciful God. All we have to do is believe in him and approach him, knowing that his arms are widespread to welcome us back, embrace us with his love and tell us, ‘I still love you.’”
At the conclusion of the Mass, Cindi Vega, chairperson for the Diocese of Salt Lake City Commission for People with Disabilities, spoke to the congregation.
“Today we are celebrating the gifts and talents of Catholics with disabilities,” Vega said.
One goal of the commission is to ensure that people with disabilities feel welcome when they come to church, Vega said. The commission helps parishes provide resources to serve those with disabilities.
Vega pointed out that not all disabilities are immediately obvious. She gave the example of her brother, who has a disability, but “if you look at him without talking to him, he looks like a normal guy.”
Having the parish provide tools such as assisted listening devices can help parishioners with disabilities participate, she said.
“We want to be able to participate in Mass, stand up when you stand up, sing along with everyone, pray along with everybody,” she said.
Parishes can also offer opportunities for people with disabilities to serve, Vega said. For example, she is blind, but with materials in Braille from the St. Xavier Society for the Blind, she is able to serve as a lector at her parish. She also is an extraordinary minister of Holy Communion.
“We people with disabilities want to give back. We want to be able to participate in parish life, be a part of a ministry,” she said. “We want to give back. We don’t always want to be served, we want to give back.”
After Vega spoke, Bishop Solis complimented her, saying, “Nothing stops you from participating in the life of the Church; nothing stops you or prevents you from serving the People of God, even if you are experiencing some disabilities.”
Bishop Solis will celebrate the second Catholics Can Mass of the year on Sunday, Oct. 20 at 11:30 a.m. at St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church. The parish and its pastor, Fr. John Norman, along with Randy Duran of Notre Dame de Lourdes Parish in Price, are the recipients of the 2019 Catholics Can Award. The award recognizes people with disabilities who contribute to their parish community, as well as individuals, parishes or organizations that ensure meaningful participation by people with disabilities in Catholic parish life.
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