For those with developmental disabilities, SPREAD shares faith, ‘but they teach us’
Nicholas Swallers, left, and his father Kenny Swallers, both of Holy Spirit Parish in Indianapolis, pray before the meal at the 25th annual Special Religious Education and Discipleship (SPREAD) dinner and dance on March 8 at St. Pius X School in Indianapolis. (Photos by Natalie Hoefer)
By Natalie Hoefer
When Juanita Swallers recalls her son, Nicholas, receiving his first Communion several years ago, the memory makes her eyes misty.
“I teared up when he was in front of me, getting ready to receive,” she says. “It just meant a lot to me. I was born and raised Catholic. And so, it just felt like I was able to pass on the faith to him. Or at least try to.”
“Or at least try to”—because Nicholas was born with Down syndrome. He has developmental delays and is non-verbal.
Juanita and her husband Kenny, who worship with their family at Holy Spirit Parish in Indianapolis, were able to pass on their faith to Nicholas through the archdiocese’s Special Religious Education and Discipleship (SPREAD) program for those with developmental disabilities.
Offering adapted sacramental preparation is vital for fully embracing these individuals and their families in the faith.
But SPREAD, offered through individual parishes or groups of parishes in central and southern Indiana, does so much more.
By nurturing the faith lives of its members through specialized approaches at regular meetings and annual events, the program develops models of discipleship that impact the lives of others.
“They’re natural disciples. They really, really are,” says Jenny Bryans, archdiocesan disabilities ministries coordinator. “They have no qualms or reserve about letting everyone know how much they love Jesus and how important Jesus is in their life. I think they teach us how to be disciples rather than us teaching them.”
An ‘adapted and multi-sensory’ method
Intentional inclusion of those with developmental disabilities was a long time coming in the Church.
It finally arrived in 1978 when the bishops of the United States issued a pastoral statement on addressing the needs of these individuals and their families, from physical access to catechesis and more.
The SPRED (Special Religious Development) program, developed in Chicago, was created to meet those catechetical needs. It was introduced in the Archdiocese of Indianapolis in the 1990s.
“Our groups are no longer exclusively following the SPRED Chicago program, so we recently changed our name to Special Religious Education and Discipleship to best represent the added focus of the groups,” says Bryans.
Ten groups are currently active in several parishes or combined parishes in Columbus, Indianapolis, Oldenburg and Seymour, with a new group in the process of forming in New Albany.
Each group meets once or twice a month between September and May.
“There’s a specific structure to the meetings, and it also has lessons and a curriculum,” says Bryans, who trains SPREAD catechists in the archdiocese.
She describes methods used to develop members’ faith during the meetings as “adapted and multi-sensory.”
“For instance, at prayer time you might pass around a cross they could hold,” Bryans explains. “That would be a cue to them that it’s time to pray.
“Or if they’re non-verbal or unable to read, then you use a lot more pictorial type of material so you can communicate with them, and they can express themselves with pictures.”
The format and approach create a comfortable environment for the participants, says Christine Riche, executive director of ministries at St. Mark the Evangelist Parish in Indianapolis. Her brother Michael Riche, who has Down syndrome, is a longtime SPREAD member.
The catechists “talk about Scripture, about God in a way that caters to the mentality of our adult groups,” she says. “They help them process some ideas or some thoughts on how to have a better relationship with God and just different ways of how they can improve on it if they feel like they want to.
“And [Michael] can be with his peers and just know that it’s OK. He can say whatever he wants. He doesn’t have to worry about it being a wrong answer or a wrong idea or a wrong thought.”
‘Loved, accepted and celebrated’
Bryans coordinates four annual events bringing together all of the SPREAD groups—a dinner and dance in March, a Disabilities Awareness Mass in April, an overnight summer retreat in July and an Advent gathering in December.
Joy abounds at these events.
“They’re eager to sign up to be greeters, readers and altar servers at the Mass,” which is celebrated by Archbishop Charles C. Thompson at
SS. Peter and Paul Cathedral in Indianapolis, says Bryans. “And they love visiting with the archbishop at the breakfast afterward.”
The July retreat, held at a Catholic retreat center, combines faith, fellowship and fun. It’s a favorite of longtime SPREAD member Amy Korzekwa of
St. Pius X Parish in Indianapolis.
“It’s pretty spiritual, and it’s really relaxing,” says Korzekwa, who is on the autism spectrum. “We learn the rosary. We do Bible study, and we do other stuff, too.”
Like simple service projects, having the opportunity to go to confession and closing with Mass. And there’s also time for games, crafts and cutting loose with karaoke.
“I really like being there with my friends,” says Korzekwa. “Everybody feels really comfortable. We just always have a good time.”
The social aspect of these events is important for the participants’ sense of community, says Bryans. The dinner and dance is a good example.
“They really do look forward to this event, because this is a social event with friends that they have bonded with through the years,” she says. “And this is especially wonderful for those whose group doesn’t meet anymore for various reasons. This might be the only opportunity for them to see those friends all year. They can be themselves and know that they are loved, accepted and celebrated.”
‘When it comes to love—they get it’
That gift of acceptance is felt by the families of SPREAD members as well.
“It makes each of these individuals and their families feel a part of the community,” says Paula Korzekwa, Amy’s mother and fellow St. Pius X parishioner. “That’s so important. I think so many times in the past, you know, children like that were just left behind, and now they’re welcomed freely.”
The SPREAD program encourages members to share their gifts in their parish. Amy, who Paula says “loves to be with people,” serves as an usher at
St. Pius X.
“Amy knows everyone at church,” says Paula. “She calls church her ‘happy place.’ ”
Parishes that involve members with disabilities gain more than volunteers—they learn lessons on joy and love.
“I sing in the choir up front at Holy Spirit,” says Swallers. “One day at Mass, Nicholas just walked up and started conducting us! The priests loved it, and he has been doing it ever since.
“Everyone has been so encouraging. Our music director, Christian [Kuphal], is so amazing with Nicholas. Nicholas will bring a CD and ask him to play a song after Mass. And Christian will flip through his iPad to find the sheet music and play it for him. It’s just so beautiful.”
Bryans recalls one pastor sharing about lessons learned from a SPREAD member during altar server training.
“He was worried about how to adapt to her needs,” she says. “But he said she really helped the other [servers] because she wanted to know exactly how to do everything and she asked questions. She was actually leading him and leading the others in how to learn better.”
Riche sees members of the SPREAD community less as learners and more as teachers of the core component of Christianity.
“I find it funny that we call them ‘special needs,’ ” she says. “But we’re the ‘special needs.’ We could learn so much from them, especially when it comes to the heart, when it comes to love—they get it.”
(The annual Disabilities Ministry Mass will be celebrated by Archbishop Charles C. Thompson at SS. Peter and Paul Cathedral, 1347 N. Meridian St., in Indianapolis, at 10 a.m. on April 27. The archdiocesan SPREAD ministry is in need of volunteers to help at events and in other ways. Those interested in helping SPREAD or with the archdiocesan Disabilities Ministries and those with questions about these ministries can contact Jenny Bryans at 317-236-1448 or jbryans@archindy.org.) †
