World Down Syndrome Day: How the Church works to reach Catholics with disabilities

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Mar 21, 2025 / 09:45 am (CNA).

As Americans become more conscious of the importance of welcoming people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, including those with Down syndrome, the Catholic Church in the United States is also working to accommodate Catholics who have such conditions.

Today, March 21, marks World Down Syndrome Day — a global awareness day recognized by the United Nations to advocate for the legal rights of people with Down syndrome and promote greater inclusion and less stigmatization of people with the genetic condition.

Down syndrome is a condition in which a person has a third chromosome 21, which normally occurs at the moment of conception. Although the condition affects each person differently, it typically causes intellectual disabilities, developmental delays, distinct physical characteristics, and increased risks of certain health problems.

About half a million Americans have Down syndrome. Although stigmatization of people with Down syndrome is still prevalent in society, there are growing opportunities within the Catholic Church to address their needs during faith formation and ensure proper access to Mass and the sacraments.

“No one can refuse the sacraments to people with disabilities,” Pope Francis said in 2021.

Catechetical options

Charleen Katra, the executive director of the National Catholic Partnership on Disability (NCPD), told CNA that stigmatization of those with Down syndrome is “still an issue, even in good Catholic faith communities,” but highlighted the ongoing progress on inclusion within the Church.

Katra provides training and other resources for catechists on how to better accommodate the needs of people who have disabilities. She said special training on the subject is important for catechists “because the audience is a little more specialized.” 

She said a person may need instruction at “a slower pace” and “a more adaptive pace,” noting that people with learning disabilities often benefit from a “multisensory approach” that includes visuals or touch. 

In one example, she noted that putting one’s hands in a prayer posture could help a person visualize prayer if he or she is struggling to understand the concept simply through verbal instruction. Another example she noted is modeling clay into the form of a dove to help visualize the Holy Spirit when teaching about confirmation to provide a “more tangible, multisensory experience.”

“The more options we give, the more people we serve,” Katra said.

Katra noted that Loyola Press publishes a lot of material for catechists and parents designed to help them learn how to better instruct people who have intellectual disabilities.

One option available in some dioceses is Special Religious Development (SPRED), which are faith development programs designed specifically for people who have disabilities and struggle with other catechesis programs available. Although this is not the approach of most dioceses, Katra said it is “one of many positive models.”

Nancy Emanuel of the Diocese of Arlington, Virginia, helps run her diocese’s Special Religious Education (SPRED) program. The program includes about 150 children and adults who are broken into different age groups.

“SPRED is for people who don’t fit into more typical programs,” Emanuel said.

Emanuel told CNA the approach in Arlington also includes “a lot of multisensory learning.” This includes visual aids and crafts and trying to “make learning fun and adventurous” in an engaging way. 

In one example, she explained a 3D visual lesson on the Eucharist in which a picture of Christ is placed behind the host so when the students lift up the host, they see an image of Jesus. She said visuals like this help them understand the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist to ensure they are properly prepared for their first Communion.

Emanuel said one of the most important concepts to ensure that a person is ready for Communion is to comprehend the distinction between food, which is nourishment of the body, and the Eucharist, which is nourishment of the soul. 

“Then we know that they understand the concept,” Emanuel said.

Katra emphasized that when catechizing a person with an intellectual disability, it is important to recognize that every person has “different gifts and abilities.” She said it is important to not “do for someone anything they can do for themselves,” adding that it is necessary to “set them up to be an independent person and live as independently as possible, and yet support them as needed.”

“Let them do as much as they can for themselves before you assist,” Katra said.

Sensory-friendly Masses

Apart from unique catechesis options, some parishes are also introducing sensory-friendly Mass options in which lights are dimmed, there is no organ music, and homilies are concise. Another component to these Masses is that the church will often provide objects, such as rosaries, that people can fidget with if it helps them maintain focus.

For people with Down syndrome or other intellectual disabilities, Katra told CNA the sensory Mass gives them “the ability to feel free to come out of a pew” if needed to help “regain focus or maybe calm down if someone’s getting anxious or agitated.”

Katra said these Masses “make parishes and churches more accessible for more worshippers” and referenced stories of people coming back to Mass thanks to these options.

Additionally, Katra said it is important that the Church “shows love, shows kindness, shows patience, [and] shows compassion” when accommodating the needs of people who have disabilities. 

She said people with Down syndrome “are pure love and they are pure joy, absolutely.”

“They are exceptional models for us in so many Christian traits and values,” Katra said.

Source: https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/262861/world-down-syndrome-day-how-the-church-works-to-reach-catholics-with-disabilities