Samantha, no matter what your child’s diagnosis is, we parents of special needs children know very well that the lonely hours of the night with a very ill child are a heavy burden. You and Elise will be in my prayers.

As a mom of a special needs child I greatly appreciate any light shed into what can be understood as a life in the shadows. A mom who has experienced a diagnosis and the subsequent battle for the physical, emotional, psychological or educational needs of their child can feel so alone. But in our darkness we find Him, we cling to Him and we know that there is One who loves our child more than we do. God Bless all moms who carry this heavy cross!

I am not a mother, but I was a teacher for many years and loved working with special needs students—those who struggled because of learning disabilities and those who struggled because they were gifted.  My sister e-mailed me this article, because she is a mother of a special needs boy who has Aspergers.  My question is how can we make our parish and the Mass more inclusive?  Do we even need to?  For many autistic children an organ is irritating.  Music might be perceived as too loud or aggressive.  Homilies may go too long for ADD/ADHD kids, or kids with processing problems.  I’m not saying that all Masses should cater to special needs, but I do think it would be possible to have at least one weekday or one weekend Mass that took into consideration their needs.  That would also include parishioners and pastors being more accepting of those children who may make noises due to a disability.  This would not only be something for the children, but also for parents who sometimes leave Catholicism because they find a church more open to their situation.  Either the child is welcomed or the parent is given help watching the child so that they can attend worship services or both.

Karyn, I have become familiar with the resources available at the National Catholic Partnership for Disabilities http://www.ncpd.org/ministries-programs/catechesis which addresses worship and educational needs of those with special needs. Each diocese should have a director of ministry to special needs who may offer you information about Masses at which children with autism will find themselves more comfortable.
My parish in Eastern CT is not designated as a special needs parish, yet my daughter Christina finds her unusual responses and extra movements at Mass are accepted, and there are many other children with special needs among the large families in the pews. This is an important reason my family moved to this area. Maybe parents could do a little parish shopping, asking friends with similar children where they attend.
God’s House should be full of children worshiping along with their parents. Many of my parishioners tell me that the manner in which Christina prays and receives Communion is an inspiration to them.

Leticia - Thank you for including that link. My daughter Clare is 7 and we are in the processing of discerning whether or not she will make her First Holy Communion next year. We did two years of kindergarten, so even though she will be 8 next spring, she will only be in first grade. She is such a pious child - she loves Jesus, loves prayer and worship, and I think she will be an amazing nun some day!    But we are struggling with knowing whether she is truly ready to receive the Body and Blood of Christ. So thank you for some direction in figuring out who to talk to about this!