How a special needs ministry is bringing families back to the Church
Two Louisiana Catholic mothers, Sarah Taylor and Jodi Devore, founded the All Are Welcome ministry after their children with autism faced exclusion from parish activities. The ministry began as a backyard rosary group and expanded across the Diocese of Baton Rouge, offering inclusive sacraments, prayer, and community for families with special needs. Participation in the ministry helped families return to Mass, receive sacraments, and feel accepted, demonstrating the Church’s commitment to inclusion. The story highlights the broader issue of disability inclusion in Catholic life, noting that 1 in 4 people and 1 in 31 children have disabilities or autism.
12 days ago
A Louisiana ministry founded by two Catholic mothers is helping families with children who have disabilities reconnect with parish life. Through support groups, retreats, sensory-friendly Masses, and opportunities for meaningful participation in the liturgy, All Are Welcome seeks to make families feel not merely accommodated but fully part of the Church. 1
Sarah Taylor said her autistic nine-year-old son, Reid, was asked to leave sacramental preparation classes and Vacation Bible School because his parish could not accommodate his needs. The experience left the family feeling excluded from the community where they had hoped to find belonging and spiritual growth. 1
Taylor contacted the Diocese of Baton Rouge and was connected with All Are Welcome. She said the ministry’s acceptance strengthened her family’s faith after a period of hurt and disconnection from the Church. 1
The article notes that approximately one in four people in the United States has a disability, while about one in 31 children has autism. It also says that ministries specifically designed to support families with disabilities can be difficult to find. 1
Jodi Devore, who has three children with autism, founded All Are Welcome with fellow Catholic mother Edda Dupaquier after they experienced similar challenges. The ministry began as a backyard rosary group and later expanded across the Diocese of Baton Rouge. 1
The founders wanted more than a separate program operating alongside parish life. Their goal was for children with disabilities and their families to know Christ, receive the sacraments, form friendships, and participate alongside other parishioners. 1
The ministry now offers family retreats, support groups, and assistance with participation in the liturgy. Devore said it has seen families return to Mass after years away, children receive the sacraments, and parents find a community that understands their circumstances. 1
All Are Welcome considers sensory-friendly Masses one of its most important activities. These liturgies use lower lighting, softer music, and shorter, more literal homilies, while allowing families to move around as needed without fear of judgment. 1
Devore described the sensory challenges that can make ordinary Sunday Mass difficult, including uncomfortable clothing, incense, loud music, the expectation of sitting still, and the need for a child to move, vocalize, or leave the pew. Parents may also feel distressed by stares or whispered comments from other worshippers. 1
Taylor emphasized that behaviors such as wearing noise-canceling headphones, rocking, hand-flapping, vocalizing, or carrying a favorite object do not diminish a child’s reverence or faith. She said the priority is the child’s presence and participation in the Eucharistic life of the Church rather than conformity to expected social behavior. 1
The ministry encourages people with disabilities to take visible roles in worship when they are able. Participants may serve as altar servers, proclaim readings, bring forward the gifts, and otherwise contribute to the celebration of Mass. 1
Devore said the ministry’s impact extends beyond helping families return to church. She described parishioners as learning to recognize gifts rather than limitations and communities as coming to see families affected by disability as essential members rather than guests. 1
The ministry has also celebrated children receiving the Eucharist when their parents had previously doubted whether that would be possible. Its stated long-term hope is that no family will question whether it has a place in the Catholic Church. 1
Taylor said disabilities affect children differently and that differences in communication, information processing, or behavior do not reduce a child’s value, intelligence, or desire to belong. She urged people to see the individual child—including personality, humor, faith, kindness, and potential—rather than seeing only the disability. 1
Devore encouraged parishioners not to assume that a child making unexpected noises, an adult communicating differently, or an overwhelmed family does not care about being at Mass. She identified simple gestures—offering a smile, extending an invitation, or sitting beside a family rather than moving away—as actions that can significantly change its experience of the Church. 1*
Inclusive Catholic ministries must embody the Church’s mandate for all
Inclusive Catholic ministries must embody the Church’s mandate that every person belongs fully to the Body of Christ. Inclusion is not merely providing assistance; it means enabling people with disabilities to participate in worship, catechesis, parish life, and evangelization as active members of the Church.
This requires more than ramps or accessible materials. Parishes must remove physical, communicative, and attitudinal barriers; train clergy, catechists, and volunteers; provide appropriate pastoral tools; and ensure that persons with disabilities have access to the Sacraments.
The Church must also reject a “helper” and “recipient” model. People with disabilities are not merely objects of charity. They possess unique gifts and are called, according to their abilities, to serve as catechists, witnesses, ministers, and contributors to the community’s mission.
The decisive test is whether a ministry creates genuine belonging. As Pope Francis teaches, inclusion cannot remain a slogan: it requires conversion in relationships, fraternity, and ordinary pastoral practice. The goal is not “us” and “them,” but one ecclesial “we,” in which every person is welcomed, formed in faith, and empowered to participate.