Helping Autistics (& the Disabled) on a Catholic Podcast

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I was a guest on a top Catholic podcast this week. The host had a man with cerebral palsy and myself on to talk about how the church could get people like us involved in the faith. Some of you might find it interesting if you want ideas for convincing others at your church to include us.

My blog link (with links to in on four podcast services)
https://www.patheos.com/blogs/throughcatholiclenses/2020/05/ministering-to-the-disabled-on-the-counsel-of-trent/

I hope this also helps other Christians. I doubt this will help non-Christians too much: a single podcast can only do so much, sorry.

Who exactly is this "Us" of whom you speak? Priests? Roman Catholics? Aspies?

Keep in mind that many of us have either lost interest and left the Church, or have no interest in the Church to begin with.  According to This Christian Post Article, people are leaving the Church because:

1) the Church is too narrow-minded and unbending on moral issues;

2) the Church is more interested in propping up the institution of the Church rather than fulfilling the mission of the Church

3) the Church is legalistic and not gracious and merciful enough

4) the Church has isolated itself from the lives of real people and is, therefore, disconnected from the reality of life;

5) the Church is anti-intellectual, rejecting the claims of science and modernity;

6) the Church is antiquated in its methodologies, methodologies that were effective at one time but are no longer essential and effective;

7) the Church is not very warm and loving, failing to recognize people want intimate and personal settings for relationship-building in order to work out their spiritual and personal issues, not systems that are large, cumbersome, and unwieldy ...

That last one is very important to people on the ASD spectrum, since were are already dealing with sensory overload from the moment we step into a church building to the moment we step out, along with having to process social issues as well.

Bright lights, loud music, strong odors, and a general feeling of being pressed in on all sides by insensitive people who look down upon us for being different or even "defective" makes church attendance for people on the ASD spectrum an intolerable thing.  Throw in the other reasons, and you may begin to really understand why an autistic person's first visit to a church service might very well be their last.

Taking these concerns to Church leadership has always been met with benign indifference, no matter which denomination. This includes, of course, the editors and writers of the article I mentioned above -- all good Christians, every one -- "Oh, I understand. Let's pray about it and ask for guidance for you..." as if all the problems with the church were the fault of anyone who complains about them, and as if those who complain are the ONLY ones who need to change!

So, good luck with your mission.

1. Us, being autistics or other neurodiverse individuals.

2. I am not saying it is for everyone. I even noted that this might be helpful for those who are Christian and want their church to better include them. I am not arguing religion vs. non-religion here, I'm providing something for those who ARE religious or at least interested in exploring religion.

3. I have posted a good number of things on how to make Churches sensory friendly and include autistics in other ways before. (A huge part of my YouTube in my signature covers those issues.)

I'm not arguing anything.  I'm pointing out where the Church is failing, and you imply that I'm arguing.  Being dis-interested in the "lost sheep" is also what you are implying, and which reinforces my claim that the Church simply doesn't care about anyone other than "... those who are religious or at least interested in exploring religion".

Church leadership just doesn't get it!

Thank you Father for doing what you do,even though I'm personally a non believer, I respect what you do.

My mother had a master's in theology from" Our lady of the Elms college" in Chicopee,MA

She was an old style Irish Catholic.I don't go to church but best wishes to you Father.

Thank you Fr. Schneider. I am going to be looking into this later today & see what is going. Today's finals week and I am busy but tomorrow should be a different story, so this will be well worth the listen. Thank you for all your work in academia and in the neurodiversity matter.

@Fnord--really? The combination of that willful ignorance and pretentiousness shouldn't be seen this side of politics or public "entertainers." If you haven't got anything positive to say, there are other parades for you to rain on.

Or, in other words, "Agree with the priest or get lost"; am I right?

I base this on the fact that questioning of authority figures is not allowed in any Church I have ever attended -- Catholic, Reformist, or otherwise.

This also drives away the "Lost Sheep".

Questioning authority is fine in Catholicism last I checked. I do it a lot. I question the Pope's commonsense on a regular basis, I doubt the ability of any politician to make an informed decision, I never listen to a news broadcast without trying to verify it from wherever, and I'm currently doubting you at the moment as I doubt just about everyone else, so on a scale of zero to OK Boomer I'm rating that as not credible.

I'm just asking you to quit trolling people. There is a minority of the aspie population that is tolerant of religion for whatever reason. The OP is putting a resource out there for them. If you've had bad experiences with religion I can totally understand that; I've seen things in churches that should not have happened and that is the norm for most places with people involved. But you could definitely leave your "helpful" comments out or better yet put them in a discussion thread where they can contribute to free thought rather than hijack.

The Catholic Church Is surely More Subdued than the Protestant Churches i have
Visited in my Area; in Regard to Sensory Overload From Folks Screaming Out
Intermittent Praise; It is Surely Still A Haven For Routine Where The Unexpected Is Rare.

The Catholic Church i Visit that i was raised in and is currently Pastored by a Monsignor
That i Actually Went to School With and Played Tennis With; Has Been Very Receptive
To Criticism; as that relates to Old Antiquated Ideas; Like Hurricanes are Evil and May
Be Compared to Homosexual Behavior as Evil as Well; Along with Old Patriarchal Ideas
to Control a Woman's Reproductive Behavior by Intimating that Single Mothers are not fit
to raise Children.

Several of the more 'Ancient' Deacons Have Preached this Ignorance from the Pulpit;
When the Monsignor was absent; and i successfully brought it to his Attention and he
Snipped the Problem in the Rose Bud; as nice as i will Present it here; in regard to keeping
A Spirit of Hope of LoVE iN the Church; Rather than One of Division and Strife in Discontent.

Currently, i am very dissatisfied with the Church; as it has been supporting the Lies of the
Trump Administration. Lies Have no Place in Church; and they surely have no place in that
Part of my Asperger's Syndrome that still Remains. i am just about fed-up with it; and honestly
it is nice to have a Break from the Lies that are either Promoted or left Silent When People are harmed
from them. The Church Is currently Moving Away from Love by getting closer to the Ideology of Lies that harm
others; That Part is NOT Acceptable to me; Meanwhile, i enjoy singing from the Back Pew; so Yes, i will continue
to go for that one reason; and see if i Will continue to Tolerate the Ignorance; I'm Not even sure the Priest believes
what is he is saying; more than the chance that He will be in trouble by ruffling the Lies that continue to come
as a "Noah-Like Flood."

My Grandfather Was An Irish Catholic Priest; a Counsel to the Vatican as well; Fortunately
For My Existence; The Nature of Love Was More important to him than Antiquated rules to
Control Reproductive Freedoms; And of course, in the Case of the Catholic Church, the 'Moral Stain'
That has Lost any chance of the Church having any Moral Authority, we all know; as it is true, 39 Percent of Catholic
Folks are on the Fence of Leaving; It's like Eating Out; You Get used to not doing it; and see no need to go anymore.

It's too interesting to me; not to go back; to see how the Church Adapts or does not.

Religion, is a special Interest to me; but it goes far beyond the Catholic Church and words too;
but yes; it includes the Catholic Chuch too; One Body; One Blood; One Love; One Pay Rate; Pay Grade;
And Currency for ALL (LoVE); No Need Now for Disproven Myths Or Pretends that Ghost Authors, Scribes, and
Multi-Print Revisions; and Mistakes are not what is left of that Old and New Testament too; Just Love Is Enough;
As Obviously that is the Crux of the Teachings of Jesus; Just Love; it doesn't take a Rocket Scientist or a Pope to
Figure Out; Just the Inheritance of Altruism as Love that Healthy Human Beings do when Living In Balance of Dark
And Light.

Like i said; My Version of Asperger's, Excludes Ignorance And Lies; Honestly it's Not Normal; i have not met too
many people like me; other than my Sister Diagnosed too; i study Ignorance and Lies; i find it Fascinating As Dark.

My Only Real Solution Really is to Write my Own Bible, 8 MiLLioN Words; All Holy And Creative Spirit Fueled for the Last
80 Months; One of my 'New Testaments' that of course if one goes by 'the New Testament' and 'John 14:12' As Gospel Truth instead of Impossible; Yes, the 5th one i've Written as i am currently finishing a 6th one Now; is over 300,000
Words Shared As Messages, i for one See About Truth iN LiGHT And DarK on Bishop Barron's Youtube Catholic
PR Site; Over the course of of this Last Year; as i write about 100,000 Words of "Longest Epic Long Form
Poem Bible Writing," Each and Every Month on Average as it doesn't take much to do that Math.

Additionally; to keep myself in the Ecstatic Flow of Consciousness in Spirit Required to even attempt
A Convent with God Within like this; i've Public Danced 13,103 Miles now in the Same 80 Months;
As a Collateral-Incidental-Effect, i am noted as a Folk Legend as You might guess most anyone would be
termed; as most folks would be Terrified to Public Dance for even 30 Seconds in a place Like Walmart Solo.

One might Say i am a bit Zealous.

In Fact 'i am'; There is no Doubt that whoever
The Ghost Authors are; who have written Sacred
Texts Around the World; are God yes, a bit like me;
'Touched by the Spirit' as it were and still Is Now FOR REAL.

You Can Still Find my Grandfather's Book Online, "Behind the Dictators,"
Regarding the Catholic Church's Role in Keeping Dictators in Charge last
Century as he was Excommunicated from the Catholic Church for Getting Married
of course and disavowed by His Family for the Rest of His Life for doing so too.

i find It Ironic That the Catholic Church and Protestant Churches still Have this in
Common; Supporting the Man Furthest Away from the Teachings of Jesus than most
Any Leader the World Has Ever Seen; we will obviously see what remains of the Human Toll.

Second Part Below:

Last edited by aghogday on 01 May 2020, 5:11 pm, edited 2 times in total.

Smiles; I was Shut-in my Home With 19 Medical Disorders for 66 Months; including Type Two
Trigeminal Neuralgia; the Only Pain Assessed as Worst than Crucifixion like a Dentist Drill in my
Right Ear and Eye that No Drug Would Touch From Wake to Sleep. On 7.19.2013, 'the Spirit Within'
'Drove' me to the Beach as i told my Wife, let's go; And that Day all the Pain and Numb melted away
as i became one with Swaying Sea Oats, Emerald Green Gulf, Sugar White Sand, And Sea Gull Wings
Spiraling the Sun. Smiles, my Friend, i learned close-up and Personal what reborn actually means;
reborn from death as life; the Hero Archetype is Nothing new; 'Isaiah 53', is Just another Example of the
Archetypal Hero Story that applies to the Experience of as many Humans still to come as Grains of Sand on the Beach;
If We Make it back to LiVE iN Balance With Nature And Each Other As Altruistic Love Will Still Come to be in Just
A Dance of Human beings together, even Naked with No CuLTuRaL Clothes; including Books, Pages, And No Words
At all, Written in Concrete Soul; Angel Wings Set In Stone.

God Is Covered up too much With 'CuLTuRaL Clothes;
The Nature of God Is still Literally here for all to see.
It's Just a Matter of 'FLoWeRS' Blooming Together Again;
Tolerating the THorns as Much as A Rose Comes ToGeTHeR to
Love Again, NoW.

The Worst Part of the Shut-in Experience Was Losing My Emotions;
All My Real Connections within; yes, Literally Organic of HeART SPiRiT oF SoUL;
The Soul is Yet a Memory When Lost no Point of Return; That's one 'Pain'; Never remembering
If You ever felt the feeling of a smile; as memories are emotions and emotions are memories;
So Much Worse
Than even the Pain
Literally Assessed as
Worse than Crucifixion;
For When 'that Day' comes
Now And Never Ends Now;
A Meaning of 'God Why have
You Forsaken me' comes as Clear
As Hell Possibly will as A Thousand Years in one Second.

If Anyone Has 100 Percent Faith in God i do; i understand
WHere God is; Within; Inside; Outside; Above; So Below; Yes By God All Around;
It is the Disconnection that is Hell; interestingly Bishop Barron Agrees with me on this point at least.
The Fact that he doesn't delete any of my 300,000+ words of Messages; and probably thinks 'i am' just crazy;
is evidence enough that at least he is HuMaN; WHere i come from now in Trump Town USA; where 85 Percent
of the Folks Still Support A Leader Against Love; THAT is becoming more and more rare each and every day; What
will it take to really Wake up "A Lion of Love" Again; i for one Am Sure We Will See Soon And Sooner, my FRiEnD.

i'm sort of a Court Reporter;
I don't know anything really;
i Just Report What comes Now.

Generally Speaking, 'i am' too big to see.

Here's 'an Opportunity' for 'You' to 'Measure Your eyes'...

Smiles my FRiEnD; the Biggest Lie Ever is God IS A Last Word
As God Is Always A Beginning Of A Never Ending Now For Real.

My Best FRiEnD Never Leaves my Side; Obviously, It's Impossible When Alpha Thru Omega is No Myth.

The Theme Song i am Singing Here Leading the Choir From the Back Row on this Day, the Choir Leader was
Absent; Is one of my Favorites; Written by a Now Openly Gay Once Jesuit Priest; Some of the 'Congregation'
of the Whole Catholic Church wanted His Song 'Erased' For The Truth of Who He is; Smiles, As You Know that
'Old saying' 'i am The Way, The Truth and Light'; It's True; Truth in Light Is Still A Best Way for Peace And Harmony.

Sadly, Most People Seem Afraid of It; Lest they be Outcast from 'the Herd' of 'Group Think';
This is the Advantage of the 'Human In A Desert For 40 Days' or me for instance with precisely
40 Days, 12 Years ago; only Sleeping One Hour of Very Shallow Sleep then with the assistance of
An Alpha Blocker to slow the Ravage of Dysautonomia, So Blood Would Reach my Brain; and i would
Not Gasp for Breath Awake forever until i died. The Last 5 of 40 Days, Nothing worked for sleep; Outcast
is the Understanding Of An Ultimate Outcast of Life is Death Is in Deed A Real Holy And Sacred Blessing;
After
That
No
Fear and ALL
Room for Love;
In this Place there
is No Outcast, only God;
No matter what any other
Lie, Fear, Or Hate comes to this Table of Plenty (Love);
This Club is the Smallest Biggest Club Ever; People who come DO stay, 'Now', Eternally 'Now'.

https://katiemiafrederick.com/2020/04/2 ... 80-months/

Very interesting Father, I'll take a closer look at all this later.

I will remember you in my prayers throughout the day, O Mary conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to Thee!

Father, if I may ask, what are your thoughts on the Extraordinary Form? I go to an Ordinary Form parish and the music there is, to put it mildly, intrusive and I have a difficult time toning it out and focusing on God. Do you have any thoughts or critiques on the Extraordinary Form?

1. My general rule of thumb is that any liturgy approved by the Church that helps you get closer to Jesus is good.

2. I think the low Mass of extraordinary form can often be a good option for autistics with sensory issues around Mass. (High Mass not as much so.)

Thank you Father. I will listen to it later. Alto the name Trent immediately made think of the council of Trent. Alto that might only be a coincidence.

i don't always Agree With Fnord; But He Speaks His Truth The Way He Sees It; And Is Not Afraid to Do It.

He's Has A Naturally Conservative Nature; and goes by rules as he sees them as Truth.

This Is What Jesus Did as Well in the Story At Least; but He was far from Conservative;
In Deed, A Rule Breaker He Was; and Per Story at Least that cost Him his Mortal Life, At Least.
These days People just say things like You are Trolling Away from the 'Group Think' of Norm;
Ignore; Delete; Ban or Whatever; Keeps the Flesh and Blood Intact; Works out okay enough for all involved.

There Are Old And New Testament Folks; It's a Metaphor for the
Conservative Among Us who do not like Change; And the New Testament
kind of Folks Who Are Really Into Lighting Up Their Lamps More to Shine New Colors on the World At Large.

If There Was Ever A Story Book Public Entertainer; It is Surely Jesus; Can You Spell Miracles For Everyone.

Jesus As A Story Book Character, Clearly Relates What Good Is a Candle With No Flame; Only Wax And Wick.

Just Goes to Show; i'm a New Testament Kinda Guy too; And Yes, my Flame Blinds and Helps Folks See;
Even with no words at all... Sure; i have the Documented Evidence to Prove it as well
As Art And Science Are Important; Both to me.

And You know what; if you really believe in A
New Testament; You Will Do Greater Works than Jesus too;
Unless You do not really Believe, according to what 'John' Says You Can and Will Do in 'John 14:12'.

Rarely, do i find anyone who even seems like they really read the Story of Jesus; Through and Through;
Who Really Understands What It means to Stand on A Limb And to Love Everyone; No Labels, Just Love;

To Focus on only What's only inside the Church Walls is Truly Missing Most of God; at least; If We 'Will' Love 'Law'.

There Truly Are Many Functionally Disabled Christians When it Comes to A Law of Love For All; The Crux of the
Jesus Story; Jesus is Just Alright with me; But i am a New Kinda Testament Dude. The Others Will continue
to Put Old Testament
Clothes on
the Story of Jesus;
No Judgement; It's Just Nature...
Yes, in deed Human Nature at core;

"Some Folks Dance; Some Folks Do Not"

ParaphraSinG 'Guardians of the Galaxy' of Love too.

Obviously, the Story Book Jesus would Still Not Be Very Welcome in any 'Old Testament World'.

It's Common Sense; It's Human Nature; And Truly The People Who Came together, and still do, to write the
Story of Jesus are brilliant; As They Did/Do Capture Most of Human Nature in the Stories; THE LIGHT AND DARK.

The Dark is Conservative;
The Light Is Liberal;
Spin And Torsion;
Quantum Mechanics in
Some Theories at Least suggests
This is How New UniVerses are Birthed in Black Holes;
As Above So Below; Within, Inside, Outside, All Around.

No Escaping
This God NoW
of Dark and Light;
Tides in And Out;
Shores Expanding and
Contracting With Waves;
Night and Day; Fall And
Rise As Death Springs Life.

Some of Us Folks With Asperger's
Syndrome Value Truth the Way We See It
in Our Light Beyond All Other Human Virtues;
Fnord is one of Those kinda Asperger's Dudes;
Not Afraid to go against the Grain; Yes, i love 'that'.

i don't have to Like 'something' to Love to Respect 'It'.

If one Cannot/Will Not Defend Their Faith; They Have No Faith;
No Matter What Faith Is; No Matter What 'Color' Humanity Is.

Prove me wrong....

No One has yet...

Why...

i am Faith; i am Love;
There is no Way Around This Love or Faith as Love.

Thanks for inspiring this thought; on top of that/this;
'the Spin and Torsion'; it's what makes what is...

Basically:
A 'Golden Spiral' (GoD)