Catechesis and Persons with Disabilities:
A Necessary Engagement in the Daily Pastoral Life of the Church
Pontifical Urbaniana University (Via Urbano VIII, 16 – Rome)
October 20-22, 2017
Friday, October 20, 2017
14:00 Arrival and Welcome
15:30 Opening prayer (led by the Fede e Luce Community)
15:45 The Profession of Faith: “To believe” - One’s response to God who reveals Himself
Archbishop Rino Fisichella
President of the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of the New Evangelization
16:30 Life in Christ: The person made in the image of God
Stefano Toschi, Association “Beati noi” (Bologna, Italy)
Pia Matthews, Lecturer, St. Mary’s University (London, England)
17:30 Break
18.00 The protection of persons with disabilities
Sheila Hollins, Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors
18:15 Presentation and the opening of the exhibition on the accessibility of the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Pastoral and catechetical tools for the inclusion of persons with disabilities.
Saturday, October 21, 2017
8:30 Opening prayer (led by the European Deaf Community)
8:45 The celebration of the Christian mystery: Sacraments as precious occasions for catechesis
Miguel Romero, Professor, Salve Regina University (Rhode Island, U.S.)
Bishop Peter A. Comensoli, Bishop of Broken Bay (Australia)
9:45 Break and move to the Clementine Hall in the Apostolic Palace
11:30 Audience with Pope Francis
13:30 Lunch
15:00 Prayer (led by those with Autism)
15:15 The celebration of the Christian mystery: Experiences of catechesis
Isabel de la Taste, Service National de la Catéchèse et du Catéchuménat Déléguée aux Pédagogies de Catéchèse pour le Handicap (Episcopal Conference of France)
Mary O’Meara, Executive Director of the Department of Special Needs Ministries, Archdiocese of Washington (U.S.)
Fr. Giuseppe Fabrini and Fiorenza Pestelli, Parish of Santa Maria di Loreto (together with those with disabilities from the Archdiocese of Pesaro - Italy)
16:15 Christian Prayer: The religious dimension
Fr. Diego Pancaldo, Professor, Italia Centrale, Moderator of the Association Maria Madre Nostra (together with those with intellectual disabilities from the Diocese of Pistoia - Italy)
Fr. Michael Depcik, OSFS, Director of the Catholic Deaf Community, Archdiocese of Detroit (U.S.)
17:15 Break
17:45 Christian Prayer: Experiences of catechesis
Petites Soeurs disciples de l’agneau: Contemplative Community of Religious Sisters with Sisters with and without Down’s syndrome (Le Blanc, France)
Cristina Gangemi, Kairos Forum, Director, Expert in the Field of Disability (England)
Fr. Gabriele Pipinato, Diocese of Padova, Founder of the Saint Martin Catholic Social Apostolate of Talitha-Kum and the L’Arche Community of Nyahururu (Kenya)
Anne Dewulf, Community of S. Egidio (Belgium)
19:00 Catechesis and persons with disabilities: conclusions and perspectives
Sunday, October 22, 2017
10:30 Holy Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica
12:00 Angelus Prayer in St. Peter’s Square
