Embracing  Special Needs  Ministry

 To facilitate lifelong faith formation, access to the graces and sacraments of the Church, and total parish participation for every Catholic with physical, behavioral, emotional, or cognitive disabilities. 

St. Laurence strives to be an inclusive and welcoming community to those parishioners who have special needs and require accommodations.  

• We are expanding our already flourishing Embracing Special Needs Ministry.  We are seeking to provide additional support and classes for those students who present with special needs.  These include students in Preschool CCE, Elementary CCE, Edge, Life Teen, First Reconciliation, First Communion, Confirmation, RCIA, and possibly beyond. 

• We are also seeking opportunities to bring an awareness of the needs that are present in our larger parish family.  If you know of someone who is in need of special accommodations, due to a disability, please let us know. 

The Embracing Special Needs Ministry will hold its Steering Committee Meetings at 7:00 pm in room 207 of the AMC.  These meetings are open to St. Laurence parishioners.
If you have ideas to share or would like to be a part of this group, or if you would like more information, please contact disabilitiesministry@stlaurence.org, or one of the subcommittee leadership chairs. 

We welcome all children and work with every family to identify the most appropriate opportunity for each child.  Please contact disabilitiesministry@stlaurence.org.

A Buddy provides support to a child with special needs so that they can successfully be included in CCE (religious education). Buddies could serve as a guide to a child with a visual impairment, remind a learner with high functioning Autism to wait their turn to speak or break down instructions for a learner with Down Syndrome. This opportunity is open to adults and high school students. Buddies are needed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays during CCE classes, on Wednesday during EDGE, and on Sundays during Preschool CCE and Life Teen. Previous experience is not required. We will provide training and support. 
www.stlaurence.org/buddy-application