Thread: MN-Family Banned From Church Because Of Autistic Son

May 17, 2008 9:40 am US/Central

Family Banned From Church Because Of Autistic Son
Reporting
James Schugel

(WCCO) On a farm in central Minnesota, you'll find a family devoted to each other and to God, but because one of the children has autism -- the family has been told they cannot go to mass.

Carol Race's 13-year-old son, Adam, has autism. In his case, the disorder sometimes causes loud outbursts and violent behavior. Church leaders in Bertha, Minn. say it's so bad that they had to get a restraining order to ban the Race's from mass.

It's a move the church calls a last resort.

Race said she cares for Adam night and day, and she takes him to church every Sunday.

However, last Sunday at Saint Joseph Church was different. She got a ticket for going to mass on Mother's Day.

"It's a citation. They want me to appear in court on Monday morning," she said, as she showed the ticket.

"That's what really shocks me -- that this would come at this time," she remarks, because she says her son has been making progress in mass, by standing up, kneeling, and holding hands with his family.

However, the parish priest recalls, quote, "repeated disruptions in church," he says, the last three years, so he took out a restraining order to keep Adam and his family out.

"Nobody should be subjected to this behavior, but guess what this is reality. Autism is a reality," Race said.

Father Daniel Walz consulted a parish lawyer first, before deciding to file for a restraining order on May 9.

In the petition, he wrote that Adam has "struck a child" in mass. He "spits," and he has "urinated" in Church.

"It takes up to three adults to restrain him," and sometimes his behavior is so disruptive, his parents "bind his feet and his hands."

The Parish priest also wrote that "Adam's continued presence on parish grounds not only endangers the parishioners, it is disruptive to the devout celebration of the Eucharist."

Church leaders said they've exhausted all efforts to find a solution to this.

They've suggested the family go to a different mass or sit somewhere else during mass, and they even suggested getting a mediator involved.

The family admits that they do have to restrain Adam sometimes, because he gets overwhelmed in mass, but they insist, no one else is in danger.

"My husband, my self -- we'd protect anyone with our life before we'd let our son hurt anyone," Race said.

The restraining order is valid for two years, but it's not going to stop the Race family from going to church.

"We are obligated to go to every Sunday mass and every Holy Day of Obligation, and the Church teaches that it's a sin not to go to Church," she said.

http://wcco.com/local/autistic.son.family.2.726391.html

Whatever happened to "compassion"? They would deny admittance to a child because of a disability (isn't that illegal?), but have no problem providing sanctuary to illegal aliens and disrupting the rest of the congregation?

This little boy and his family have every right to be in that church. If I were the family I would defy the restraining order. Let the cops come in and remove them. This church has just unleased a HUGE can of whoopasss on themselves!

I am ashamed of being a Catholic today.

IF THERE IS A GOD....HE IS TESTING THESE PARISHONERS. AND THEY ARE FAILING THE TEST. CHURCH IS FOR ALL BELIEVERS. AND IT SEEMS AS THIS BOY AND HIS PARENTS NEED CHURCH ACTIVITIES MORE THAN THE REST OF THE PARISHONERS.

If a person confesses to a priest during confession he/she is an illegal alien does the priest tell the person it is not a sin or does he give the person pennance for his/her crime?

Carol Race's 13-year-old son, Adam, has autism. In his case, the disorder sometimes causes loud outbursts and violent behavior. Church leaders in Bertha, Minn. say it's so bad that they had to get a restraining order to ban the Race's from mass.

Wow, that is one of the worst things I have heard in a long time.