|
In recognition of April 2nd designated as World Autism Awareness Day and April as Autism Awareness Month, the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America has consolidated existing and created new resources for families and church families to reveal more about the experiences of autistic persons in the life of Christ. Some resources are targeted for peers and parishioners, others for clergy and ministry leaders, and still others for couples and families. Nearly every day, a different resource is being shared on social media.
In this, our first weekly resource recap, we share: Archbishop Elpidophoros’ video message encouraging the faithful to “set a wider table” for people with disabilities, The Orthodox Marketplace publication authored by Fr. John Chryssavgis, The Body of Christ: A Place of Welcome for All People Including People with Disabilities, and the Orthodox Observer’s interview of Presv. Melanie DiStefano regarding the newly awarded grant initiative On Behalf of All: Toward an Accessible Divine Liturgy for Children with Disabilities.
The summons to “awareness,” though often heard in cultural exhortations, is truly a Christian vocation. As members of Christ’s family, we grow in relationship with Him in part, through our relationships with one another. All relationships improve when we seek to understand — become more aware of — another’s experience out of respect and sincere love for Christ who reveals Himself as an icon in every person.
We hope you will heed this call and take the opportunity to learn and connect more intentionally with the experiences of autistic persons and their families. And for those who know autism as a familial experience, we hope you find encouragement and connections for your faith journey.
|
