Disability Awareness 2011

PITTSBURGH

CatholicComplimentary issue from your CatholiC Community newspaper

Featuring: Disability AwarenessLifting limbs and spirits | The gift of Abby

www.pittsburghcathol ic.org

MAGAZINE

- Helen Keller

discovered the secret ofNo pessimist ever

sailedthe stars, or to an uncharted land,

or opened a new doorwayfor the human spirit.

2 Pittsburgh Catholic Magazine Disability Awareness 2011

Celebrating Abilities. Exceeding Expectations

for 60 Years.

Early Intervention and Preschool Readiness * Recreational Activities * Residential Supports * Vocational Supports * Home Care *

Family Supports * Family Trust Services * Older Adult Protective Services * Advocacy and Public Awareness * Disability Healthcare Initiative *

Educational Webinars *

711 Bingham Street, Pittsburgh PA 15203 (412) 995-5000 or 1 (888) 272-7229 toll free

www.achieva.info

Disability Awareness 2011 Pittsburgh Catholic Magazine 3

Inside this issue:

11

16

22pg

pg

pg

7 | Source of inspiration:‘Differently abled,’ hardly disabled.

8 | My friend Sue:Sharing the light of Christ.

10 | ‘A Closer Walk with Thee’:A college student’s story.

11 | Mother’s heart:Daughter has a special place.

12 | Exceptional opportunities:Program fulfills crucial mission.

13 | Empathy and compassion:Preparing students to serve patients.

14 | Emmaus Community:Celebrating every person.

16 | Dealing with hearing loss:DePaul School steps up to the challenge.

ARE YOU DIABETIC?Do you know that insurance covers one pair of shoes a year?

Dr. Comfort Diabetic Shoes

Diabetic Shoes covered by insurance Highmark, UPMC and Medicare.

Little to no cost and FREE DELIVERY!FREE Glucose Meter With Order Of Supplies

EAGLE MEDICAL EQUIPMENT• Aqua Relief Systems• Back Braces• Bath Safety• Beds & Accessories• Canes & Crutches• Commodes• Diabetic Shoes• Electrotherapy• Patient Room Home Care

• Patient Room Institutional• Personal Care• Powered Mobility• Pressure Prevention• Respiratory• Rollators• Walkers• Wheelchairs• Wound Care Products

7937 Steubenville Pike • Oakdale, PA 15071

724.218.1051www.pittmedicalsupply.com

PITTSBURGH

MAGAZINECatholic

135 First Ave. • Suite 200Pittsburgh, PA 15222

1-800-392-4670www.pittsburghcatholic.org

Vol. 3, No. 3

Publisher | Bishop David A. Zubik

General Manager | Robert P. Lockwood

Editor | William Cone

Operations Manager | Carmella Weismantle

Disability Awareness Project EditorPatricia Bartos

Associate EditorsPhil Taylor (Special Projects)

Chuck Moody (News)

Senior Staff Writer | Patricia Bartos

Staff Writer | John W. Franko

Graphic DesignersDavid Pagesh | Debbie Skatell-Wehner

Director of Advertising | John Connolly

Account ExecutivesMichael A. Check | Paul Crowe

Michael Wire

Circulation Mgr./Parish News Coord.Peggy Zezza

Administrative Assistant | Amanda Wahlen

Office Assistant | Caitlin Arendash-Labyoda

Pittsburgh Catholic Magazine is a complimentary publication of the Pittsburgh Catholic Publishing Associates, available at all 208 Catholic parishes in the Diocese of Pittsburgh.

Advertising: [email protected] Editorial: [email protected]

�Prayer for InclusionCreator God, we are your people. We look to the future with optimism and with faith in you, as we pursue our call to provide justice and fullness of life for all people with disabilities.We pray that every man, woman and child may develop their potential and meet you in themselves and in one another.May we enjoy a totally welcoming community, with you as our center, joined hand in hand with our sisters and brothers. We ask this in Jesus’ name. Amen

Based on the Pastoral Statement of U.S. Catholic Bishops on People with DisabilitiesCover design by Debbie Skatell-Wehner

PITTSBURGH

CatholicComplimentary issue from your

CatholiC Community newspaper

Featuring: Disability Awareness

Lifting limbs and spirits | The gift of Abby

www.pittsburghcath

ol ic.org

MAGAZINE

- Helen Keller

discovered the secret of

No pessimist ever

sailedthe stars, orto an uncharted land,

or opened a new doorway

for the human spirit.

On the cover...

20 28pg pg

17 | Father Tom Coughlin:First deaf man to be ordained a priest.

18 | The pager goes off:With a different kind of call.

20 | Home for the hurting:Sisters Place offers a loving transition.

22 | Alzheimer’s: The slow, quiet thief.

26 | Mental illness:Church and society must respond.

28 | Making inroads:The National Theatre Workshop of the Handicapped.

29 | Dyslexia:Not just simply reading backwards.



By LORIE UHLMANNWhat a season of blessing this has been.As we look at the new catechetical year we

should take a moment to pause and reflect on how God has touched all of us in the everyday celebration of sacramental living.

The catechetical theme for this year, “Do This in Memory of Me,” reminds us that we are all living members of the body of Christ, no matter who we are or how we are “abled.” We are all called by our loving God to live in response to our own gift of faith.

The source and summit of our true identity is brought together in the Mass, which celebrates our uniqueness and wonder as created beings in the image and likeness of God.

In the diocesan Department for Persons with Disabilities, we get to celebrate this reality in worship over and over again, as we gather for our Awareness Masses.

These liturgies offer us an opportunity to come together just as we are, but also to highlight the special gifts and abilities of so many different people among us.

Often we are too busy and rushed in this “everydayness” of life that we forget to step back and really take in the wonder of our God

and all of our faith family.Disability Awareness Masses enable us

first of all to welcome people with disabilities to participate fully in the life of the church.

The liturgies also celebrate the gifts that people with disabilities bring to the parish, as well as highlight the efforts of groups working with them.

Many of our parishes offer these Masses as annual events, complete with dinners, singing, dancing and sharing to follow.

The Department for Persons with Disabilities has a planning guide for any parish that would like to offer this liturgy. Parish advocates may help with the planning and preparation for these as well.

It is amazing that when we become aware and familiar with the gifts and needs of our individual faith community members, such opportunities can and should offer full integration into the Christian community.

For, once we experience this total embrace of Christ’s love through all others, we realize that in fact we are the ones who are truly blessed by their gifts and presence.

Uhlmann is director of the diocesan Department for Persons with Disabilities.

Blest are they, blest are we

Photo by Pam GianoglioMembers of the Catholic Deaf Choir sign music for the community’s 50th anniversary Mass at St. Justin Church in Pittsburgh’s Mount Washington neighborhood in June.

THREE RIVERS CENTER

FOR INDEPENDENT LIVING

900 Rebecca AvenuePittsburgh -2938412.371.7700

TTY 412.371.6230 Fax 412.371.9430

www.trcil.orgWith satellite offices in Erie, Greensburg,

Washington and New Castle

Celebrating 30Years of

Empowermentin 2010


By JUDY KIRK

I am constantly in awe of the creative abilities of those who teach the faith, especially when it involves children with disabilities.

I am reminded of Terri, a wonderful young lady who I was introduced to years ago when I was director for religious education in my home parish.

My pastor asked if I would work with 9-year-old Terri, who was preparing for her first Communion.

He said she was in a wheelchair and unable to speak or control her movements.

Of course, I said “yes.” I was always up for a chal-lenge. But my immediate thoughts were, how will I get her into the school building and who will I ask to teach her?

When I met Terri and her grandfather, who brought her to class each week, I was struck by her beautiful smile and bright, shining eyes.

I fast realized that Terri was by no means disabled — differently abled for sure, but there was a determi-nation in her eyes that said, “I can, and I will.”

I asked my staff for advice on how we might include Terri in our classes.

She was very intelligent and working at a third-grade level at her special school. My third-grade catechists asked if Terri could be in their classroom, which was on the second floor.

Not sure how we would accomplish that “small” feat, yet not wanting to discourage their eagerness, I agreed, praying that the Holy Spirit would help us.

Our prayers were answered and Terri became part of our family. Her grandfather carried her into the building each week with the help of some strong dads.

When Terri got tired, Grandpa would simply lift her out of the wheelchair and place her on the floor.

The first time this occurred, all of the other chil-dren got out of their seats and joined Terri. It became a weekly ritual.

The children were also amazed at the “squawk-box” — their term — that Terri used to “talk.”

Each child had to try it out, at the suggestion of Terri’s grandfather, and Terri was thrilled with the attention.

That year our third-grade catechists did the Christ-mas program. I knew Terri was going to have a part in the play and both catechists just said, “you’ll be surprised.”

The day finally arrived, the stage was beautifully decorated and I was holding my breath.

The scene began with the narrator telling the story of Mary and Joseph on their way to Bethlehem.

The curtains opened and there was Terri in her wheelchair, which had been camouflaged as a don-key, with Joseph following behind, slowly pushing the wheelchair. The beautiful vision of Terri as Mary brought tears to many eyes.

When she completed eighth grade, Terri became a catechist helper and used her “squawk box” to help the first-graders learn their prayers, delight-ing and amazing them as she pushed the buttons to pray the Our Father or Hail Mary and then let them take a turn. As one little guy put it, “This is cool.”

Terri was an inspiration to many throughout her years with us. I think of her often and realize that God brought Terri to us, a very special child with that beautiful smile and those bright, determined eyes saying, “I can and I will.”

Kirk is director of the diocesan Department for Religious Education.

‘I can, and I will’

Need help providing care?

Want quality care for a loved one?Care that’s affordable and reliable?

Call the Catholic Youth Association

412.621.3342CYA has provided Adult Daycare and other services for 75+ years.

Call us to learn how Adult Daycare helps people mentally, physically and financially.

www.AdultDaycare.CatholicYouthAssociation.com


By LORIE UHLMANN

St. Lucy, a holy woman of the early church whose name means “light,” is the patron saint of people with vision loss and blindness.

When I think about this saint, Susan Etters comes to mind. I met Sue more than a year ago, and she is a truly committed woman of faith. She shares the light of Christ through her caring smile

and witness wherever she goes.Sue was the older daughter of Lucille and the

late Melvin Etters, members of St. Catherine of Siena in Crescent.

She was born premature and had RLF, a condition common in the 1950s among babies who received too much oxygen, resulting in total vision loss.

Susan was embraced by her family as an equal

and was part of everyday family life. She prayed the Mass propers with the congregation and her favorite memories were of attending CCD classes at the Western Pennsylvania School for Blind Children.

In her later school years, Sue and her classmates walked to Central Catholic High School for religious education. She participated in church festivals and was included in the faith community.

With the support of her wonderful mother, Sue grew up as a typical child. By 1982, she moved to Pittsburgh’s Oakland neighborhood and lived an independent life at the Morewood Apartments.

She wanted to become more involved in her faith and met Sister Connie Bahl. In 1988, they attended classes to prepare for the ministry of lector.

Sue loved the experience, and later that year was commissioned by then-Bishop Donald Wuerl to serve as a lector at weekend liturgies.

She proclaimed God’s holy word at St. Margaret of Scotland in Green Tree and St. Agnes in Oakland.

Currently, she lectors at St. James in Sewickley and St. Margaret Mary in Moon Township every weekend. Sue feels it is important for people to truly listen and hear God speaking in our hearts. This is a ministry she really reverences and enjoys.

She also serves on the bishop’s Advisory Board for Persons with Disabilities.

Sharing the Good News can happen in many ways, and Sue believes it is so critical that the message of Jesus be shared with young children as well as adults.

She volunteers with the diocesan Opening Doors Program, enabling people to ask questions, gain awareness and grow in understanding that God calls all of us in so many ways.

At these workshops, Sue reads Scripture from Braille and answers questions from the children. She says that often she is the first blind person they have met.

Sue is joy-filled and her disposition is infectious. She is excited by the new Roman Missal changes in our liturgy and encourages all to continue to share the light of Christ wherever they are.

Uhlmann is director of the diocesan Department for Persons with Disabilities.

Let go andlet God be your light

PITTSBURGH

CatholicComplimentary issue from your

CatholiC Community newspaper

MAGAZINE

Featuring: Christmas Traditions

Fit & faithful: The gift of sport | Lessons to live by

www.pittsburghcathol ic.org

ATTENTION ALL BUSINESSES

Publishing November 2011

Don’t miss this opportunity to promote your business, increase Holiday sales and become part of the Pittsburgh Catholic Magazine’s Christmas Traditions issue. Advertising space is limited and the Season is quickly approaching, so place your order today. Our readers can become your most faithful customers.

Call John Connolly at 412.471.1253

PITTSBURGH

CatholicChristmas Traditions


Through Community Living and Support Services (CLASS), UCP/CLASS serves more than 4,000 individuals, with all types of disabili es, including but not limited to brain injury, mental retarda on, spina bi da, spinal cord injury, cerebral palsy and mul ple sclerosis.

UCP/CLASS is driven by organiza onal values that foster inclusion of people with disabili es.UCP/CLASS o ers an array of services from independent skills training in the classroom, tocommunity-based case management for social/recrea onal and residen al supports.

At the heart of UCP/CLASS’s support services is its mission, working toward a community where each belongs.

Services Include:

A endant CareResiden al Support

Children/Family ServicesConsumer Employer Resources

Community Skill BuildingVoca onal Services

Informa on and ReferralLegal Services

Mul ple Sclerosis Service SocietyAlliance for Community Respite Care

UCP/CLASS, a successful nonpro t, serving 4,000 people daily creates opportuni es for people with and without disabili es to live, work, and

play in their community. In short, Empowering People.

Crea ng Communi es.

For more informa onVisit our website

www.ucpclass.org

412.683.7100 or toll-free 1.888.954.2424

Celebrating 60 Years of Empowering People. Creating Communities.


By HOLLY JOY PENZENSTADLER

In my years in youth ministry, I’ve encountered many inspiring young people, but meeting Claire Senita was a truly divine appointment.

Claire, an active gymnast and student at Pine Richland High School, sustained an injury in an accident on May 9, 2006, that changed her life and set her on a course for a closer walk with God.

Before the accident, she said, “I believed in God, but I never really had a close relationship with him. I wanted one, but I didn’t know how to build a solid relationship.”

Later, “I believed in him even more

because I wanted him to do a miraculous healing on me so I could walk again,” she said.

For awhile that’s all she and others prayed for. But after weeks in the hospital, she knew. “It hit me that my accident was the way I could have a close relationship with him, being paralyzed was the cross I would bear maybe for the rest of my life.”

She added, “That doesn’t mean I wasn’t still angry with him or didn’t still pray hard or didn’t work my butt off at physical therapy. It just meant I tried my best to live a pure life and understand God’s plans for me.”

Now a student at Curry College in Boston, she plans to one day open a rehab center specifically for spinal cord injury patients that specializes in helping people walk again.

“I want to share my story with patients and help them in their journey so they understand that even though it may sometimes seem like it, their life isn’t over.”

She also wants to help young people. “I want them to feel the fire and passion for the Lord that can be so life-changing.”

Soon after her accident, she began to seek the Lord in the church. She had been baptized Catholic, so she naturally came to ask questions. Over the next six months, I visited Claire in her home as she began to explore the faith.

Her walk with the Lord was challenging her as much as her various physical therapies were, and she had an ardent desire to stand up for her faith.

Two summers ago Claire received the sacraments of confirmation and Eucharist, and her life has not been the same.

She has been an incredible inspiration and role model for her peers and adults alike. A member of St. Richard in Richland Township, she continues to seek truth and pursue holiness in the church, lead others in youth ministry and share her story.

As Pope Benedict XVI said, “One of the most beautiful experiences a person can have in the church is that of being able to see and touch the work of the Lord in people’s lives, of experiencing the fact that God is not some abstract entity, but a reality so great and strong as to fill man’s heart to overflowing; a living person who is close to us, who loves us and asks to be loved.”

Penzenstadler is former youth minister at St. Richard in Richland Township and currently diocesan director for elementary school catechesis and faith formation.

Journeying with the Lord

The author, left, with Claire Senita.

Easter Seals Western PA

Open enrollment at three locations:Harmar � Peters Township � Strip District

Extended Hours 7:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.

(412) 281-7244 x247 www.westernpa.easterseals.comContact us for info about all of our programs for children and adults with disabilities

Adult Day Services Day program for older adults

and adults with disabilities


By JENNIFER SHUCKROWOn Feb. 18, 2004, we celebrated the birth

of our second child — a seemingly healthy daughter, Abigail Grace.

Her then-4-year-old brother, Zachary, was already keeping us on our toes. My husband, Alan, had just been made a partner at his law firm, and I had a perfect and flexible job as a college administrator. Everything seemed to be going our way.

But less than three months later we were standing in the Children’s Hospital emergency room watching Abby convulse uncontrollably.

When she was diagnosed, we looked at each other and said, “Infantile spasms — that doesn’t sound so bad.”

Now we realize that it actually could not have been much worse.

In the years following Abby’s initial diagnosis with this intractable form of epilepsy, we tried 15 different medications, high-dose steroid injections, a ketogenic diet and she has had two nerve stimulator surgeries.

Nothing stopped Abby’s seizures, and as of now we have run out of treatment options.

Today, Abby is 7 years old and tests at the developmental age of 2 months. She still has dozens of seizures each day — some little “blinks” and some enormous grand mals.

She cannot walk, talk or hold up her head. Constant seizure activity has also caused a form of blindness, so Abby attends the Western Pennsylvania School for Blind Children in Pittsburgh’s Oakland neighborhood.

We are profoundly grateful for the wonderful education and care that our special girl receives at this wonderful institution.

Every day of our life is about epilepsy — what we can and cannot do because of Abby’s seizures, the places we can and cannot go, the activities we can participate in, the ones we have to decline.

Every day is a little bit of loss. Seeing other little girls Abby’s age going to dance class or playing soccer will still jab at our hearts because we know that our girl will never be able to do those simple, ordinary things.

But surprisingly, many good things have also emerged from Abby’s epilepsy.

In our darkest times, our family and friends

have continually propped us up. Strangers have been kinder than we expected. Abby appears to beckon to the deepest part of people’s souls and makes a connection that is hard to define in words.

Yet, several times each week she is the beneficiary of touching comments that cannot deny this reality.

Because of Abby, children of our friends have become volunteers at her school and are making an important difference in the lives of a small population of children who are profoundly disabled.

Organizations like the Epilepsy Foundation of Western Pennsylvania and Make-a-Wish have provided us with incredible opportunities, ensuring that we have special family memories to treasure.

And, of course, Abby has brought many amazing people into our lives — teachers, therapists and other children with disabilities.

Without uttering even a single word, Abby inspires our family and those around us to be better people. And without taking even a single step, Abby leads us to live more Christ-like lives.

Abby’s middle name is Grace, and when she does these things we believe she radiates God’s grace.

The Shuckrows are members of St. John Neumann Parish in Franklin Park, where Abby participates in the Good Shepherd Catechesis Program.

The gift ofAbby

The author holds her 7-year-old daughter Abby.

ASV

MO

BIL

ITY

CO

.

We Service MostMobility Equipment

Phone: 724-368-9417Fax: 724-368-9654

1-800-404-7372368 Heinz Camp Road

Portersville, PA

Your Complete Mobility Dealer

Stairglides Wheel Chair Lifts

Ramps Scooters

Lift ChairsHand Controls

Lifts & ElevatorsRaised Roof

Van ConversionsTurning

Automotive SeatPlease mention ad to recieve

10% OFF PurchaseCall for Details


By MARK SIEG AND KAREN BABEJI

St. Anthony School Programs’ tagline is “Excep-tional Opportunities for A Lifetime.”

St. Anthony’s continues its mission of 55 years to serve students between the ages of 5-21 with intellectual disabilities and/or autism. For the 110 students who attend one of our nine resource rooms, opportunities come in a variety of ways.

The inclusive model allows our students to attend local Catholic schools with their same-age peers and siblings.

This model has given our students many wonder-ful opportunities to participate in school functions

and feel part of their respective school community.Many of our students are involved in various ac-

tivities including athletics, band and school plays and can be altar servers as well as lectors.

With the support of the Diocese of Pittsburgh, local churches and schools, administrators, teachers and school families, our students can now feel like they belong in the community.

Our post-secondary students, ages 18-21, attend Duquesne University and the University of Pitts-burgh, where they get to experience college life on campus.

With the support of Carlow University, one of our students takes a college course with his or her same-

age peers. This is a one-of-a-kind opportunity in the country.

The business community has also provided more than 20 job sites throughout Downtown Pittsburgh for vocational training.

Fourteen years ago, St. Anthony’s began its Opportunity Award Dinner. This fund-raiser was designed to recognize individuals and organizations that provided opportunities for our students with special needs.

The idea was born from the necessity to raise money to offset the constantly rising costs associated with our education program and the desire to raise awareness of our program throughout the community.

Each year, a dedicated dinner committee identifies businesses and individuals who have followed the example of Jesus by giving hope, friendship and op-portunities to children and adults with special needs.

Because of their efforts, opportunities exist where there once were none.

This year’s Opportunity Award Dinner will be held the evening of Friday, Nov. 4, in the East Club Lounge at Heinz Field on Pittsburgh’s North Side.

It will bring together our families, board members, staff and supporters for an evening of celebration.

At this year’s event, St. Anthony’s will present Opportunity Awards to Carlow University, to Kurt Kondrich, director of Family/Community Outreach Early Intervention Specialists, and to the Pittsburgh Pirates.

St. Anthony’s is proud to be able to publicly recog-nize the work that each of these awardees has done to support our program and/or the issues that affect the students and families we serve.

The event will be chaired by Eric and Jennifer Soller and Jeffrey and Susan Jackson.

For additional information regarding St. Anthony School Programs or how you can sponsor or attend the Opportunity Award Dinner, contact our office at 724-940-9020, ext. 104, or visit our website at www.stanthonyschoolprograms.com.

Sieg is executive director of the St. Anthony School Programs and Babeji is development director.

St. Anthony School Programs keeps opportunity knocking

A student in the St. Anthony School Programs works independently during class.

All cemeteries aren’t created equal. A Catholic cemetery is a very special place,a sacred resting place, set aside by thechurch for the burial of the faithful. Webelieve the body is sacred, even after death,that it will rise again on the last day to bereunited with its soul. Learn more aboutthe advantages of pre-planning in aCatholic cemetery.

THE WISER CHOICEPre-planning for funeral and burial needs

removes the burden from your family.

WE CAN HELPCall 877-886-7526

Call or visit us online at www.ccapgh.orgto receive your free pre-planning guide

SHOULDN’TA CATHOLIC BEBURIED IN A

CATHOLIC CEMETERY?

Mail to: The Catholic Cemeteries Association, 718 Hazelwood Ave., Pittsburgh, PA 15217

Yes....with no obligation, I would like to receive information about pre-planning andreceive my free copy of the new Catholic Emergency Record File

Name____________________________________ Phone ____________________________

Street ______________________________________________________________________

City__________________________________ State ________ Zip ____________________

Email ______________________________________________________________________

PCMAG-1011


By DR. LEESA M. DIBARTOLA

At Duquesne University’s Department of Physical Therapy, our vision is to foster and develop physical therapists who are lauded for dramatically improving the quality of life of the patients they serve.

Our graduates are scholarly and effective, yet ethical and compassionate. The faculty is dedicated to creating a learning environment that instills in physical therapists outstanding knowledge, clinical skills, compassion and professionalism.

Research indicates that patients value strong interpersonal skills and professional behavior more than any other characteristics.

When asked in a Harris poll what qualities are most important in a health care provider, patients’ most frequent answers were being treated with “dignity and respect,” “listens to my questions and concerns” and “is easy to talk with.”

This may be a surprise to some, but it isn’t to us. Providing students with the education to master these very skills is a hallmark of Duquesne’s physical therapy program.

We develop graduates who care deeply for the patients they serve and who wish to improve themselves for the betterment of people in need of physical therapy.

Our students learn about the psychological, social, cultural, spiritual and communication issues relevant to the patient. They explore family and caretaker issues that are critical to compassionate patient care.

Students learn the importance of respect for all patients and how to exhibit their sincere empathy and compassion. In addition, they learn how socioeconomics, gender and age can affect patient care.

They are expected to excel in the care of patients with chronic illness and disability, while respecting human differences and attending to the patient’s emotional and spiritual needs.

Duquesne physical therapy students even attend 12-step meetings to better learn about treating patients who suffer from addiction.

They meet people who have experienced trauma, prejudice and other social issues. Our classes include real patients with real problems, including physical disability or brain injury, and the students learn from them.

A popular assignment requires students to personally experience what it is like to have a disability.

They are assigned a disability such as a stroke, spinal cord injury or multiple sclerosis, while other students are assigned as their caretaker.

They spend 24 hours with a disability or as

the caretaker, which might include helping the patient dress, bathe, eat and get to class on time.

We then discuss what it was like to be the patient or caretaker for a day. Students soon begin to recognize, though on a much smaller scale, what it is like for patients who have a disability and to be a caretaker.

They frequently say, “I never realized how difficult hills are while in a wheelchair,” or “Now I can begin to empathize with someone who is caring for a loved one with a disability.”

Students agree this experience heightens their awareness of disability and how to care for patients and families.

At Duquesne, our students learn and practice these skills while in school and then refine them during their clinical education in hospitals and clinics.

The physical therapists who work with our students frequently tell us that they are exceptionally skilled in professionalism and communication, and that they truly “care” for the patient.

We strive to serve God by preparing students to serve patients.

DiBartola is assistant professor and director of clini-cal education in Duquesne University’s Department of Physical Therapy.

Dr. DiBartola, assistant professor and director of clinical education in Duquesne University’s Department of Physical Therapy, leads students through a therapy session.

Lifting limbs and spirits


By TIFFANY MERRIMAN PRESTON

“Every child, every person needs to know that they are a source of joy; every child, every person, needs to be celebrated,” wrote Jean Vanier in “Becoming Human.”

When Ken and Lorraine Wagner set out to found the Emmaus Community of Pittsburgh more than 20 years ago, those words were not lost on them.

They believed that if people came together and truly embraced community, the gifts of all members — those with disabilities and those without — would shine.

Having raised four children, including a daughter with a developmental disability, they understood the challenges that people with disabilities face.

They had also witnessed firsthand how an indi-

vidual could flourish when given love and support.In the beginning, they called together friends, rela-

tives, families and individuals to discern how to best serve the needs of people with intellectual disabilities.

They discovered that there was a great need for quality care, as well as a place where people with dis-abilities would be supported in expressing their faith.

There were few resources for starting a new organi-zation, and many barriers, but with the help of passed hats and prayers, they went on to found the Emmaus Community on Pittsburgh’s South Side.

Today, we see the fruits of this labor. The community has grown from one home, where

Ken and Lorraine lived with three individuals with intellectual disabilities for more than 10 years, to five permanent homes, two supervised apartments, a short-term respite center and an outreach program.

When a person comes to live at Emmaus, they come for life. Emmaus provides support and care 24 hours a day. Our staff brings a high level of profes-sionalism and training to their jobs, but they also bring their hearts.

We seek to live out our original philosophy of celebrating every person by sharing our lives.

A day at Emmaus might include sitting down to share a family-style meal, heading out to com-munity events, celebrating holidays and successes, or supporting each other through times of grief and struggle.

Some of our support staff live in our homes with the people they serve, as did both our founders and our current executive director. Some of our residents no longer have living relatives, and we are truly their family.

Our respite center provides short-term care to people in need of temporary care while a family member is unable to provide it.

Some are living with elderly parents and have never been away from home. Respite provides families with the comfort of knowing there is a place where their loved one will be treated with care and respect while they are unable to be with them.

It also helps prepare the individual for a time when their parent will no longer be around and instills them with new confidence and hope for the future.

Providing support for people 24 hours a day is no easy task, but with each day that we spend with the residents of Emmaus, it becomes even more clear why we believe so wholeheartedly in our mission.

For further information about Emmaus, call 412-381-0277 or 412-381-2102 or e-mail www.Em-mausPgh.org.

Preston is director of fund-raising and special events for the Emmaus Community.

The Emmaus experience

CNS photoAbbe Pierre, founder of the Emmaus Community, is shown at his 90th birthday party. He died in 2007.

J. Mark Prybyl, DDSCosmetic and Family Dentistry

“DENTIST WITH THE ANGEL’S TOUCH”

New patients only$50.00 OFF with this ad

Expires Dec. 31, 2011

“Everyone deserves the same level of dignity.”

USES THE WAND FOR PAIN-FREE DENTISTRY

Dr. Prybyl’s office is wheel-chair accessible.11676 Perry Highway, Suite 1202, Wexford, PA 15090

Phone: 724-935-0160 • www.prybyldds.comFree consultations and emergencies accepted.

Conveniently located at the corner of Route 910 & Route 19


Fair Oaksof Pittsburgh

A Retirement CommunityFair Oaks offers quality apartments for independent and assisted living in Southwestern Pennsylvania.

For information and to arrange a tour with complimentary lunch...

412-344-99152200 West Liberty AvenuePittsburgh, PA 15226-1597www.fairoakspgh.com

��Quality�Private�1�or�2�Room�Apartments��with�Modern�Amenities��Kitchenette/Stove,�Sink�&�Small�Fridge��Private�Air-Conditioned�Suites��Catholic�&�Protestant�Services�� Emergency�Call�System��Registered�Nurses�on�Staff�� Licensed�Practical�Nurses�and��Certified�Nurses�Aides��Physician�on�Site�Weekly��Personal�Care�Plan�for�Each�Resident�� 24�Hour�Emergency�Nursing��Professional�Therapy�Room��Country�Store�&�Gift�Shop

�� 3�Delicious�Meals�Prepared�Daily��by�Professional�Chefs�� 3�Beautifully�Decorated�Grand�Dining�Rooms��&�Lounge�Areas��Weekly�Housekeeping��Weekly�Laundry�� Expanded�Cable�Service�� Social�&�Recreational�Activities��All�Utilities�� 17�Acres�of�Beautiful�Landscaped�Grounds��Walking�Track�in�Gazebo�Park�� 24�Hour�Security�and�Management��Craft�Room�� Fitness�Room


A mother reflects on her two sons’ journey with hearing loss

By HADLEY B. HAAS

It was baseball all summer at our house, starting in the spring when my sons, Declan, 7, and Bennett, 5, played baseball and T-ball, respectively.

They practiced hitting every night and made everyone pitch to them for hours at a time.

My favorite part was during the seventh-inning stretch when they would stand up, put their arms around each other’s shoulders, sway and sing every word to “Take Me Out to the Ballgame.”

This might seem like typical behavior, but Declan and Bennett are a little different. Without their cochlear implants, they are deaf.

In many ways, this summer felt like the end of a journey that my husband, Scott, and I embarked on in Chicago in 2005.

Declan, our first child, was nearly 2 years old and wasn’t talking. We had met with a speech therapist and waited six months for our son to have a “language explosion.” It never happened.

He had passed his newborn hearing screen, but this time a comprehensive battery of tests showed a moderate to severe bilateral hearing loss.

Declan was fitted with hearing aids, and a new speech therapist told us he could learn to speak and wouldn’t need sign language to communicate. He began making some progress.

Six months later, results of genetic testing showed Declan’s hearing loss was the result of Connexin 26, a recessive genetic mutation that causes damage to the hair cells inside the cochlea.

A week later, Bennett was born. We knew almost immediately that he had a severe-

profound bilateral hearing loss. He was fitted with hearing aids, but due to the extent of his loss he was a cochlear implant candidate.

We worked with our doctor in Chicago to see how soon he could have the surgery. We didn’t want him to miss out on any of the critical time we’d lost with Declan.

By 2006, Declan’s progress in speech therapy had plateaued. Additional tests showed his hearing loss had progressed. He was considered a cochlear implant candidate as well.

That summer was full of audiology appointments, CT scans and MRIs. In early November, Bennett became the youngest child in Illinois to receive simultaneous, bilateral cochlear implants. Three weeks later, Declan received a cochlear implant in his left ear.

With the surgeries behind us, we could focus on schools for Declan. We had toured DePaul School for Hearing and Speech in Pittsburgh’s Shadyside neighborhood while visiting my family for Thanksgiving.

We were impressed, and began to talk about moving to Pittsburgh to be close to my family and enable our sons to get the best in Listening and Spoken Language education. We did so just before Christmas in 2007.

Declan started in the DePaul preschool in January and blossomed.

A speech therapist worked with him every day. An on-site audiologist monitored his cochlear implant and hearing aid. Finally, he was closing the gap on his hearing peers.

Bennett started in DePaul’s toddler program that spring. His teacher also spent time with me, talking about his progress and sharing ideas for activities at home.

Declan spent two more years at DePaul. He received his second cochlear implant at Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC just after his 5th birthday.

He learned to read fluently during kindergarten, and last fall mainstreamed into first grade at Osborne Elementary in the Quaker Valley School District.

He has excelled academically there, made great friends and just started second grade.

After completing DePaul School’s toddler program, Bennett transitioned to a part-time placement at the Village Preschool at the Laughlin Center in Sewickley.

This fall, he started kindergarten in the Quaker Valley School District.

In addition to baseball, both boys play soccer and basketball and will attend CCD at St. James in Sewickley.

We feel so blessed that our children could attend DePaul School for Hearing and Speech. The staff is dedicated and compassionate and the support and expertise they have provided has been invaluable to our boys.

I marvel every day at how far Declan and Bennett have come. People regularly say that they wouldn’t know the boys were deaf if they didn’t see their cochlear implants.

There is nothing disabled about them today. There is nothing they can’t do.

Chicago

DePaul

From

to

Declan Haas, left, and his brother, Bennett, play outside the entrance to DePaul School for Hearing and Speech in Pittsburgh’s Shadyside neighborhood.


Deaf priest uses gifts to reach others

Father Thomas Coughlin made a return visit to Pittsburgh recently to lead a retreat at St. Justin in Pittsburgh’s Mount Washington neighborhood, home to the Catholic deaf community.

Father Tom, who is deaf himself, travels widely in his ministry to people who are deaf.

In childhood he attended Rochester School for the Deaf in New York and graduated from St. Mary School for the Deaf.

He felt a call to the priesthood since the eighth grade. For him that ministry is working with people who are deaf.

After being denied acceptance at a number of seminaries, he attended Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C., and in 1972, after graduating, he was accepted into the Trinitarian order. He continued his studies at Catholic University of America, earning a master’s degree in religious studies, and

in 1980 he became the first deaf man to be ordained a priest.

Following ordination, Father Tom focused his ministry on people who are deaf. Concerned about evangelization of the deaf communities, he worked to keep people

participating in worship and connected with the life of the church.

Father Tom believes that, with encouragement, people who are deaf will respond to God’s call and that they can relate more to a priest who is “one of their own.”

He does not see deafness as a handicap, but as a gift, and so, after his ordination, he completed studies for a nursing degree to fill a need at a camp he formed for youth who are deaf.

In 1993, Father Tom joined the Dominican order and became immersed in working with seminarians. He was granted permission to form the Dominican Missionaries of the Deaf Apostolate and travels widely to promote vocations and ministry with the Catholic deaf.

The apostolate is based in San Antonio, where Father Tom also serves as director of the Deaf Apostolate for the Archdiocese of San Antonio. The ministry’s website is www.dominicanmissionaries.org.

Father Tom Coughlin

‘One of their own’

Women bring prayers, laptops to hospitalized military personnel

SAN ANTONIO (CNS) — Two “angels,” one from the East Coast, one from the West, flew into San Antonio together four years ago bearing gifts to boost the morale of hospitalized military personnel and their families at Brooke Army Medical Center, Wilford Hall Medical Center and the Audie Murphy Veterans Memorial Hospital.

Patricia Gallagher of Royersford, Pa., creator of the Team of Angels project, brought with her a thousand angel pins attached to messages of hope and gratitude.

Laura Brown of Cody, Wyo., organizer of Laptops for the Wounded, came with four laptop computers with webcams to enable those who have been hospi-talized to stay in touch with their families and others.

Both were clearly moved by their visit.“I had to step away several times and ‘regroup,’”

Brown said. “I would start crying.”They spoke of a young soldier suffering third-

degree burns, who had lost both arms and legs, his ears and his eyelids.

Another young veteran of Iraq was totally paralyzed below his neck and in an induced coma while recu-perating from surgery; his sister confided her fears of what would happen when he learned of his state.

“To everybody we saw,” said Gallagher, “we kept saying, ‘We just want to thank you — from our fam-ily, from everybody.’”

Brown and Gallagher met via the Internet. Both had plans to visit military hospitals in San Antonio, so they teamed up to make the trip.

“I’ve lost all the things that I loved to do most of my life,” said Brown, who herself is disabled. “My laptop is like my window to the world. It keeps me in contact with family and friends. But these guys’ world has been shrunken so far down — a room, a few hallways.”

Gallagher’s Team of Angels came out of the tough times she was facing. With her marriage falling apart and her father dying from throat cancer, and with four kids to raise, she felt overwhelmed. She eventu-ally found herself making daily visits to a nearby church.

In a year, Gallagher estimates she wrote about 300 different poems that called on angels.

Gallagher and her children began leaving the cards with golden angel pins at various locations. She began filling requests for them, including one from a prisoner on death row. Soon she began to hear that they were popping up in other locales, as people passed them on to others.

“My neighbors lost their child in a fire. Someone gave them your pin,” said one letter writer. “My

friend is the victim of domestic abuse. I gave her the pin and it has helped her endure as she plans to leave,” said another.

Researching more about depression, something her husband had dealt with, Gallagher strengthened her faith. After five years of separation, she and her husband reunited when one of their children went through a bout of depression.

She decided to give out the pins at military hospi-tals. She has given out more than 100,000 angel pins in a project she has been financing herself. She has used money from the sale of her house and van.

Like Gallagher, Brown decided to begin her own organization at a time of reflection.

Having a disability that hinders her own mobility and a son serving in Iraq sparked Brown to establish Laptops for the Wounded.

“I started thinking about injuries, death and things like that, because when they’re (on) active duty, you can’t let yourself think about the risks,” Brown said.

In 2005 she learned of a young soldier who had been hospitalized at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington for a year and a half.

He had told his mother the one thing he wanted most was a laptop, so he could stay in contact. “My goodness,” said Brown to herself, “if everybody on my address book on my computer sent me five dol-lars, we could buy this guy a laptop easy.”

The project got a boost from publicity in Stars and Stripes daily newspaper, a magazine and postings on various Web sites. She has picked up the help of Internet technicians and a webmaster.

More information about the angels and laptop projects are available online at: www.teamofangels.com and www.laptopsforthewounded.com.

Women bring prayers, laptops to hospitalized military personnel


By LARRY BADACZEWSKIThe pager goes off.“Please call. Twelve-year-old daughter experienc-

ing anxiety regarding school.”Or, “Single mother struggling with teenage son.”Or, “Husband died suddenly.”Or, “Spouse having affair.”People call when their lives are thrown into some

unmanageable pain, looking for relief and hope.Yes, there’s a part of us that knows all of these are

a part of life. Yet, we find ourselves unprepared and sometimes embarrassed at this loss of stability in our lives, the loss of control.

The expression “No one said it would be easy” is hardly a comfort in the midst of what we’re experi-encing as a breakdown in our ability to function.

We say, “Not me, not now!”Henry Kissinger once said, “We cannot have a crisis

this week. My schedule is already full.”So, is this disrupted stability a failure on our part?

A weakness? Or something better? And isn’t this about the time we call out to God, “Where are you?” It can seem awfully dark and we can feel very alone.

As enlightened a culture we may be and as accept-

able an idea it is these days to go to counseling, it’s still not an easy call to make.

It’s difficult to admit to our-selves, let alone to another, that some part of our life is not in control.

Some people have told me that strug-gling with depression or anxiety feels like a weak-ness of faith, that if their faith were stronger they would be struggling in such a mighty way.

This is why when a message comes across my pager of someone asking for help, one part of me winces that someone is in pain and the other is thankful they had the courage to call.

I think, OK, they’re ready to face things. Maybe they’re ready to make changes, they want to do some-thing about this.

If I do my job well, people will leave a session with the sense that they are not so much defective as smart to be looking for ways to grow, learn, change and be better.

We like stability — emotional, relational, spiritual. What we get is a constant shifting. Where is God? He is right there in the shifting, inviting us to trust him.

Of course, the greatest ex-ample of this is in the paschal

mystery, where there is lots of shifting going on in the suffering, death and resur-

rection of Jesus.I have always found it

interesting that we as Catholics worship an incarnate God who was

thrust into a world of chaos, dark-ness and pain and then celebrate his re-emergence into a higher order of light and love.

Can it get clearer than that for us, that we are called to follow Christ believing and experiencing the same love and grace at work within us?

Prayer is remembering this truth, that the pain is not the end of the story. The church community is there to proclaim that Good News with and for us. I will help you remember if you help me. God is at work in love, and in that is relief and hope.

The pager goes off ...

Badaczewski is a licensed social worker and member of St. Teresa of Avila in Perrysville.

A different kind of call

Do you or someone you know have significant vision loss?

Have you been told there’s nothing more that can be done?Dr. Bissell has telescopic glasses that may help!

Call to speak with Dr. Bissell today.See if these are right for you.

Glasses Starting At $500.00 - Small Price To PayTo Get Back Your Independence & Better Vision

Improve Your Quality of Life with TELESCOPIC GLASSES

724-443-6767Family Owned And Operated

John Bissell, ODResidency Trained

• Macular Degeneration • Glaucoma

• Diabetes• Retinitis Pigmentosa

5900 Heckert RoadBakerstown, PA 15007


��

�

�

�

�

��

��

��

��


Sisters Place offers a loving transi-tion for homeless families

By SISTER MARY PARKSWhen I answered the phone, she was crying

and nearly incoherent.“Where are you?” I asked.“Sister Mary, I’m trying to see my counselor

but I don’t know where I am.” After some minutes I came to understand

that she had gotten off her bus at the wrong stop in Oakland. She had her 5-year-old son with her, and both of them were distraught.

Thank God for the Cathedral of Learning! I helped her to orient herself by using that unique landmark and within minutes she an-nounced, “I see my street. I know where I am!”

I could hear such joy in her voice.This story reflects well the journey our homeless

families at Sisters Place in Clairton are on.Many of them, like the mom I just mentioned,

struggle with mental health and other disabilities that severely impact their lives.

Founded by 14 congregations of Catholic women religious, Sisters Place is a supportive housing com-munity serving 32 homeless families at a time.

Since 1997 more than 200 families have moved into independent housing after participating in Sisters Place programs. In order to qualify for a HUD (federal Department of Housing and Urban Development)-supported permanent housing program, the adult head of household must have a documented disability.

That might be a mental or physical health diagno-sis, HIV or AIDS, or they might also be in recovery from drug or alcohol addiction.

Our experience has shown us that the vast major-ity of our disabled mothers have also experienced childhood abuse, domestic violence and other trauma over the course of their lives.

One of our mothers suffered from Fetal Alcohol Syndrome and had a very difficult time walking. Steps were nearly impossible for her, and she had to go up and down the stairs in her unit on her bottom. She did this carrying her 16-month-old son.

Architect Louis Astorino heard about her struggle and sent several of his staff out to assess the unit. They drew up plans to move her washer and dryer under the stairs and convert her utility room into a downstairs bathroom.

Then Sisters Place Board President Jeff Ander-son gathered several contractors to make those plans a reality and suddenly life got better for our disabled mom.

She now only had to traverse her stairs once or twice a day. All of this work was a gift to us. But the most grateful person involved was our young mom who was saved many harrowing trips every day.

It’s important to remember that neither their disabilities nor their poverty or even their painful life experiences render our homeless moms helpless or hopeless.

Once they move into their Sisters Place housing, most of them start to make immediate progress. Like our lost mom in Oakland, they come to know where they are. They have new stability and struc-ture from which to grow strong.

A young boy in our program expressed it this way: “This is not our forever home, it is just our first home.”

We provide a step on the road to a more secure life for disabled, homeless parents and their children.

St. Joseph Sister Mary Parks is executive director of Sisters Place in Clairton.

Home for the hurting

PRESSLEY RIDGE SCHOOL FOR AUTISM

Pressley Ridge ExpandingIts Autism Services

As the region’s most experienced provider of

special education, Pressley Ridge is extending its

autism services in a new home that is designed

to help each child reach his or her full potential

in school and in life. The new facility will allow

for expansion of the school, extended school

year and therapeutic social groups programs.

The following will be provided at this new site:

❂ Social skills instruction

❂ Vocational training (horticulture, retail, office support and culinary)

❂ State-of-the art sensory room

❂ Sensory friendly classrooms

❂ Anger/stress management counseling

❂ After school social groups and ESY (Extended School Year)

For more information: 1-877-905-4291 or www.pressleyridge.org/school-for-autism/


CatholicCatholicPITTSBURGH

Your Catholic Community Newspaper: In Continuous Operation Since 1844

PUBLISHING DATE: FRIDAYEditorial Deadline: 11:00 a.m. FridayAdvertising Deadline: 11:00 a.m. Wednesday

GET

YOUR COPYAT

CHURCH

EVERYW

EEK!

Don’t be out of the Loop . . .

135 First Avenue, Suite 200, Pittsburgh, PA 15222 • 1-800-392-4670 • www.pittsburghcatholic.orgRead Your Catholic Community Newspaper Every Week!

Each week the Pittsburgh Catholic Newspaper delivers

news & information that Catholics don’t want to miss.

1-800-392-4670 • www.pittsburghcatholic.org

Flexible advertising programs to suit everyone’s budget . . .

Call John Connolly @ 412-471-1253


Alzheimer’s:Every 70 seconds someone in America develops the disease

By TONI WILLIAMSMore than 10,000 baby boomers a day will turn 65 this year.As they age, one of out of eight of them will develop Alzheimer’s — a devastat-

ing, costly, heartbreaking disease. Increasingly for these baby boomers, it will no longer be their grandparents and parents who have Alzheimer’s — it will be them.

“Alzheimer’s is a tragic epidemic that has no survivors,” said Harry Johns, president and CEO of the Alzheimer’s Association.

“It is as much a thief as a killer,” he said. “Those who will care for these loved ones will witness, day by day, the progressive and relentless realities of this fatal disease. But we can still change that if we act now.”

According to the new Alzheimer’s Association report, “Generation Alzheimer’s,” some 10 million baby boomers are expected to either die with or from Alzheimer’s.

It is the only one of the top 10 causes of death in America without a way to prevent, cure or even slow its progression.

But, while Alzheimer’s kills, it does so only after taking everything away, slowly stripping an individual’s autonomy and independence.

Even beyond the cruel impact Alzheimer’s has on the individuals with the disease, “Generation Alzheimer’s” also details the negative cascading effects the disease places on millions of caregivers.

Caregivers and families go through the agony of losing a loved one twice: first to the ravaging effects of the disease and then, ultimately, to actual death.

While most people survive an average of four to six years after a diagnosis,

The slow, quiet thiefAlzheimer’s:

Caregivers and families go through the agony of losing a loved one twice: first to the ravaging effects of the disease and then, ultimately, to actual death.

What are the warning signsMemory loss that disrupts daily life is not

a typical part of aging. It may be a symptom of Alzheimer’s, a fatal brain disease that causes a slow decline in memory, thinking and reasoning skills.

Every individual may experience one or more of these signs in different degrees. If you notice any of them, please see a doctor.

Here are 10 warning signs:

• Memory loss that disrupts daily life

One of the most common signs of Al-zheimer’s is memory loss, especially forget-ting recently learned information.

Others include forgetting important dates or events, asking for the same information over and over, relying on memory aids such as reminder notes or electronic devices or on family members for things they used to handle on their own.

What’s a typical age-related change? Sometimes forgetting names or appoint-ments, but remembering them later.

• Challenges in planning or solv-ing problems

Some people may experience changes in their ability to develop and follow a plan or work with numbers. They may have trouble following a familiar recipe or keeping track of monthly bills.

They may have difficulty concentrating and take much longer to do things than they did before.

What’s a typical age-related change? Making occasional errors when balancing a checkbook.

• Difficulty completing familiar tasks at home, at work or at leisure

People with Alzheimer’s often find it hard to complete daily tasks.

Sometimes, people may have trouble driving to a familiar location, managing a budget at work or remembering the rules of a favorite game.

What’s a typical age-related change? Occa-sionally needing help to use the settings on a microwave or to record a television show.

• Confusion with time or place People with Alzheimer’s can lose track of

dates, seasons and the passage of time. They

may have trouble understanding something if it is not happening immediately.

Sometimes they may forget where they are or how they got there.

What’s a typical age-related change? Get-ting confused about the day of the week but figuring it out later.

• Trouble understanding visual images and spatial relationships

For some people, having vision problems is a sign of Alzheimer’s. They may have diffi-culty reading, judging distance and deter-mining color or contrast.

In terms of perception, they may pass a mirror and think someone else is in the room. They may not realize they are the person in the mirror.

What’s a typical age-related change? Vi-sion changes related to cataracts.

• New problems with words in speaking or writing

People with Alzheimer’s may have trouble following or joining a conversation. They

?

See SignS on Page 24

See thief on Page 24


Diocese of Pittsburgh Secretariat for Catholic Education

Department forPersonswith Disabilities

“Called and sustained by God, and commissionedby the Bishop, the Department for Personswith Disabilities, within the Secretariat forCatholic Education of the Diocese of Pittsburgh,is committed to making it possible for persons

with disabilities to fully participate in the lifeof the Church. Our vision of a Church, whereall people can worship together, inspires us tooffer educational and catechetical services, andresources for ALL.”

Department Offerings

� Ministry for Persons with Cognitive Disabilities� Ministry for Persons with Hearing Loss

or Deafness� Ministry for Persons with Physical Disabilities� Ministry for Persons with Vision Loss or

Blindness� Disability Awareness Masses� Formation/Education Workshops and Courses

� Ministry Resources, Newsletters, Podcasts,Books

� Network of Special Religious EducationFacilitators

� Opening Doors Awareness EducationPrograms

� Parish Advocacy Training and Ministry

� Resting in God Programs/Retreats

DEPARTMENT FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIESSecretariat for Catholic Education

Diocese of Pittsburgh111 Boulevard of Allies | Pittsburgh, PA 15222

412-456-3119 (Voice) | 412-456-3122 (TTY)[email protected]

Awareness + Advocacy + Accessibility + Acceptance = INCLUSION


many can live as long as 20 years.“As the disease progresses, the person with

dementia requires more and more assistance with everyday tasks like bathing, dressing, eating and household activities,” said Beth Kallmyer, senior director of constituent relations for the Alzheimer’s Association.

“This long duration often places increas-ingly intensive care demands on 11 million family members and friends who provide unpaid care, and it negatively affects their health, employment, income and financial security.”

In addition to the human toll, over the next 40 years Alzheimer’s will cost the nation $20 trillion. And while every 70 seconds someone in America develops Alzheimer’s disease, by 2050 someone will develop the disease every 33 seconds.

“Alzheimer’s, with its broad-ranging impact on individuals, families, Medicare and Medicaid, has the power to bring the country to its financial knees,” said Robert Egge, vice president of public policy for the Alzheimer’s Association.

“But when the federal government has been focused, committed and willing to put the necessary resources to work to confront a disease that poses a real public health threat to the nation — there has been great success,” he said. “We need to see that type of commitment with Alzheimer’s.”

The full text of “Generation Alzheimer’s” is available at www.alz.org/boomers.

The Alzheimer’s Association is the leading voluntary health organization in Alzheimer’s care, support and research.

The agency’s website is www.alz.org and it operates a 24-hour helpline at 1-800-272-3900.

Williams is associate director of public relations for the Alzheimer’s Association Public Policy Office in Chicago.

may stop in the middle of a conversation and have no idea how to continue or they may repeat themselves.

They may struggle with vocabulary, have problems finding the right word or call things by the wrong name, such as calling a watch a hand-clock.

What’s a typical age-related change? Sometimes having trouble finding the right word.

• Misplacing things and losing the ability to retrace steps

A person with Alzheimer’s disease may put things in unusual places. They may lose things and be unable to go back over their steps to find them again.

Sometimes, they may accuse others of steal-ing. This may occur more frequently over time.

What’s a typical age-related change? Mis-placing things from time to time, such as a pair of glasses or the remote control.

• Decreased or poor judgment People with Alzheimer’s may experience

changes in judgment or decision-making.For example, they may use poor judg-

ment when dealing with money, giving large amounts to telemarketers. They may pay less attention to grooming or keeping themselves clean.

What’s a typical age-related change? Mak-ing a bad decision once in a while.

• Withdrawal from work or social activities

A person with Alzheimer’s may start to remove themselves from hobbies, social activities, work projects or sports.

They may have trouble keeping up with a favorite sports team or remembering how

to complete a favorite hobby. They may also avoid being social because of the changes they have experienced.

What’s a typical age-related change? Sometimes feeling weary of work, family and social obligations.

• Changes in mood and personality The mood and personalities of people with

Alzheimer’s can change. They can become confused, suspicious, depressed, fearful or anxious. They may be easily upset at home, at work, with friends or in places where they are out of their comfort zone.

What’s a typical age-related change? De-veloping very specific ways of doing things and becoming irritable when a routine is disrupted.

Copyright © 2009 Alzheimer’s Associa-tion®. All rights reserved.

SignS from Page 22

thief from Page 22

...and the two shall become one f esh.—Genesi

s 2:1

8, 2

1-24

WeddingGuide

PITTSBURGHCatholic

PITTSBURGH

CatholicWeddingGuide

Contact John Connolly

412.471.1253

Space is limited.Space is limited.99

Reserve your ad today. Become an essential part of their momentous occasion.


EMMAUS COMMUNITY OF PITTSBURGHA Community that Serves Persons with Intellectual Disabilities and Autism and Promotes Public Awareness of Their Needs

MISSION STATEMENTThe Emmaus Community of Pittsburgh is a

community that serves persons with IntellectualDisabilities/Developmental Disabilities

and promotes public awareness of their needs

It is a Community inspired by the Beatitudesand the Spirit of the Gospel. In living anworking together, all persons help oneanother grow and become whole. The

Community fosters a simple way of life andshares who they are with each other.

Strengthened by its spirituality and prayerfuldirection the Community strives tounderstand its role in the kingdom.

CONTACT:Karen D. Jacobsen,Executive Director2821 Sarah Street, Pgh PA [email protected]

Residence.Respite.

Advocacy.

Residence.Respite.

Advocacy.

E


Church, society must find ways to respond

By NANCY FRAZIER O’BRIEN

WASHINGTON (CNS) — Deacon Tom Lambert wants people to know that Jared Lee Loughner, charged with killing six people and wounding 13 others in Tucson, Ariz., in January, “is not the face of mental illness in this country.”

Those with mental illness are much more likely to be the victims of violence than its perpetrators, and the vast majority live and work quietly in their communities, trained by society not to share too much information about their struggles.

Deacon Lambert calls mental illness a “no-casserole disease.” When his wife had open-heart surgery 25 years ago, “the doorbell never stopped ringing” and he discovered more ways to cook chicken than he ever knew existed. But when his daughter was hospitalized for mental illness 20 years ago, he said, “no one came to the door.”

He also found during those dark days two decades ago that “the church leadership knew very little about mental illness” and there was nothing in place to help. So he and his wife began a Commission on Mental Illness in the Archdiocese of Chicago, which eventually became part of the archdiocesan Office for Persons with Disabilities, albeit without any

church funding.“And that’s the way it exists to this day,”

he said from his office at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish in Chicago. “I call it an unfunded Gospel mandate.”

At the national level, Deacon Lambert co-chairs the National Catholic Partnership on Disability’s Council on Mental Illness, which has developed resources to help parish leaders and individual Catholics assist those with mental illness in their congregations. He also heads Faith and Fellowship, a Chicago-based outreach to people with severe mental illnesses.

The shootings in Tucson brought to the forefront many problems facing those with mental illness, including a decline in funding in most states and a lack of knowledge among the church’s “first responders” about what might be available to help.

In 2009, the year for which the most recent statistics are available, Catholic Charities agencies in the United States provided behavioral health services and counseling to 419,222 individuals.

That ran the gamut from those with “temporary, situational” depression that

The stigma of mental illness

A logo for the National Catholic Partnership on Disability’s initiative to raise awareness of mental illness uses the symbolism of a stained-glass window to show the importance of every member of the church.


requires only short-term counseling to treatment of those with persistent and severe mental illness requiring a complex and sometimes changing combination of medication and counseling, said Jean Beil, senior vice president for programs and services for Catholic Charities USA.

“There is a system to maneuver and sometimes it is difficult to manage that system,” Beil said, noting that Catholic Charities caseworkers can help clients and their families figure out the best type of treatment and find those resources.

Catholic hospitals play a key role as well, often providing behavioral health services that are not available through other local hospitals because they are not profitable.

Even though the 636 Catholic hospitals make up less than 13 percent of all community-based hospitals in the United States, they provided 18 percent of the child and adolescent psychiatric services in this country, 20 percent of alcohol and drug abuse treatment, 22 percent of crisis prevention services and nearly 30 percent of geriatric psychiatric services, according to figures compiled by the American Hospital Association and Catholic Health Association for 2009.

At a time when health care in general is facing many financial challenges, however, mental health services can have even greater problems.

In New York as recently as 2009, St. Vincent Catholic Medical Centers had a 97 percent occupancy rate for its 212 inpatient beds for those with psychiatric or addiction-related illnesses. Its two outpatient facilities had 250,000 visits each year.

Unable to sustain a series of financial losses, St. Vincent’s Hospital Manhattan closed its doors in 2010. It was the flagship of the St. Vincent system, which was sponsored by the Diocese of Brooklyn and the Sisters of Charity.

Brian Fitzsimmons, who served as executive director of behavioral health services for St. Vincent Catholic Medical Centers until the end, said some patients were able to find help at St. Joseph’s Medical Center in Yonkers or at other facilities in the New York area.

But there was a loss of about 79 inpatient beds available for behavioral health services to “a very, very ill population,” including 16 beds for children. Many outpatient slots for psychiatric and addiction services also are gone.

“I’ve heard that a number of emergency rooms have become increasingly busy,” he said. “Let’s put it this way — there have been complaints about the type of patient they are getting.”

MENTAL DISORDERS affect one in every four adults in a given year. Many suffer from more than one disorder at a given time.

common disorders

Includes bipolar, major depressive, persistent mild depressive disorders

mood disorders

Involves breakdown in thought, emotion and behavior; some indicators are withdrawal from reality, inappropriate action and feelings, fantasy and delusion

schizophrenia

Includes panic, obsessive compulsive, post-traumatic stress, general anxiety disorders and phobias

anxiety disorders

Includes anti-social, avoidance and border-line personality disorders

personality disorders

affected adults

10%

18%

1%

9%

Source: National Institute of Mental Health ©2011 CNS

Don’t miss this opportunity to promote your business and in-crease sales. Advertising space is limited so place your order today!

COMING IN SPRING

PITTSBURGH

CatholicCatholic

Senior ServicestoGUIDE

Contact John Connolly at 412.471.1253

PITTSBURGH

CatholicCatholic

Senior ServicestoGUIDE


NEW YORK (CNS) — The life of the imagination has no physical boundaries, and people with physical disabilities can use their imagination to face life’s difficulties. That is the enduring message of Jesuit Father Rick Curry and the organization he founded 34 years ago, the National Theatre Workshop of the Handicapped in New York.

The message is taught in classes and demon-strated by the example of Father Curry and those who work with him. He said about 15,000 people have participated in the group’s programs since its 1977 debut.

The New York-based organization provides theatrical training and seeks to create a safe haven in which artists with physical disabilities qualify for and obtain work in the performing and baking arts. It integrates the able-bodied and the disabled in its

programs.Father Curry, 68, is a native Philadelphian who

was born with one arm. He laughed as he described trying to convince his first-grade teacher that he should be eligible to take piano lessons because he had the only requirement she stipulated: a permis-sion note from his mother.

He joined the Jesuits in 1961 and served as a baker, tailor and high school English teacher and founded the theater program at St. Joseph’s University in Philadelphia, a Jesuit university.

He earned his master’s and doctoral degrees in theater and formulated the idea for the National Theatre Workshop of the Handicapped while he was a graduate student at New York University.

In a fitting evolution to his work, he was ordained to the priesthood in 2009 at age 66 and began work with wounded veterans.

“Disability is a gift,” said Father Curry. “I truly believe that my arm is a blessing. It’s demeaning to think that the Lord would place us in a situation where there is not a great blessing.”

Classes and workshops are conducted in New York except for summer, when the program relocates to Belfast, Maine, for classes in theater, a writer’s workshop for wounded veterans and a year-round bakery program.

The Writer’s Program for Wounded Warriors is the organization’s newest program. Father Curry said that he was invited to meet with recent war amputees five years ago. “It deeply troubled me,” he said. “Every single one of them desperately wanted to tell me their story.”

The program is a 10-day opportunity for combat veterans to reflect on their experience, write their story with the help of professional playwrights and perform it as a dramatic monologue.

“We’re enhancing their reading and writing skills, giving them two more branches on the tree of knowledge,” said Father Curry. “We’re also giving them an audience and a chance to interact with others and begin their healing.”

Father Curry said veterans get the opportunity to interact with other people living with disabilities and see their “lives beyond the disability,” in the structured and informal parts of the residential experience. The staff and the participants are chosen to complement one another.

The disabled population is a “huge patchwork quilt,” he said. “Able-bodied people clump the disabled into one group, but there are myriad shades and needs. The best folks to help the disabled are other disabled folks. We can get together and celebrate being disabled and then go back into the real world.”

Workshop teaches performing and baking arts

Father Rick Curry

Easter Seals Western PALinda Lanham Zeszutek School Program Education and therapy for children ages 3-8 with autism

and other special needs

Open enrollment at four school locations:Baldwin � Murrysville � Ross Twp. � Strip District

(412) 281-7244 x269 www.westernpa.easterseals.comContact us for info about all of our programs for children and adults with disabilities


By STEVEN PEREGOYWatching a child struggle with reading,

writing and other academic areas can be heartbreaking for parents and other family members.

The International Dyslexia Association strives to help parents of dyslexic children as well as those with dyslexia and other lan-guage-based learning differences overcome these challenges.

The organization estimates that 1 in 10 peo-ple has dyslexia, and a recent study revealed that as many as 35 percent of entrepreneurs may be dyslexic.

In celebration of October as National Dys-lexia Awareness Month, we would like to raise awareness of dyslexia and identify warning signs for which parents and individuals can be on the lookout.

The IDA defines dyslexia as a specific learn-ing disability that is neurological in origin. It is characterized by difficulties with accurate and/or fluent word recognition and by poor spelling and decoding abilities.

Secondary consequences may include problems in reading comprehension and reduced reading experience that can impede the growth of vocabulary and background knowledge.

Dyslexia has nothing to do with intelligence, birth defects, mental illness, level of education or economic status.

It is important to understand that dyslexia is not simply “reading backwards.” Some of the problems experienced by dyslexics include the following:

' Difficulty learning to speak. ' Trouble learning letters and their

sounds. ' Difficulty organizing written and

spoken language. ' Trouble memorizing number

facts. ' Difficulty reading quickly enough

to comprehend. ' Trouble persisting with and

comprehending longer reading assignments.

' Difficulty spelling. ' Trouble learning a foreign

language. ' Difficulty correctly doing math

operations.

Not all students who have difficulties with these skills are dyslexic. Formal testing of reading, language and writing skills is the only way to confirm a diagnosis of suspected dyslexia.

While a dyslexia diagnosis is usually obtained through testing completed by a spe-cially trained professional, new research is showing physical markers that may help medical experts better understand dyslexia.

IDA President and dyslexia expert Dr. Guine-vere Eden uses brain imaging technology to visualize how reading pathways of the brain are impacted by instruction, mode of com-munication and writing systems.

MRI scans conducted by Eden and her team show that learning areas activated in the brain of a dyslexic are different from those of “typi-cal readers.”

Eden said, “This organization is sincerely dedicated to helping those with dyslexia and with other reading and writing difficulties. The IDA believes that every individual has the abil-ity to learn, some just learn in different ways than others.”

If you would like to find an IDA member professional in your area, become a member of the IDA or the Pilot Parent Program, or find out more information about dyslexia and the organization, visit the website at www.interdys.org.

Peregoy is executive director of the International Dyslexia Association in Baltimore.

Dyslexia: It’s not just ‘reading backwards’


RULES/DISCLAIMER: To enter, complete the entry form here and mail it no later than Friday, November 11, 2011, to: PITT FOOTBALL CONTEST, PITTSBURGH CATHOLIC, 135 FIRST AVENUE, SUITE 200, PITTSBURGH PA 15222-1513; FAXES ACCEPTED AT 412-471-4228. Employees of the Pittsburgh Catholic Publishing Associates and Diocesan headquarters are not eligible. One entry per household.

Submit this coupon to be entered in a drawing for a chance to win 2 tickets to the December 3rd game against Syracuse.

Name

Address

City State Zip Phone #

Can you find the 10 differences?

autumn scramble 1.paer ———— 2.suiqelrr ———————— 3.plpae ————— 4.nrgaeo —————— 5.rde ——— 6.ireofbn ——————— 7.oacnr ————— 8.allf ———— 9.verahst ———————10.eeavsl ——————11.crewsrcao—————————12.rnwb —————13.rkae ————14.ewloyl ——————

Answers: 1.pear2.squirrel3.apple4.orange5.red6.bonfire7.acorn8.fall9.harvest10.leaves11.scarecrow12.brown13.rake14.yellow

WIN TICKETS TO A PITT FOOTBALL GAME


2119 Mercer Road • New Brighton, PA 15066-3437

www.mcguirememorial.org

�

Celebrating and nurturing each lifeentrusted to our care,

no matter the severity or scope of one’s disability.

erving children and adults with disabilities in a diverse blend of residential and day programs.

��

��

��

��

Documents

Disability Awareness 2011