19% of people in the USA live with disabilities, and the vast majority of people living with disabilities in the United States are unchurched.* Does that shock you? It once shocked me. 

A story made it clear: for many years, I was engaged with the Institute on Theology and Disability, and participated in their conferences—a fascinating combination of theologians and pastors across multiple faith traditions, abled and disabled. There I was in conversation with a Protestant minister and “church planter,” describing her latest assignment to start a faith community that was angled to spiritually support those developmentally disabled in her small city. Her description of worship made me smile—a room full of people that others may call “slow” (or worse) but the fastest to jump to their feet and praise God in song. I remarked how difficult it must have been to establish a community like that from scratch. She shook her head—“Easiest church plant ever. The need is so massive. We literally got a gym rented, put out flyers at disability support services that we would make this service disability-friendly and all were welcome—and we had 50 people the first Sunday. They told their friends and family and it easily tripled in a month. Most weren’t attending church at all because they didn’t know they would be welcome.”

That has always stuck with me…her experience that these people did not feel welcome, and practically sped to church the first time someone deliberately invited them. Their hunger for God in the face of our lack of invitation and hospitality is convicting.

What would it look like if our parishes actively, joyfully, publicly, confidently welcomed all people living with disabilities? If we went out and deliberately invited these folks, saying, we have a home for you here. Come and see, taste and see…?

Beyond access: the difference between welcome and permission

Church buildings are usually accessible to wheelchairs to some degree, but as critical as that is, it is only the tip of an iceberg. If we want to be mission-driven parishes, we need a fully relational ministry to those who live with special needs, children, adults, and elderly. And relationship is key: most of those parenting kids with special needs said “a welcoming attitude toward people with disabilities” was the most helpful church support to them.

Stephanie Hubach, author of Same Lake, Different Boat: Coming Alongside People Touched by Disability, puts it this way: “A disability ministry isn’t so much programmatic as it is relational…. It’s hitting the refresh button on the gospel button in church life. It’s all about the gospel, all about simply making it as accessible as possible so that the blind can see it, the deaf can hear it, the people with intellectual disabilities can understand it, and the people with physical disabilities can get into church to hear it.”

But just because it is not as hard as it may sound doesn’t mean that it does not require intentionality and a “rethinking” of what we do. 

When you are fully abled, it is very difficult to see the obstacles that prevent people living with disabilities from participation in mass, formation, sacramental preparation, social events. Parking spaces are obvious. Everything else, not so much. Think about these basic possibilities:

1. Does your parish have a sign with hymn numbers easy to see? I know some say “people need to pay attention and listen to the cantor announce it” but did you know 15% of the U.S. population has hearing loss? They may miss it. A few large print missalettes are helpful for these folks as well.
2. Likewise, announce the hymn number as well. The 3% of the U.S. population which is visually impaired thanks you. By the way, projecting those hymns on screens means people who are visually impaired can’t participate (a few print outs may help).
3. Where do the people in walkers and wheelchairs sit? Is it clear to a visitor? Is there room for family to sit with them? Do all hospitality greeters know how to direct people, anticipate needs? Does your confessional fit a wheelchair? If not, what do these people do?
4. Some people have significant difficulty with sensory overload. If all your masses are “blow out the organ pipes loud,” that makes their participation at mass very difficult. Is there a quieter mass they could attend? Offering noise cancellation or reduction headphones to check out can be a generous touch.
5. Sacramental prep and religious education tends to presume developmentally typical kids. Would an interview with the parents help surface challenges before they begin?
6. Is the youth ministry meeting as inclusive as is helpful for all people of that age group?
7. In terms of evangelization: have you thought of hosting a Bible study for people with developmental disabilities, and inviting the whole town?

“Nothing about us without us”

There is a simple way to know what is helpful and desired: ask and include people with disabilities in this discussion. Disability can be complex and access and welcome will look different for each person. Reach out to the folks who you know live with disabilities and ask for their input and help to make the parish more disability welcoming. In truth, they are the experts in your midst. (Second runners up: family, and people working closely with this population.) The disability rights movement made popular the phrase “nothing about us without us.” People living with disabilities are full members of your parish and larger community, and should lead as they are called. They are not people to be catered to, but active disciples in the Body of Christ. The best thing those of us who are abled can do is begin a conversation and listen to them. And shout from the rooftops that we welcome all those living with disabilities to commit to life in Christ!

* The exact percentage of those living with disabilities not attending a house of worship has been a matter of debate and hard to capture. For years 85-90% “unchurched” was accepted as standard, and those numbers have been challenged. However, what is not challenged is that the numbers of those with disabilities not attending a church is dramatically high…easily double the number of the “nones”…but gets much less press.

If anyone is able to make it to the National Catholic Partnership on Disability’s national conference August 7-9 in Salt Lake City, Pilgrims of Hope, I encourage you and you can register here. Look for The Mark 5:19 Project materials on the info table! I’m sorry I can’t be there, but would love to hear your experience of the conference.

Secondly, one of the things that will make The Mission Ignite Toolkit unique among parish-based evangelization resources in the USA is a focus on assessment and implementation of attracting and supporting people living with disabilities. If you want to help support the creation work of that toolkit, donate here (and thank you!). Donors will get first look at the Toolkit, and we are on track for releasing it in early 2026.