Individuals & Families

Parish-based Sensory Masses

more info coming soon!

Sacramental Preparation

No person will be denied the Sacraments based on his or her cognitive ability! Families are encouraged to contact their parish priest and parish DRE for more information. If you need further assistance please contact Sr. Mary Ellen Wheelahan at srmwheelahan@archdiocese-no.org.

Find more information and Adaptive Kits for assisting children and adults living with disabilities with sacramental preparation at https://www.loyolapress.com/faith-formation/special-needs/adaptive-learning-kits/.

God's Special Children

We invite everyone to join us as we celebrate God’s Eucharist at our God’s Special Children, Families and friends Mass, held monthly at St. Francis Xavier Mass on Metairie Road.  Every mass that is livestreamed will automatically run and be accessible while it is being filmed (live); or you can watch it after it is livestreamed- as it is kept on the page.
Here is the link to the God's Special Children's Mass Facebook page, it can be used for all future livestreams: https://www.facebook.com/Gods-Special-Children-153885781305741

Mass for God’s Special Children, their families and friends are usually held on the first Sunday of every month at 2:00 p.m. at St Francis Xavier Church, 444 Metairie Road, Metairie, LA on the following dates for 2022:    

• February 6, 2022
• March 6, 2022
• April 3, 2022
• May 1, 2022

Catholic Education Options

Resources:
The Adaptive Teacher: Faith-Based Strategies to Reach and Teach Learners with Disabilities by John E. Barone and Charlene Katra, Loyola Press, 2019 

Inclusive Catholic Schools: A Matter of Possibilities by Julia M. Taymans, PH.D. & Michael Termini, PSY.D, NCEA publication, 2018

 

Our Lady of the Lake Roman Catholic School  (PreK-7th grade school)

(description in process)
St. Benilde’s Exceptional Learners Program (PreK-7th grade school)

All children learn differently.  In order to maximize the learning experience of each child, personalized education is essential. At St. Benilde School, student support is broken down by layers. The layers vary from personalized student support, to a Literacy Lab, to gifted programs, to an Exceptional Learners Lab. Learn more about the program here. 

St. Michael Special School (K- post 12 school)

The Archdiocese of New Orleans has a long history of offering Catholic education to students with developmental disabilities. In 1965, St. Michael’s Special School was established to serve children and young adults with special education needs and continues to meet the needs of many Catholic families today. Learn more about our school here. 

St. Paul’s High School CORE Pack (8th-12th grade school)

For the first time this year, Saint Paul’s has embraced the principle of inclusive education by designing a program for Catholic high school aged boys whose families desire a Catholic education. In its inaugural year, five students are currently enrolled in a specially-designed, inclusive education model tailored to meet the individual needs of each CORE Pack enrollee. Our program is a Catholic Opportunity to Receive a Responsive Education using a specialized program designed to seamlessly integrate our exceptional needs students into the overall St. Paul's Wolf community of learners.  To learn more about our program offerings, contact the CORE Pack Program Director, Lauren Gee, at  l.gee@stpauls.com. Learn more about our school click here. 

St. Therese Academy for Exceptional Learners (K-12th grade school)

St. Therese Academy is a unique catholic school in the Archdiocese of New Orleans. In response to a growing need to provide a high quality, rigorous Catholic school experience for students with developmental conditions, learning differences, and/or exceptional learning needs, St. Therese Academy is designed to be able to support students whose challenges often pose barriers to optimal achievement  in more traditional school settings. Learn more about the school click here. 

St. Christopher the Martyr School  Resource Program (PreK-7th grade school)

(description in process)

St. Peter Catholic School  (PreK-7th grade school)

Learn about the resources by clicking here.

Scriptural Stations of the Cross for Autistic People

Father Mark Nolette, a priest with Autism, is the spiritual director of the Mission of St. Thorlak, which is an apostolate that recognizes that all members have gifts to give to the church, especially those with autism.  Father Nolette wrote a book, Scriptural Stations of the Cross for Autistic People, which is available on Amazon for a minimal cost. To find out more information about Father Nolette

Father Mark Nolette, A Priest with Autism | NCPD - National Catholic Partnership on Disability

To buy Scriptural Stations of the Cross for Autistic People

Scriptural Stations of the Cross for Autistic People - Kindle edition by Nolette, Rev. Mark P.. Religion & Spirituality Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.