Heaven Help Us
By Anne Dachel
Aug 20, 2023, Get Religion published an article entitled, Are congregations ready to help carry the unique spiritual burden of autism? by Terry Mattingly.
It basically called for churches to accommodate people with autism.
But in a few sanctuaries linked to ancient traditions, worship leaders are trying something different. In some Eucharistic services, they are offering autistic worshippers an atmosphere that is more calm and less intense.
“Autistic Priest”
One spokesperson for the autism community is Father Matthew Schneider. He was diagnosed with autism as an adult.
"If you look at many church services from the point of view of highly sensitive people – especially autistic children – there is too much noise, too many lights," said Father Matthew Schneider, known to online Catholics as @AutisticPriest. "We can turn down the lights. We can turn down the volume. We can do a few things to accept these families and let them feel more comfortable."…
Here’s more on his background. He is focused “autistics” and the practice of their faith.
Father Matthew Schneider Navigating Life As Priest On The Autism Spectrum
Father Matthew P. Schneider has over 65,000 followers between Twitter and Instagram and is completing a doctorate in moral theology and is in the final edit for a book on autistic prayer.
Shortly after his ordination in his early thirties Matthew was diagnosed with autism. This diagnosis gave him insight for his vocation in the priesthood.
Mattingly makes an urgent call for churches to address the needs of people with autism.
Religious leaders will have to face these issues after seeing waves of stunning statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other groups studying neurodiversity trends. For example, in 2000, 1 in 150 children were somewhere on the autism spectrum. That number was 1 in 36, in recent CDC data. And 26.7% of autistic children now display "profound" symptoms….
(Actually the official autism rate didn’t reach one in 150 until 2007. Back in 2000 it was more than one in 250.)
Autism has to be recognized.
Clergy and laity need to start asking:
* How many people in our congregation have an autistic child? Have we unknowingly pushed some people away?
* Are any of our services or education programs ready for children with "profound" autism symptoms, those with IQs below 50, with aggressive behaviors, including self-injury?
* Have we seen people lose their faith, or have seen their children lose faith, because of the mental and spiritual pain caused by autism and other mental-health challenges?
* Can our congregation afford to offer day-care ministries that include autistic children and, someday, even adults?
* What can religious educators do, since the most of their schools cannot afford to hire autism specialists and, for doctrinal reasons, cannot qualify for government programs funding this kind of care? What happens to believers who want their autistic children to attend faith-based schools?
* Are clergy ready to lead funerals for those who are accidentally killed by actions linked to their autism symptoms, to deliver sermons facing these modern twists on ancient questions about pain and suffering in daily life?
It's important, said Schneider, that some congregations are beginning to use child-friendly booklets and missals that, with step-by-step illustrations, guide autistic children through services and the classes preparing them for Holy Communion. For example, Loyola Press now offers worship books for special-needs children. The Eastern Orthodox artist and educator Summer Kinard – the mother of five autistic children – has created books, music, videos and "church bag" strategies for those with children on the spectrum.
Religious leaders need to "stop looking at autism from the outside" and try to imagine what autistic people are seeing and hearing in worship, said Schneider. Do children consistently have problems at specific times, such as during announcements? Does some music calm them, while other music seems to cause distress?
"We have to remember that God created each person as unique," said Schneider. "There will be beauty in their lives, as well as pain. … Can we see the patterns? Can we see joy, as well as suffering? Can we imagine what other people are experiencing and then try to help them?"
Two videos with this article, one has Fr. Schneider talking about the uniqueness of autistic people, and the other one is with a mother talking about the “church bag” she takes to church with her. There are a number of sensory items included. Four of her five children are on the spectrum.
This story is critical for several reasons. First of all, parents of autistic children should be welcome in churches. That’s what religious people are called to do.
Beyond that, it also shows just how much autism has become a fact of life in America. The message is, INCREASINGLY there are children with autism. We can’t ignore it.
“STUNNING STATISTICS”
Religious leaders will have to face these issues after seeing waves of stunning statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other groups studying neurodiversity trends. For example, in 2000, 1 in 150 children were somewhere on the autism spectrum. That number was 1 in 36, in recent CDC data. And 26.7% of autistic children now display "profound" symptoms….
Notice there is no explanation for the increase in the number of affected children, especially the 30 percent of kids with ‘profound’ autism. Why is this happening? No official can reasonably tell us, so we just go along with the latest data is. When the next rate increase is one in 28 or even higher, no alarms will sound.
We see this happening right before our eyes, with no recognition of how bad all this is for America’s future. Yes, churches will have to be ready for more and more members with autism, so will all other public places. We are truly becoming the United States of Autism, USA.
Anne Dachel is Media Editor for Age of Autism.
From Skyhorse PublishingThe War on Ivermectin: The Medicine that Saved Millions and Could Have Ended the Pandemic
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By Pierre Kory Dr. (Author), Jenna McCarthy (Author)
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Based on over one hundred studies in the peer-reviewed literature that consider vaccinated versus unvaccinated populations. Each of these studies is analyzed and put in context of the difference in health outcomes of vaccinated versus unvaccinated infants, children, and adults. Given the massive push to vaccinate the entire global population, this book is timely and necessary for individuals to make informed choices for themselves and their families.
Emma:
Speaking of H Poling.
She was suppose to have been born with a mitochondria disorder that was made worse by the vaccines and won her case.
She had Oxidation phosphorylation on the Complex 1 and 3 -- The mitochondria has four complexes in the making of energy Both of these require Co enzyme Q10 to make APT (energy)
My husband after a DPT vaccine ended up down at the famous Emory clinic, located right by the CDC.
He was diagnosed the same thing. They said it was acquired -- not born with it.
They told him to take mega doses of expensive Co enzyme Q 10 for now on to eternity. They told him to never take statins cause they would kill him. His cholesterol has always been high. So one doctor years later thought that they could give him a different anti cholesterol drug that just absorbed the fat he ate and did not work like statins do. He became very ill, gray looking, fuzzy thinking. He almost lost his job.
So finally; Just this past week I found out that there is an enzyme that the statin drugs inhibit.
This enzyme called HMG-CoA reducatse . It takes cholesterol and turns it into Co enzyme Q 10
This same enzyme is responsible for turning K1 into K2.
I wonder if it also turns cholesterol into vitamin D as well?
It would appear to me that the DPT vaccine my husband received caused an auto immune disease that is targeting this HMG-CoA reductase enzyme. His cholesterol is high cause he can't covert it to the things needed. IF his cholesterol is lowered, if he is not eating a high fat diet then the chances of what fewer of his HMG-CoA reducatase enzymes have of making the things he needs for energy.
That is why the Keto diet is working so well?
Mine are all grown up. But I was not the only one having trouble in church with their kids.
They would get up on stage to sing for little programs and mine would start paying attention to the strings in the grand piano. But at lest he did not start playing air guitar with is penis like another boy did. The other boy had to wear a patch over his lazy eye. Now we all know what that is all about. A stroke from the childhood vaccines.
They better be glad a lot of us go to church and try to give this to God, cause there are people down there beside the Emory clinic that needs - well I will stop.
Posted by: Benedetta | August 24, 2023 at 10:29 AM
"This was twenty-five years ago when nobody knew what autism was. Imagine that, only 25 years ago nobody recognized it or the behaviours attached to it!"
So true. I am convinced that the first wave after 1987 had a milder version, ADHD. My first born was born in 1987, the year of the new vaccine schedule and NO pharma liability. As a baby, he had gut issues and screamed his head off for several hours every night after dinner. Doc said it was "colic", and to this day, they have no explanation for it. Hmmm. As a child, he displayed learning disabilities, lack of focus, and hyperactivity-ADHD. Sunday school teachers were always coming to get me from church service because he wouldn't "behave". My second born was born in 1996. He developed autism-like behaviors after his 15 month vaccine schedule, which was the same as Hannah Poling's. He could no longer talk and screamed in frustration. After several years of intense private speech therapy, he slowly regained his speech. His odd behaviors were often misunderstood by his Sunday School teachers and classmates. Yes, this was something NEW.
Posted by: Emmaphiladelphia | August 23, 2023 at 10:31 PM
My child with ASD was kicked out of Sunday school for slumping to the floor when overwhelmed. This was twenty-five years ago when nobody knew what autism was. Imagine that, only 25 years ago nobody recognized it or the behaviours attached to it! Although appeals were made to the minister for a different approach, they were rejected. I had spent my teenage years playing piano and teaching classes at the same Sunday school, but it didn’t matter. They actually thought we would bring our other kids to church and leave him home.
This was a denomination that thought and still thinks itself to be extremely liberal. It was at a time when we could have used some understanding and support, because the school and the rest of society didn’t want to understand either.
Posted by: Kate C | August 23, 2023 at 08:52 AM
Will,
What about those who do have autism? what about those who have autism effected by environmental effects? You are lazy and seeking something to protect yourself. I do not trust the medical authorities but believe autism and autoimmune disuse and autism have risen in occurrence in large part to the same effects. Critics offer little insight and intelligence. Buy a vowel Will. It takes almost no understanding to be a critic. Post your autistic database or stfu.
Posted by: Slight Variance | August 22, 2023 at 03:29 PM
Private Catholic schools in Florida have long mandated all childhood vaccines to attend, while public schools have never required this. There is a religious exemption in Florida deemed unacceptable by Catholic schools.
Talk about sdrowkcab,
Maurine
Thanks Anne for this eye opener article.
Posted by: mauine Meleck | August 22, 2023 at 10:45 AM
Who does not have "autism" these days. Autism is over diagnosed in men, women and children. Autism "diagnosis" means money and political attention controversy for many people on all sides of a political spectrum. Some of these people could have ADHD and Schizoid personality disorder even those are over diagnosed..
Posted by: Will | August 22, 2023 at 10:33 AM
My wife takes our son every week to the Episcopalian Church as our son likes to read the order of service and join in enthusiastically.The congregation are always very welcoming and pleased to see him.His grandfather now deceased a canon in the Episcopalian Church always accepted him as he was and remembered also how so diffrent he was before the MMR vaccination.
Well done Anne as always.
Pharma For Prison
MMR RIP
Posted by: Angus Files | August 22, 2023 at 09:53 AM
I wrote this in March, 2015:
“An Open Letter to California Religious Leaders About SB277 Vaccine Rights”
https://www.ageofautism.com/2015/03/an-open-letter-to-california-religous-leaders-about-sb277-vaccine-rights.html
Still all too relevant. Still worth sharing.
Posted by: Laura Hayes | August 22, 2023 at 07:30 AM