Vatican hosts conference on catechesis and disability

A global conference in opening in Rome today, looking at best practices to help people with disabilities fully engage in the life of the Church. The event entitled 'Catechesis and Persons with Disabilities: A Necessary Engagement in the Daily Pastoral Life of the Church', is being sponsored by the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of the New Evangelization and partnered by The Kairos Forum, a UK-based organization that focuses on the spiritual and religious needs of people with disabilities.

Over the course of the three day gathering 450 experts from around the world will share their insights.

Mgr Geno Sylva from the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of the New Evangelization said on Vatican Radio: "this international conference is the fruit that was sown during the Jubilee (of Mercy) with all the other discussions that took place afterwards."

"the aim and the goal is for us as a Church and for this Pontifical Council to really learn what are the best practices that are already taking place throughout the world in catechizing people with special needs …"

Mgr Sylva also added that this conference is also meant to "highlight the responsibility that we have as a Church to take into account the special needs for each of the baptized, so that we can present to him or her the catechism, the catechesis of our Church in a way that they can receive it; they can grasp the elements of it."

'Catechesis and Persons with Disabilities: A Necessary Engagement in the Daily Pastoral Life of the Church', will run from 20 - 22 October at the Urbaniana University in Rome.