Oh, Dearest Mother, Sweetest Virgin of Altagracia, our Patroness. You are our Advocate and to you we recommend our needs. You are our Teacher and like disciples we come to learn from the example of your holy life. You are our Mother, and like children, we come to offer you all of the love of our hearts. Receive, dearest Mother, our offerings and listen attentively to our supplications. Amen.



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julia s.
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Posted: Jan 28 2009 at 8:17am | IP Logged Quote julia s.
in our special needs children. I'm not thinking so much as those where God has kept their hearts and minds simple so that the love is easily received, but where their minds are active and defensive. How do we break in?

I don't always know if the true emotional attachment to God is there because God is not concrete and my son can only intellectualize an idea of God. Which makes me worried that at some point he might out think a way to God. Or some savvy person will lead him astray. I know that once someone has captured my son's heart he is fiercely loyal and loving, but I'm not sure the Lord has reached that place in him yet.

How do you treat religious education and more importantly insure that when they are in need they turn to their Heavenly Father and all the spiritual help that is available to them instead of them looking just externally for help?


Thank you.





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mom3aut1not
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Posted: Jan 28 2009 at 4:53pm | IP Logged Quote mom3aut1not
Julia,

Just some ideas ... for what they're worth.

Personally I find contemplations of infinity to be spiritually beneficial as well as humbling. From the viewpoint of infinity, all finite numbers are essentially the same. Similarly, from God's viewpoint, the abilities of all humans are essentially the same. (I am not speaking of how good a person is, but of their innate gifts or lack thereof.) From His perspective, there is little difference between a severely disabled person and a Nobel prize winner who is also a concert violinist (if such a person existed). I really have little to be proud of -- before the Infinite One we are all as nothing -- and yet He loves us superabundantly.

If a child has a mostly intellectual approach (as I do), eschew the more flowery or emotional materials. Avoid materials based on private revelations or visions -- since they are not obligatory and open to doubt, a child may find them less believable, and that may open a road to doubting everything. If they later choose such materials, fine.

Use approaches based on logic or history. Use as much material that you can that is based on widely accepted facts. Apologetics and Church history are perfect.

To develop a less purely intellectual approach, consider art. The aesthetic approach along with contemplation of the realities depicted might be helpful.

Regular devotions are also very helpful.

There is no way to ensure that any child will turn to God, but going with the child's strengths and way he sees things should set the stage as best as it can be done. Then it is up to him to choose. (A scary prospect I know; I have three adult children all of whom have special needs and two of whom are on the autism spectrum.)

Just my $.02.



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julia s.
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Posted: Jan 30 2009 at 11:40am | IP Logged Quote julia s.
Deborah,
Thanks for the different ideas. It's something for me to think about.
I'd write more, but I've a wiggly one on my lap.



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