By Michael Gresham
The Texas Catholic
Ministry leaders from five parishes gathered at St. Raphael Retreat Center June 16-18 for a time of reflection and formation as part of the official launch of the Diocese of Dallas’ Community of Disciples initiative, a multi-year effort initiated by Bishop Edward J. Burns and led by Senior Director Ministries Peter J. Ductrám, to foster a welcoming environment and sense of belonging for persons with disabilities.
“At the heart of the Community of Disciples orientation retreat was a shared commitment to forming parish leaders who accompany persons with disabilities and their families on a journey toward full, conscious, and active participation in the life of the Church, especially through the liturgy,” Melissa Waldon, director of the Diocese of Dallas office for Persons with Disabilities, said.
The three-day retreat marked the beginning of the initiative’s first cohort of parishes, which includes St. Francis of Assisi in Frisco, St. Mark the Evangelist in Plano, St. Joseph in Richardson, St. Patrick in Dallas, and Sacred Heart in Rowlett. Two representatives from each parish attended, joined by diocesan ministry leaders and national speakers, including Anne Masters, director of the office for Pastoral Ministry with Persons with Disabilities for the Archdiocese of Newark; Noelle Collis DeVito, a research assistant at the University of Dayton’s Institute for Pastoral Initiatives; and Jeanne Marie Miles, director of the office of Worship for the Diocese of Dallas.
In her role as associate director of the diocesan office for Persons with Disabilities, Alison Wire helps coordinate the Community of Disciples’ efforts, playing a key role in organizing its first parish cohort retreat.
“This retreat was important, because it set the tone for the entire Community of Disciples initiative by inviting parish leaders to see persons with disabilities not as passive recipients of ministry, but as active participants and even teachers of the faith,” Wire said. “It also underscored the initiative’s broader goal: to transform parishes in creating a culture of belonging where every member of the Body of Christ is seen, heard, and valued.”
A welcoming culture
Amy Vitek, director of evangelization at St. Patrick Catholic Community in Dallas, said the retreat helped clarify priorities for her parish team.
“It broadened my understanding and focused in on the really important tasks we need to accomplish first and to have short-term and long-term goals and objectives,” she said.
Vitek said the St. Patrick community already had been taking steps before this retreat, “but the retreat helped us develop a realistic game plan and timeline” for when things will happen.
“We already accompany children with disabilities in their sacraments,” Vitek said. “We will be having a sensory-friendly Mass and are working on integrating some of the resources and practices we received into our daily liturgies.”
Kristie Gates, liturgy director at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in Frisco, said the retreat deepened her understanding of accompaniment.
“The retreat was a good reminder that we as a Church are called to provide sacraments for all people. Also, each of us needs our own kind of accommodation,” Gates said.
She said her immediate goal following the retreat was “to find ways for persons with disabilities to participate more as liturgical volunteers” while also increasing awareness of current offerings. For example, St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church has offered a sensory-friendly Mass for several years.
“We are coming up on the three-year anniversary of our sensory-friendly Mass, which I hope to celebrate with a party at our parish in September,” Gates said, adding that the Mass is offered the first and third Sunday of every month at 10:30 a.m., providing an opportunity for families to participate in Mass “without anxiety or worry of judgement.”
“The journey of faith is different for each of us,” Gates explained. “We should continue to seek ways to improve and accompany everyone on their journey to salvation the best way we can.”
The Community of Disciples initiative is supported in part by a grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. exceeding $1 million, which has enabled the diocese to launch what Waldon described as a “bold, diocesan-wide effort” to accompany persons with disabilities more intentionally in their faith journey.
“Thanks to this support, we were able to host a deeply formative orientation retreat, where parish teams engaged in theological reflection, practical workshops, and shared worship experiences, including a sensory-friendly Mass,” Waldon said. “These moments have already begun to reshape how leaders envision their parish communities: not as places of mere accommodation, but as vibrant homes where every person is seen, heard, and celebrated.”
As the initiative moves forward, each participating parish will receive mentorship and ongoing formation, with the goal of developing sustainable practices that promote belonging.
“We hope that those who attended the retreat return to their parishes with a renewed vision of what it means to be a parish that fosters a true sense of belonging,” Waldon said. “A vision where every person, especially persons with disabilities and their families, is welcomed, valued, and empowered to participate fully in the life of the faith community.”
Cutline for featured image: Gabriela Ortega, left, of St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in Frisco, offers a reflection during the Community of Disciples parish orientation retreat June 17 at St. Raphael Retreat Center in Dallas. (MICHAEL GRESHAM/The Texas Catholic)
