Life as a Christian Woman

Carol Race, a mom in Minnesota, was to go to court today over a restraining order taken out against her son, 13 year old Adam.

Adam is autistic.

St. Joseph’s in Bertha, Minn., took out the restraining order because it considers Adam a threat and a disruption. Church leaders say that the order, which bans Adam and his family from attending mass, was a last resort

Adam, who is more than six feet tall and weight 225 pounds, has loud outbursts and can become violent. Church leaders decry “repeated disruptions in church,” over the last three years.

According to the petition filed by Father Daniel Walz, Adam “spits,” and has “urinated” in church. He has also “struck a child” during mass. “It takes up to three adults to restrain him,” the petition says. “Adam’s continued presence on parish grounds not only endangers the parishioners, it is disruptive to the devout celebrations of the Eucharist.”

Adam’s parents have had to sit on him to restrain him during the service, and have, on occasion, resorted to tying his arms and feet with ropes. He has become sexually aggressive with a teenage girl. He has come close to knocking elderly parishioners down, and on at least one occasion, ran from his parents and started their van… which could have led to many being seriously injured, or worse.

St. Joseph’s claims to have tried to work with the family. They have suggested attending a different mass, or setting aside a seating area for the family. All suggestions were apparently refused.

As this past Sunday dawned, the Race family was in a quandary. As Catholics, they believe in the obligation to attend mass. Carol Race planned to attend church as usual, at St. Joseph’s. But as she left her house, Todd County Sheriff Pete Mikkelson warned her that she would be arrested if she attended.

So the family attended a different church, Christ the King in Browerville, Minn., but would like to return to St. Joseph’s, which has been her family’s church for the past 12 years.

OK, there’s the story. What do you think?

My first thought was of the Pharisees, who’s view of the religious world was so legalistic that it was counter to Christ’s words. In Matthew 25, Christ speaks about the final judgement, when all shall stand before God.

34) “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35) For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36)I needed clothes and you clothes me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

37) “then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38) When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39) When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

40) “The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.”

Matthew 25: 34-40 (New International Version)

I also have a first hand experience attending a church where severely autistic parishioners were present. My husband and I were in Rochester, N.Y., nearly a decade ago, and attended a Catholic church in the downtown area called Corpus Christi. I was amazed at what I saw. This vibrant church accepted all… and I do mean all. There was an entire section filled with the severely handicapped and those who attended with them. Yes, the section was noisy with grunts and occasional outbursts. Many of them wore football-type helmets, to keep them from hurting themselves.

This was the only time I attended Corpus Christi (which, by the way, means “body of Christ), but the memory has stayed with me. I hope that the outreach has remained the same.

That said, the family must be willing to work with the church. While I don’t believe that anyone should be denied access, I do believe that those involved must work to come up with a solution that is viable for all, not just for a few.

The Race family has a right to attend mass… but the parishioners of St. Joseph’s have an equal right to be protected when they attend Mass.

I hope that the parties truly will work together, and not have their feet set in concrete. Both the Race family and the Church have allowed this matter to escalate until it is now a national story, picked up by the networks. A story that should have never happened has been reduced to soundbites, with people who have no intimate knowledge of the situation (like me) weighing in and taking sides.
Until Christians learn to work together, to compromise for the greater good, we will continue to read about such situations that are thrust before our courts.

See also: Jesus Wept