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Special Religious Education (SPRED)
Volunteers Needed!
Our meetings are on Wednesday nights and we meet 20 times from September through May. Volunteers do not require any special background, but there is one day of training that is required. All of us who are in SPRED agree that we get so much more out of what we do than what we put in to it. If you have any desire to find out more about this ministry, please call Kathy Talken at [email protected] or 847-601-9823. Looking forward to hearing from you!
Join Us!
Do you know of any Catholics in the Parish who have developmental disabilities and/or learning problems? A neighbor, or friend of a friend -- someone who perhaps does not attend Mass because of their child's disability? We are trying to reach out to those parishioners and get a better idea of what their needs are and how we can best serve them. If there is someone you know, please contact one of us and let us know their name, disability and approximate age. -
SPRED (Special Religious Development)
SPRED (Special Religious Development) is a parish-based ministry that provides faith formation and spiritual growth to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities of all ages.
Currently our SPRED network consists of:
St. Edna supports 6 – 10yr olds-
St. Joe the Worker 11-16yr olds-
St. Alphonsus 17-21yr olds support young adults-
Our Lady of the Wayside 22+ adults only
If you feel called to help our developmentally disabled friends with their spiritual growth and help them receive the sacraments, we are in need of Catechists. And if you have a family member or know someone who might be interested in learning more, please contact Kathy Talken at [email protected] or 847-601-9823.
Mission and Purpose - Foster a sense of belonging in the Church for people of all abilities, Help participants recognize their own spiritual identity and relationship with God. Create a welcoming space for prayer, catechesis and community
Faith Formation Approach - Uses sensory-based learning: sight, sound, symbols and movement to awaken spiritual awareness.
Lessons are adapted to each person’s cognitive and emotional rhythm. Encourages sacramental participation at a pace that respects
individual needs.
Community Integration - Builds friendships between participants and catechists. Promotes inclusion in parish life- not just in faith formation, but in liturgy and social events
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SPRED: Ministry
What is SPRED? S
PRED is the Special Religious Education Division of the Archdiocese of Chicago that assists parishes in their effort to welcome children and adults with developmental disabilities or learning problems.
Multiple churches in the area serve and catechize different ages of children and adults. St. Alphonsus hosts 17 - 21 year olds. The other age categories are children 6 - 10, young adults 11 - 16 and adults 22+. You are never to old to be in SPRED.What is a SPRED Community? Up to 8 volunteers from the Parish agree to take SPRED training to learn how to offer appropriate religious education to those with special needs. There is no need however to have a background in special education. Most of our catechists have never worked with the developmentally disabled before. After everyone is trained, the volunteers start forming a small community of faith by welcoming no more than 6 friends with special needs.
You might ask "what happens to those individuals who need SPRED but don't fall into our age category?" A local parish that has a SPRED group can take individuals who currently come from another SPRED parish. For example St. James in Arlington Hts., St. Raymonds in Des Plaines, and Holy Family in Inverness all currently have a SPRED group or groups. Unfortunately not enough local churches have agreed to form a group and individuals are put on waiting lists. Our goal at St. Al's is to start a second age group in the near future.What is the SPRED process? The goal of SPRED is to help the children or adults with disabilities develop an awareness of God in their lives; an awareness of themselves as persons of dignity who are loved by God; an awareness of themselves as an integral part of the Parish community and the entire Church. This is accomplished through meaningful one-on-one relationships within a small community of faith. God is discovered time and again in the midst of the life experiences of every person and also in the friendships within the SPRED community.
Who can be a volunteer and what is the time commitment? Anyone who is Catholic, 21 years or older and is willing to share faith and friendship with others from the Parish. Volunteer catechists meet once a week for 24 weeks out of the year. Twelve of those sessions include the friends with disabilities. The sessions last about 2½ hours.