PALM BEACH GARDENS | A Mass marking the Catholic Church’s worldwide Jubilee of People with Disabilities is planned for 10:30 a.m. Sunday, April 27, at the Cathedral of St. Ignatius Loyola, 9999 N. Military Trail in Palm Beach Gardens. All are invited to make a pilgrimage to the cathedral for this important celebration. Father Gavin Badway, cathedral rector, will be the celebrant.
As part of the Year of Hope, the church is reaching out to various groups to encourage ways to mark this special jubilee. A document from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, “Pilgrims on the Way of Hope: A Resource for the Jubilee of People with Disabilities,” suggests ways to celebrate the jubilee with and for people with disabilities.
“We are all called to be active members of the church community, and we all belong to the Body of Christ,” the document states. “It is in Christ that we find our hope and our joy for our lives. All persons with disabilities are a great gift to the church and help to inspire hope and joy in the other members of our communities.”
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The bishops’ document also offers prayers in the face of disabilities, links to additional resources, and information on related saints and blesseds, including St. Germain Cousin, who was born with a misshapen hand, and St. Joseph of Cupertino, patron saint of people with developmental disabilities.
An appropriate way to commemorate the jubilee is through involvement in AIM, an outreach ministry of St. Joan of Arc Parish in Boca Raton that serves the spiritual needs of adults with physical disabilities. AIM will host a weekend retreat Friday, May 23, through Sunday, May 25, at the Duncan Center, 15820 S. Military Trail in Delray Beach.
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The retreat is open to anyone with physical disabilities or volunteers who receive training to assist them. The weekend includes spiritual talks, group discussions, music, prayer and celebration of Mass. Meals are provided.
The presenter will be Father Kevin McQuone of St. Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary, focusing on “The Little Way of St. Therese.” The retreat is free to participants, thanks to support from generous donors.
AIM, which stands for Achieve, Inspire and Motivate, welcomes individuals with physical disabilities and those who may be experiencing limited mobility due to aging. Anyone interested in learning about AIM and assisting attendees is urged to come forward. Participants are paired with “buddies” who help them all weekend. For more information, contact core team leader Margarita Castellon at 954-821-6077 or margcast@bellsouth.net.
To access the USCCB document, visit www.usccb.org/resources/jubilee-persons-disabilities-usccb-resource-packet-english.
