Mute Splendor: An Autistic Child Deepens Her Family's Faith

May 22, 2012 by Lisa Mladinich

Continued from Page 1

So when Danielle was 7 years old and preparing to both understand and reverently receive First Holy Communion, her parents weren't stymied by the lack of available resources. The trailblazing couple simply worked together to create effective religious education materials from scratch, including a "picture missal" that led her through all the appropriate physical actions in the Mass (standing, kneeling, folding hands in prayer, etc.), along with their meanings. Danielle responded very well to her parents' efforts, and received her sacraments right on schedule, her appreciation for the Mass and the experience of sharing it with her family now holding a very special place in her life.

A few years later, when their son Brendan was mulling over project ideas aimed at earning his Eagle Scout rank, he contemplated his parents' successful efforts with Danielle and a remarkable plan was born.

As the project's leader, Brendan assembled and led a team of volunteers whose monumental task was to create a lending library of special needs resources for his parish (St. Isaac Jogues, in Marlton, New Jersey). His parents and his scout troop worked together to not only duplicate the original materials that had so helped Danielle, but to create a number of entirely new ones, all in multiple copies so that more families might benefit.

Mercedes supported the scout project by helping to raise funds, and she, Brendan and David developed most of the teaching tools. The entire scout troop helped to make them. These homemade materials proved so successful that the Rizzos were told repeatedly by the families who used them, "You should have them published!"

Mercedes took the reins and started querying publishers, and Loyola Press responded enthusiastically. Now their special-needs sacramental preparation program, "Adaptive First Eucharist Preparation Kit," is available for purchase.

There's so much more to this story, so do get a copy of David's new book and spread the word to your DRE, your family, and anyone you know with a special needs child.

David and Mercedes Rizzo can be contacted through Loyola Press.

Thanks, and God bless you!

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About Lisa Mladinich

Lisa Mladinich is a Catholic wife and mother, catechist and workshop leader, and the author of the popular booklets, "Be An Amazing Catechist: Inspire the Faith of Children," and "Be an Amazing Catechist: Sacramental Preparation" available from Our Sunday Visitor. She is the founder of www.AmazingCatechists.com.

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