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You are invited to the “In God’s Image” Disability Conference that will take place on Saturday, November 8th, 2025, at Christ the Redeemer Catholic Church.
We are planning a full day of formation sessions, covering a spectrum of topics that encompass disAbility. Our priority is aligned with the Jubilee 2025 theme, Pilgrims of Hope, and we aim to build and support our church with true witnesses by providing an opportunity for best practices and equipping and inspiring ministry leads, clergy, parish catechetical leaders, families, educators, and all persons who have a heart for disAbility. Through engaging sessions, fellowship, as well as practical resources, the In God's Image conference hopes to ensure that parishes are a welcoming door for all while supporting the dignity of every person. Sessions will be available in two languages, both Spanish and English. Session topics range from accompanying parents with a prenatal diagnosis to mental health with natural aging and much more.
Here are some of those topics:
- Adaptations for Catechetical Lessons
- A Scriptural Look at Accompanying People with disAbilities
- From Despair to Hope, Suicide Prevention through Faith and Practical Support
- Supporting Every Learner: Understanding Accommodations and Modifications
Those are some of the many talks we’ll have, and we know there is something for everyone.
One of our focuses this year was indeed to collaborate with the various offices and highlight the resources that intersect between ministries. We are most excited to collaborate with colleagues from various offices and secretariates whose ministry interconnects with serving those most vulnerable.
We are also excited to offer a Sensory Friendly Mass to end the day. As an incentive, priests are free for registration. So, invite your pastor and let him know his registration is covered. There is a special registration link for pastors, so please have him reach out to me for that information. Nevertheless, invite also your catechists, parish leaders, educators, and families. We hope to see everyone!
Who: You are invited! Bring a friend; everyone is welcome!
What: The “In God’s Image” DisAbility Conference,
$30 (includes lunch)
Where: Christ the Redeemer, 11507 Huffmeister Rd. 77065
When: Saturday November 8th, 2025, 8:00am-5:00pm, Mass
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"Every human life, from the moment of conception until death, is sacred because the human person has been willed for its own sake in the image and likeness of the living and holy God" ~Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2219.
"Ordained ministers and other pastoral workers can make present the fragrance of Christ’s closeness … The Church will have to initiate everyone – priests, religious and laity – into this “art of accompaniment” which teaches us to remove our sandals before the sacred ground of the other (cf EX 3:5). This pace of accompaniment must be steady and reassuring, reflecting our closeness and our compassionate gaze which also heals, liberates, and encourages growth in the Christian life ~Evangelii Gaudium, 169.
Mission Statement
Guided by the mission statement of the Office of Evangelization and Catechesis,
and directed by the action of the Holy Spirit,
We seek to welcome persons with diverse abilities and their families into the full life of the Church by:
- acknowledging that we are all created in the image of God,
-supporting the gifts, abilities, and spirituality of each individual person,
-and furthering the dignity and respect shown to the entire Body of Christ, through human, moral and theological virtues.
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Blindness
Resources for Learning American Sign LanguageVatican for ALL: an App for communication needs project called "No One Left Out"
Android: Vatican for All - Apps on Google Play
iPhone: Vatican for All su App Store (apple.com)
Hearing Loss
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Individual Information Form For Ministry Leaders
Traveling Sensory Kit
Sacramental Preparation
USCCB
People First Language Handout (English and Spanish)
Large-Print Roman Missal, Third Edition
NCPD Catechetical Resources
Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Program
The Catechesis of the Good Shepherd
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Mental illness is unique among other illnesses in that the treatment usually is dependent upon some type of human relationship. Persons seeking treatment will need to speak with a therapist, spiritual leader, and doctor about personal matters.
Effective treatment for mental illness goes beyond the need for medication; it also includes addressing psychological issues, social networks and matters of faith and spirituality.
Therefore, it is important that attention be paid to language and cultural issues that may enhance or hinder treatment. Mental illness is viewed differently in different cultures. Some cultures focus on the biology of illness; other cultures may believe that mental illness is the result of a lack of harmony with nature, separation from God, exposure to an evil spirit, punishment for past sins, etc. Knowledge of those beliefs will greatly improve the likelihood of effectively reaching out to those individuals who are from a different culture.
Mental Health Resources
- Local Organizations:
- Catholic Charities Counseling- Counseling Services - Catholic Charities Of The Archdiocese Of Galveston-Houston.
- Christus- Home - CHRISTUS Foundation for HealthCare
- CMHM-Houston Chapter- Association of Catholic Mental Health Ministers | Houston Chapter
- Gratia Plena- Gratia Plena
- Luz de Luz Counseling- Luz de Luz Counseling - Catholic Therapy for Women - Virtual in Texas
- Metoyer Roundtable Consulting- Expert Healthcare Consultant | Metoyer Roundtable Consulting
- Rejoice Counseling- Rejoice Counseling | Bringing the healing of Christ to the world
- Crisis/Immediate Aid:
- Crisis Text Line- Text “TALK” to #741741
- Suicide & Crisis Lifeline- Call #988
- Suicide Hotline: 1800-273 TALK Need You Right Now!
- Accompaniment & Support:
- McGrath Institute for Church Life UND- Fiat Program on Faith and Mental Health | About| Centers, Initiatives, and Programs | McGrath Institute for Church Life | University of Notre Dame
- Mental Health First Aid- Funding Opportunities « Mental Health First Aid
- Sanctuary program- The Sanctuary Course for Catholics - Sanctuary Mental Health Ministries
- Whole Hearted- Whole Hearted Participant Journal for Adults - Catholic Charities USA
- National Organizations:
- Catholic Mental Health Ministers CMHM- Association of Catholic Mental Health Ministers
- Catholic Therapists- About - Catholic Therapists
- NAMI- NAMI Greater Houston - 501 (c)(3) Nonprofit - You are not alone!
- National Catholic Partnership on Disability- Mental Illness | NCPD - National Catholic Partnership on Disability
- Saint Luke Institute- Our Services - Saint Luke Institute
- Substance Abuse & MH Services Admin- SAMHSA - Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
- USCCB-Mental Health Campaign- MentalHealth | USCCB
- Welcomed and Valued Booklet:
Building faith communities of support and hope with people with mental illness and their families. NCPD Council on Mental Illness This 95-page resource contains information on raising awareness of the issues with mental illness and offers resources for building faith communities of support and hope with persons with mental illness and their families.
People who experience major mental illnesses tend to feel isolated and marginalized. They often feel excluded from the community in which they grew up and from their own parish. The myths about and the misunderstanding of mental illness keep some people and their families from participating in the life of the church because they feel judged, devalued, unwelcome, or different. Awareness of these perceptions, which are often overlooked or discounted, can guide parishes in the most helpful response. Including people with mental illness and their families in addressing these issues will provide insights into the most effective response.
- Local Organizations:
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Contact Us
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malvarezarchgh.orgAssociate Director of Evangelization and Catechesis- Ministry for Persons with Disability MPD (Habla Español)
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