Posted by
The Empress ..
Many of you may have already heard or even blogged about the young man who was banned via court order from his Roman Catholic church in Bertha, Minnesota.
If not, let me run through the story quickly for you....
Adam Race, a 13 year old young man with Autism was faced, along with his mother and four siblings, with a court order being issued by a Todd County Sheriff. Meeting Ms. Race in the driveway this past Sunday, Sheriff Pete Mikkelson told her she would be arrested if she brought her son, Adam, into the Church of St. Joseph.
Rev. Daniel Walz, who filed the restraining order, wrote in court documents that Adam's behavior was "extremely disruptive and dangerous." He alleged that Adam, who is more than 6 feet tall and weighs over 225 pounds, spits and urinates in church and has nearly injured children and elderly people. The Diocese of St. Cloud said in a statement that the restraining order, issued May 9, was "a last resort."
Ms. Race, who took Adam and his siblings to another church that Sunday said, "He has a sense of the routine. That's one of the beautiful things about the Catholic mass for autistic individuals, its routine."
A court hearing on the matter has been continued until June 2 so that Race can hire an attorney.
My personal feelings are quite mixed...
- Being the mother of an Autistic child who has been known to act out, I sympathize with Ms. Race and her situation. On the same token...
- I can understand somewhat what Rev. Walz may be experiencing. As a previous church member...
- Being near a child so disruptive could quite possibly cause me to change churches. But, as a woman who has strong rooted beliefs in God...
- I'm not so sure a restraining order was the 'christ-like' thing for a church to do. I keep thinking of the Bible scripture in the book of Mark:
And they brought young children to him, that he should touch them: and his disciples rebuked those that brought them.But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.(Mark 10: 13 & 14)
What a huge controversy this has been and will continue to be. Is it a form of discrimination or is this an effort to merely protect the members of the church? And what of Ms. Race's other children -- what have they and will continue to endure at school and amongst their peers?
What are your thoughts?
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Posted by The Empress ..
My personal feelings are quite mixed...