Nazareth HouseNazareth House, a diocesan apostolate with persons having intellectual and developmental disabilities, is a program of religious education, liturgy and advocacy functioning through our the diocese and funded through Catholic Charities.
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Father Pat Cullen, director of Nazareth House, spends time with a student.
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It is a program, which has as its main goal, the incorporation of persons with special needs into the life of their own parish communities. This agency serves approximately 100 children and adults throughout the diocese. Nazareth House has been in operation for 49 years. From the beginning, there was the realization that there were people with intellectual and developmental disabilities who were uncatechized: children, adolescents, young adults, adults. It is the goal of this apostolate to meet this need.
Nazareth House programs serve the diocese in Birmingham, Huntsville, and Tuscaloosa, but is available to outlying areas where there is a need. To accomplish this ministry, catechists are recruited and trained for this special mission. The catechists are Catholic teenagers. They express a glowing feeling of love and appreciation because of the children and adults they teach, saying, “I get so much more than I give.” The following are two comments from the annual evaluation submitted by two of our teenage catechists:
“This has been the most incredible experience of my life. Thank you so much for the opportunity of being a part of this special work and unique program. I have enjoyed every minute of it and will miss it dearly next year in college.”
“By opening our hearts to special children and sharing God’s Word and God’s Love with them, we discover another avenue of loving. I can kneel before God and give thanks for the gift brought into my life through Nazareth House.”
Parish communities, throughout the diocese, have requested assistance in programming individual children needing special attention with regard to their religious education. There continues to experience the growth on the number of children coming with a diagnosis of severe autism spectrum disorder.
All this is done through your participation in the Catholic Charities Appeal.
Nazareth House programs serve the diocese in Birmingham, Huntsville, and Tuscaloosa, but is available to outlying areas where there is a need. To accomplish this ministry, catechists are recruited and trained for this special mission. The catechists are Catholic teenagers. They express a glowing feeling of love and appreciation because of the children and adults they teach, saying, “I get so much more than I give.” The following are two comments from the annual evaluation submitted by two of our teenage catechists:
“This has been the most incredible experience of my life. Thank you so much for the opportunity of being a part of this special work and unique program. I have enjoyed every minute of it and will miss it dearly next year in college.”
“By opening our hearts to special children and sharing God’s Word and God’s Love with them, we discover another avenue of loving. I can kneel before God and give thanks for the gift brought into my life through Nazareth House.”
Parish communities, throughout the diocese, have requested assistance in programming individual children needing special attention with regard to their religious education. There continues to experience the growth on the number of children coming with a diagnosis of severe autism spectrum disorder.
All this is done through your participation in the Catholic Charities Appeal.
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