Nominate a Parish for the 2017 Loyola Press Opening Doors Award
Deadline:
Postmarked by November 6, 2017
or emailed by November 8, 2017
The Loyola Press Opening Doors Award honors a parish community that demonstrates a spirit of belonging and engagement practices that facilitate the meaningful participation of people with disabilities in all aspects of the parish community and the life of the Catholic Church.
The winning parish will be awarded a plaque, be featured in NCPD E-News and website, and receive $1,000 to be used by the parish to continue their efforts on behalf of parishioners with disabilities.
This commitment is demonstrated in finding ways to better welcome and serve a community of believers that has long been underserved. Some parishes include an American Sign Language interpreter at Mass or assistive listening devices for parishioners with hearing loss. Other parishes have liturgical ministers, service volunteers and parish council members with a variety of disabilities. Parishes have worked in consultation with parishioners with disability to renovate the structure and design of their buildings to accommodate parishioners' mobility and worship needs. Many parishes not only sponsor a range of effective religious education programs or modifications for existing parish curricula for children with disabilities and their non-disabled peers but also train and use persons with disabilities as catechists or catechist helpers.
These efforts highlight and demonstrate the commitment of hundreds of parishes who are opening doors for full and active participation of all its members.
Moved by their service and dedication, the National Catholic Partnership on Disability, along with Loyola Press, wishes to acknowledge and showcase parishes which are ensuring that people with disabilities have the opportunity to meaningfully participate in their parish community, offering their gifts in response to their baptismal promises.
Nomination Criteria
Loyola Press and the NCPD Awards Selection Committee seek nominations of Catholic parishes which meet the following criteria:
- demonstrates a deep commitment to creating an accessible parish environment for parishioners with disabilities and undertakes specific initiatives to meet those commitments;
- embodies a parish community and spirit that fosters belonging and engagement of all parishioners with disabilities in the life of the parish;
- exemplifies a parish vision that encourages all Catholics with disabilities to live and practice their faith; and
- provides access for full participation in the life of the parish: sacramental, catechetical, social, ministerial and community service.
Please Note: any parish may be nominated regardless of the catechetical resources they use. There is no requirement to use Loyola Press products.
The winning parish will be awarded a plaque, be featured in NCPD E-News and website, and receive $1,000 to be used by the parish to continue ministry that welcomes people with disabilities.
Nomination Procedures
Parish nominations will be considered by the NCPD Awards Selection Committee. Provide the following:
1. Fill out the online Nomination Contact Fields below.
2. Submit a document with information requested below.
- Narrative description of the reasons the nominated parish is deserving of the Loyola Press Opening Doors Award and summary list of the parish's accomplishments (three pages maximum):
- Describe how the nominated parish has met the above criteria, citing specific examples.
- Include additional information about the parish you feel is pertinent for this award.
- Include name of Parish and person submitting the nomination in the header of each page.
- Nominations may be submitted in English or Spanish.
3. Send a video or pictures that showcase the narrative description.
4. Submit the document mentioned above to egarcia@ncpd.org.
Subject line to read: Loyola Press Opening Doors Award.
Nomination document must be postmarked by November 1, 2017, or received by email by November 6, 2017 at egarcia@ncpd.org.
For questions, please contact Bob Quinlan at bquinlan@ncpd.org [1] or (202) 529-2933.
Nomination Contact Fields