| NCPD - National Catholic Partnership on Disability

Greeter at church door

Parish Welcome

We offer this Parish Welcome page to guide your efforts to build a welcoming community of faith. We offer practical tips for welcoming Catholics with disabilities and drawing on their gifts.

Basic knowledge about the U.S. Bishop's Guidelines for the Celebration of the Sacraments for Persons with Disabilities, recommended narratives for understanding disability in the Church, and practical tools for ensuring Church access can dramatically help a parish to flourish.

Resources & Toolkits

Pastoral Response to Persons with Mental Illness

Learn about what parishes can do to support people with mental illness, suicide prevention, mental illness and addiction, the "four legs of recovery," and the work of NCPD's Council on Mental Illness.

Woman smiling with dementia, inside of a church

What Does a Dementia-Friendly Parish Look Like?

Meet Mr. J, who was very active in ministry at his Catholic parish. He can be very loud and repeats the same three phrases when you meet him, but is joyful as he sings all of the right words to each hymn in Mass. When Mr J, who is living with dementia, had issues performing his ministry duties, he was left off of the schedule without any notice.

Five Beneficial Things to Know about Hearing Access

There is a common misconception that people with hearing loss only need things to be louder, so the amplification from hearing aids or cochlear implants is considered the sole solution. Unfortunately, even when things are loud enough, many still struggle with clarity. Damaged inner ear hair cells, lost synapses to the auditory nerve and several other reasons can make speech recognition difficult.

Woman pushes person in wheelchair toward church

Hospitality Ministers: Disability Etiquette

General Principles Know the accessibility features and tools available in the parish and where to find them. Have a hospitality minister at the front door to assist and verbally welcome persons upon arrival.

Four people working at a table during a conference

A good host is a good planner

When you plan your next gathering, follow this checklist to ensure all guests feel welcome and can participate.

Principles for Understanding Deaf Ministry and Guidelines for Hiring Pastoral Ministers for the Deaf Catholic Community

"The Church in the United States in enriched by its deaf and hard of hearing brothers and sisters. 'The men and women of our own day –often perhaps unconsciously–ask believers not only to speak of Christ, but in a certain sense to show Him to them.' That is the human heart’s deepest longing. That is the yearning of the deaf and hard of hearing people in America. That is the impetus and goal of the Church’s ministry with the deaf and hard of hearing. 'Together we are the Church' (CCC)."