As lay and ordained ministers in our parish families, we must faithfully serve all members. Among the faithful are those who experience obstacles to participating fully in the Body of Christ.
Some of these obstacles are permanent; others are temporary. Pope Francis taught that we “must meet people’s needs for belonging, relating to others and cultivating their spiritual lives so they experience the fullness and blessing of the Lord.”1 The Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People has taught us much about how to recognize abuse, how to reach out to our youth, and how to assure that they are able to participate safely in their faith communities. We must learn more about how to do the same for the vulnerable adults within our parish communities.
Learn about the vulnerable adults around us!
Vulnerable adults are not always identifiable. An elderly person may or may not have diminished capabilities. Some disabilities such as a hearing deficit, autism, and even early dementia are not always visible. It is important to get to know those to whom we minister. Biases and stereotypes may lead us to limit our communication with those who are different. Careful and compassionate conversations with those who need our ministries will reveal a broad spectrum of personalities, needs and restrictions.
Truly knowing those we minister to also allows caretakers to identify potential abuse. The American Psychological Association (APA) promotes “person first” language. This approach encourages conversations that focus on who the person is rather than what the person’s disability may be. It speaks of a person with a disability rather than a disabled person. Such conversations not only reveal limitations but can also identify how a person might like to join in ministry efforts and parish activities where possible.2
The NJ Department of Health and Human Services defines a vulnerable adult as “a person aged 18 years or older residing in the community (who) due to physical or mental illness, disability or deficiency, lacks sufficient understanding or capacity to make, communicate, or carry out decisions concerning his or her well-being.”3 The Virtus Code of Conduct states that “the phrase ‘vulnerable adults’ has a wide and varied definition. ….. the terminology can apply, but is not limited to:
- Persons 18 years of age and older, with physical, mental, emotional or behavioral conditions
- Adults with an illness, or situation that renders an inability to defend, protect or get help when injured or abused
- Individuals whose condition or disability impairs their ability to provide adequately for their own care, including adults who habitually lack the use of reason, along with individuals who have a court-appointed guardian
- The elderly, whose various circumstances might make them susceptible to persons or situations that cause them harm, or individuals who are residents or patients within hospitals, group homes, nursing homes, day service facilities, day activity centers, adult foster-care homes or an adult who receives care services from a licensed home care or personal care service within their own homes”4
Know How to Help!
The first resource for learning what an individual needs is that individual. Begin as you would with any stranger! Ask people to tell you a little about their lives.
Whenever possible, invite the vulnerable adult to let you know how you can serve them. Do they want to read the Gospel as you read it? Is a person more comfortable when you stand or sit to the right of the bed rather than the left? Is there an easier way for a person to move through the church or into the parish activity? Does the volume of the organ or drums at a particular Mass trigger an anxious response? If the parish were to purchase a walker or a wheelchair to be available when a person is dropped off at the door, would that help with comfort and participation? Do they want to receive the Eucharist today or do they simply want to pray or talk with you? Truly knowing people allows you to be a truer witness of God’s presence with them.
The Adult Protective Services of New Jersey lists the following as types of abuse experienced by vulnerable adults:
- Neglect
- Self-Neglect
- Financial Exploitation
- Physical/Sexual Abuse
Signs of neglect may include:
- Failure to attend to an individual’s medical, hygiene, nutrition and dietary needs.
- Failure to meet the individual’s emotional well-being, such as providing adequate opportunities to socialize with friends and family and engage in meaningful activities.
- Disregarding an individual’s financial obligations such as: failure to pay rent, mortgage, insurances, property taxes, assessments, utility bills and other essential services.3
When a minister gets to know those he or she serves, that minister may be in a position to notice a decline in care or a threat to safety. It is important to mention concerns to a family member or a supervising caregiver. If the potential abuse is not addressed, the State Adult Protective Services provides a toll-free number for those who care for the elderly and disabled. Support is never forced upon an adult, but knowledgeable counselors can help the victims and those who love them to find guidance and resources (855- 835-5277).
Vulnerable adults may be in our Church pews, our homes, or in care facilities. They long to remain a part of our Church family. Their participation may necessarily be minimal, or they may want a way to share in ministry. Vulnerable adults may be able to join prayer circles and fundraising planning committees.
They may enjoy Zooming into adult learning sessions or participating remotely in Stations of the Cross. The more we get to know the unique individual who is temporarily or permanently vulnerable, the better we can discover how to be Church for them and allow them to be Church for others.
Important Note! Homebound Eucharistic Ministers, Greeters, Ushers, Parish Office Personnel, Parish Committee Chairpersons and others who may work with a vulnerable adult must participate in criminal background checks and VIRTUS Training. Please contact your Parish Safe Environment Coordinator or the Diocesan Office of Child and Youth Protection [Janet L. Boris, Associate Director for Child and Youth Protection, 609-403-7223,
jboris@dioceseoftrenton.org] for assistance in completing this process.
FOOTNOTES
1 Being ‘inclusive’ of those with disabilities means valuing them, pope says; https://www.usccb.org/news/2022/being-inclusive-those-disabilities-means-valuing-them-pope-says
2 NIH Style Guide: Person-first and Destigmatizing Language https://www.nih.gov/nih-style-guide/person-first-destigmatizing-language
3 New Jersey Department of Human Services, Adult Protective Services; https://www.state.nj.us/humanservices/doas/services/aps/
4 Model Code of Conduct; VirtusOnline; The National Catholic Risk Retention Group; https://www.virtusonline.org/virtus/model-code-of-conduct.docx