Church Address
Mass Schedule
Weekly Bulletin
Calendar
Church Records
ECC
Church Forms

Families with Special Needs Ministry

The Families with Special Needs ministry at St. Andrew the Apostle Catholic Church builds a coalition of social and spiritual support within the Cary/Apex faith community to help families with special needs children of all ages grow in holiness to love and serve the Lord. All area parishes are welcome to participate.

The ministry serves families who have been blessed by God in a special way to raise His children with physical/intellectual disabilities and developmental delays. The ministry’s key service areas focus on helping families with special needs children:

  • Worship Together as a family at Mass and other liturgical celebrations.
  • Grow in Faith through religious education and faith formation activities that accommodate their children’s unique learning styles.
  • Socialize with the Faith Community in an environment that is always prepared to receive their children in a loving way.
  • Strengthen the Family unit through parent support groups, prayer networks, and respite care providers.
  • Reach Out to other parishes, diocesan groups, and related apostolates to foster awareness, exchange information, share resources, and encourage collaborations and partnerships that support the mission of the ministry.

Because this is a family-oriented ministry, we especially invoke the patronage of Saint Joseph, foster father of Jesus and loving spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary. We ask that St. Joseph will watch over this ministry, protect its families, and lead us humbly into the perfect holiness of the Blessed Trinity, as we seek to model the Holy Family in all that we say and do within our own families.

Parents Holi-Day Out!

The Fourth Annual Parents Holi-Day Out! is Saturday, Dec. 3, 9:30 a.m. – 3 p.m. at St. Andrew. This event is a respite program for families of children with special needs. Both children with special needs and their siblings are welcome to enjoy Christmas fun while parents enjoy a day to shop and run errands. Schedule of Activities. Parents can register children for AM or PM sessions or the full day. Space is limited. Please RSVP the names and ages of children you wish to register by Nov. 30 to Katie McDermott, 919.362.4078 or ktmcd@att.net.

Special Needs Ministry Resources

Membership

The ministry is open to families with small children, teens, and young adults with special needs, as well as to others within the faith community who wish to offer their time and talent to this ministry by volunteering as respite care providers, special education teachers and teacher aides, social activities coordinators, etc.

A moderated Yahoo! group facilitates communication among the ministry’s members. For more information, please visit: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/cfsn_apex/

Meetings

Friends and families of this ministry currently meet quarterly (February, May, August, November). Please check the bulletin for announcements regarding upcoming meetings and events.

Contacts

Katie McDermott, phone: 919-362-4078, or e-mail: ktmcd@nc.rr.com
Gary Schlacter, Parish Council Liaison, e-mail: gschlacter@saintandrew.org