WHAT IS SPRED?

SPRED (Special Religious Development) is a small Catholic faith community that welcomes children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities into the heart of parish life.

Our mission is to create a space where every person can grow in faith, friendship, and belonging. Through the SPRED method, participants are invited to experience an awareness of God’s presence and to recognize their own dignity as beloved children of God.

SPRED helps integrate individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities more fully into the life of the parish - offering faith formation, opportunities for connection, and meaningful inclusion within the liturgy. Parishioners and SPRED friends come together to share life, prayer, and community, forming relationships that enrich the entire parish family.

Up to 8 volunteers from the parish agree to take SPRED training to learn how to offer appropriate religious education for children or adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Three of these volunteers agree to take additional training as team leaders. These volunteers form a small community of faith-people who enter into friendship and agree to welcome up to 6 friends. 

The volunteers decide on an age group depending on the greatest need of the community: 

Children: 6-10 years old

Youth: 11-16 years old

Young Adults: 17-21 years old

Adults: 22+ years old

Welcome

 We begin with a Welcome.

Each person is greeted, an invitation is given to enter our space as gentle music plays in the background.

Handshakes and friendly smiles await us.

Quiet Activity

Activities to capture our attention surround us.

We are invited to select one and succumb to a creative work that slows us down, focuses us and readies us to be open to the Word of God.

Sharing Experiences

We move to our circle where we recall a lived experience that we feel even now.  We listen as others share their experience.

In sharing our stories, we become aware of something we have in common which unites us.

God is with us.

Word of God

Then are we reminded of a particular experience shared at Mass that evokes a similar feeling. Jesus is with us.

A brief scripture passage is proclaimed.

Our hands are held by our Leader Catechist as a message is given to us.

The Spirit is at work in us.

We use our hands and voices in song to offer our gratitude and praise.

We celebrate our joy in being together.

Agape

We end our session sharing food, conversing and strengthening our bonds together.