The faith-based event offers fun for about 60 special-needs individuals and family members
By Bee Goodman
On Aug. 2, St. John Neumann Parish in Farragut hosted A Very Special Day with the Bishop. The event is a faith-based day of fun for special-needs individuals and their families.
Under Bishop Richard F. Stika in 2021, the Diocese of Knoxville held its first Bishop’s Very Special Day event, which saw 15 attendees. This year, the day with Bishop Mark Beckman had about 60 people in attendance.
The day opened with a celebration of Mass at 10 a.m. and was followed by numerous activities such as arts and crafts, lunch, and musical time led by Katie Helms, a longtime advocate for disabled and special-needs people.
Katie Helms takes a question from the audience during The Bishop’s Very Special Day. Ms. Helms led singing and dancing and made crafts for the event. (Photo Bee Goodman)
“I love being here. I love all the people, kids, and adults here. I want to do everything I can for them,” Ms. Helms shared.
Ms. Helms returned this year and led the group in many songs and dances. As she led music time, smiles erupted all around the room. One child, Joseph Weber, excitedly pounded on a bucket drum, yelling the words to the songs he knew and dancing through the ones he hadn’t heard before—he never stopped smiling.
The event is special for a number of reasons. It brings together a community that is often left out or chooses to be excluded for necessity and comfort. The special day creates a time for fun activities outside of pressures and sensitivities the attendees and their families can face every day.
Public outings can be especially difficult for those with special needs due to the need for physical and social accommodations. Restaurants with loud conversations, clinking utensils, and kitchen noise can be a problem. This can make celebrating Mass a difficult task for these families. A Very Special Day with the Bishop aims to create a safe, comfortable, and faith-filled environment for everyone attending.
Julie Radachy helped organize the event and shared how Mass and other public settings can be difficult. “First, there are potential obstacles on the church campus for individuals with special needs. For example, there may not be enough room for walkers or wheelchairs within the church. Also, for those with sensory-processing issues, lights, sounds (including the volume and the amount of reverberation) might make attending Mass and even certain parish events difficult. In addition, most missals and church hymnals are designed in a traditional font size for those who do not have visual difficulties, making it difficult for those who do to follow along,” she said.
“Second, there are other obstacles that are unique to each individual. For example, some need to stay on a certain schedule in order to be able to function, and the Mass time or event may not work with that schedule. Others may prefer to keep to themselves rather than, for instance, exchange the sign of peace at Mass or participate in parish events,” Ms. Radachy continued.
There are many things that could be done to help parishes become more inclusive to every person’s needs.
Ms. Radachy explained, “There are many types of ‘special needs’ that it’s important to first understand what those specific needs are. Some will be obvious, such as having an accessible place for those in wheelchairs, and others will not be obvious, such as those who have a processing delay and those who have difficulty reading or adjusting to the environment or even a new schedule, to name a few.
Sara Marquardt of St. John Neumann’s youth ministry speaks to a young friend, Robert, at A Very Special Day with the Bishop held Aug. 2 at the Farragut church. (Photo Bee Goodman)
“That means that the first step to being more inclusive is to see what the needs are in each specific parish and then develop solutions to enable them to be included in the celebration of the Mass and in parish events. These solutions might just be making small modifications for those who need them. For example, for those who have difficulty reading, one volunteer created an adapted Nicene Creed that includes a big bold font, extra spaces, and images to help them comprehend the prayer more easily.”
Another goal for the event is to change the idea that special-needs and disabled individuals are different from others. They’re not—they are still amiable, clever, and just as adventurous as any other person. They just have different lenses of the world we live in, and events like this help to provide another point of view.
Many times, people fear interacting with any disabled person because they fear it will be awkward. It is only awkward because of a created distance between “normal” culture and the disabled or neurodivergent people. The truth is that these individuals shouldn’t be treated any differently than how you should treat everyone else. Treat them with respect, treat them how you would want to be treated, like Jesus tells us to love and care for each other.
‘We are all the same’
As well as organizing, Ms. Radachy also participated in the event and helped with reading during Mass. She stood with Larissa St. Thomas as she read to the parish during the celebration.
Bishop Mark Beckman delivers the homily at a 10 a.m. Mass at St. John Neumann Church to begin A Very Special Day with the Bishop, the second such event to be held after an earlier one in 2021. (Photo Bee Goodman)
Bishop Beckman celebrated Mass and spoke of the Gospel of Matthew when Jesus is told His mother and brothers are waiting for Him outside. Jesus turns to His disciples saying they are His mother and brothers. We are all, through Christ alone, brothers and sisters, the bishop said. The message comes as a reminder that if we are obedient and follow the will of God, we are all the same. Different walks of life, and spoken words, still do not separate us. If we are the sons of Abraham, then we are brothers and sisters, Bishop Beckman added.
This can show that those who are differently abled than others are still seen as God’s children, and can also take into consideration that they are to be compassionate to their brothers and sisters.
Sara Marquardt is a youth and young-adult minister at SJN. She spoke to the participants there and led a few worship songs alongside Ms. Helms. Something that stood out to Ms. Marquardt is how she changed perspectives to never be above the person she spoke to. While she sat with another child, Robert, she chose to sit on the floor while Robert sat higher than her in a chair. As simple as the act may seem, it’s important, as it is a physical example of leveling that allows each person to meet eye-to-eye to communicate. For someone who may struggle socially, this can be a comforting measure because it doesn’t allow for any feelings of being inferior to another person; it stops them from having someone above them.
Ms. Radachy explained that A Very Special Day with the Bishop and events like it are incredibly important.
“Many families thanked us for making the event possible and for our kindness. One comment that really stood out, though, was ‘they like to be included.’ That inclusion is so important—but not always present.
“When it is, though, it gives individuals and families a chance to have fun, make connections with others, and build a community that goes beyond an individual church’s walls. For the parishes that host such events, the volunteers have the opportunity to use their skills and talents to share the faith and to welcome those from other parishes in the diocese and, in this case, even the bishop himself,” Ms. Radachy said.
Bishop Mark Beckman writes a message on a lanyard for a young fellow attending The Bishop’s Very Special Day. (Photo Bee Goodman)
She added that everyone has the ability to help the community.
“It’s common to think that there’s a certain ‘age requirement’ to be able to help, but actually, there isn’t—everyone can do something! In fact, we even had a couple of second- and third-graders volunteering for The Bishop’s Very Special Day, and by giving of themselves, they made an impact. It just requires finding a gift or a talent that you can give to others—and give it, no matter how big or how small, even if it’s just a smile or a kind word.”
This year the event fell on the same day as the feast of Our Lady of the Angels and the memorial of St. Peter Julian Eymard, and those celebrations were implemented into the day to “offer the guests a unique faith-formation opportunity through specially designed activities and music.”
“Katie Helms set the Guardian Angel prayer to ‘Rock Around the Clock’ and wrote a song about transubstantiation since St. Peter Julian Eymard is the Apostle of the Eucharist,” Ms. Radachy said. “In addition, she created a craft that, when unfolded, makes the shape of a cross. Inside the cross is a chalice and a host, and when you lift up the host, there is an image of Jesus to share that, when we receive the Eucharist, we are receiving Jesus Himself.”
Of course, events like these are created to help bring communities together to grow, but they require help to get started and be successful. Ms. Helms is a longtime volunteer to diocesan events, and her dedication doesn’t go unnoticed, along with that of many other dedicated volunteers.
Ms. Radachy shared her appreciation: “All of our volunteers made the day a beautiful experience for everyone in attendance! Katie Helms shared the faith with songs and crafts tailored to the liturgical celebrations of the day; Yvonne Kidder’s team provided a delicious meal to give a chance for everyone to connect and talk; Misty Weber recruited and organized the child and teen volunteers from Knoxville Catholic, Chesterton Academy, and St. John Neumann; Jenny Martinez took pictures so that our guests could remember this day; Leslie Freeze and her team of volunteers used their artistic skills to do face painting; and Filipina Phan and Sara Marquardt assisted with food, music, and activities throughout the day.”
“The child and teen volunteers had the opportunity to be buddies with our special guests and to lead different activities throughout the day—including a photo opportunity with those in costume!” Ms. Radachy continued. “Last but certainly not least, the clergy who were in attendance—Bishop Beckman, Father Mark Schuster, and Father Adam Royal—helped make the day special by celebrating Mass for us and spending time with our guests.”
If you are interested in participating next year’s or in other similar events, either as a guest or a volunteer, contact Julie Radachy at knoxcv julie@gmail.com.
Ms. Radachy shares her love for this community and her hopes that other parishioners, and those outside a parish, can learn. “Each individual is a treasure, a beloved child of God, and getting to spend days like this together is a blessing for all of us!”