Faith, Family, and Children with Special Needs: How Catholic Parents and Their Kids with Special Needs Can Develop a Richer Spiritual Life

by David Rizzo

Overview

It’s hard enough for today’s parents to raise faith-filled children. But for the parents of kids with special needs, the challenges can be almost overwhelming; these parents’ own spirituality may suffer amidst the daily obstacles of raising a child with disabilities, and they may wonder how—or even if—their child can ever experience a meaningful spiritual life.

In Faith, Family, and Children with Special Needs, David Rizzo—whose 12-year-old daughter has autism—offers great hope for parents who want to grow in their own spirituality while helping their children with disabilities experience God in a deeper way.

Throughout the book, Rizzo’s abiding though sometimes tested Catholic faith is made clear as he thoughtfully explains everything from the practical, such as how parents can maintain sanity during Mass when the child with special needs becomes disruptive, to the profound, such as how parents can understand God in a way that is relevant to their predicament. At other times, Rizzo’s advice is intended to help the child grow in his or her own faith, as when he explains how kids with special needs can participate meaningfully in the Eucharist.

By looking at big-picture issues of faith while also providing specific tips to nurture spiritual growth in parents and in their children with disabilities, Faith, Family, and Children with Special Needs will serve as a highly useful and inspiring resource for anyone in the community of faith who interacts with children with disabilities.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780829436518
Publisher:	Loyola Press
Publication date:	04/01/2012
Edition description:	First Edition
Pages:	112
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.40(h) x 0.60(d)
Age Range:	3 Months to 18 Years

About the Author

David Rizzo is a physical therapist who specializes in working with adults and children with developmental disabilities. He and his wife, Mercedes, have four children and live in Marlton, New Jersey.

Editorial Reviews

"Adversity is the mother of the Gospel too! Jesus taught it, but David Rizzo makes this truth obvious and very compelling. His maturity, compassion, and in-depth understanding of Christianity shines here for all to see and all to imitate."
--Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM



Life with a special needs child is a drama. David Rizzo does an artful job in meeting parents with children with special needs where they live and reminding them of the most important things in life. As parents who have been blessed with an autistic son, we recommend, Faith, Family, and Children with Special Needs to every parent invited to this path.
--Curtis Martin, Fellowship of Catholic University Students

 "Faith, Family, and Children with Special Needs is a terrific little book packed with gentle wisdom, hard-earned experience, a deep sense of the spiritual dimension of both the special needs parent, and keen insight into the unique spirituality of developmentally disabled children. Every catechetical program in America needs to give it to teachers involved in special needs ministry, and parents of disabled children will find comfort and guidance in its pages."

--Patheos.com

From the Publisher