Nolan Smith: "I love my faith. I want to be part of the Church, to participate in its activities."Towards full inclusion of persons with disabilitiesThe protagonism of people with disabilitiesThis December Pope Francis asks Catholics around the world to pray especially for people with disabilities. In his video of the monthThe Pontiff focuses on those who, through ignorance or prejudice, suffer from a rejection "that makes them marginalized".
In the video, Francis claims that "civil institutions must support their projects with access to education, employment and spaces where creativity is expressed". The Holy Father considers that "there is a need for programs and initiatives that favor inclusion" and, "above all, there is a need for big hearts that want to accompany".
On the part of society, Francis notes that we must "change our mentality a little in order to open ourselves to the talents of these people with different abilities". As for the Church, the Pope warns that "creating a fully accessible parish does not only mean eliminating physical barriers, but also assuming that we must stop talking about 'them' and start talking about 'us.
For this reason, the Pontiff asks that "we pray that people with disabilities be at the center of the attention of the world's attention". companyand that institutions promote inclusion programs that enhance their active participation".
The full video with Pope Francis' message and prayer intention can be viewed below:
