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

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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.

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.

"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