The annual Special People in Catholic Education (SPICE) Mass of Inclusion honoring all of God’s children was celebrated by Bishop Earl Fernandes on Sunday, Nov. 17 at Columbus St. Catharine of Siena Church.
Father Robert Penhallurick, the parish’s pastor, concelebrated the Mass and Deacon Christopher Reis assisted at the altar.
The Mass celebrated the contributions of not only those with diverse needs but also the teachers, catechists and staff at diocesan schools and parishes who share in the mission that every child is special.
St. Catharine is considered the birthplace of the SPICE program, which has expanded to approximately 15 parishes in the diocese and in other parts of the country after its founding 25 years ago by longtime parishioners Bob and Mary Ginn Ryan.
SPICE is a ministry in diocesan schools and parishes that supports children who have unique learning needs. Its mission is to raise awareness of special needs, to help serve special needs, to raise funds to meet those needs and to serve as a model to other parishes.
Some of the ways that St. Catharine provides assistance in addition to educational resources are signers at Mass, handicap ramps, and elevators in the school and parish hall.
Bishop Fernandes acknowledged the participation in SPICE of many individuals with different abilities.
“Each and every one of you is a masterpiece of God and you are always welcome in this house of God and in the family of God,” he said near the end of Mass.
Twenty-five years ago, there were no programs in place or trained teachers in Catholic schools to accommodate the needs of children with different abilities when the Ryans were contemplating how to educate the youngest of their 11 children, Megan, who was born with Down syndrome.
As Megan approached school age, her parents were concerned about where her education would take place and worried that she wouldn’t be able to follow in her older siblings’ footsteps who attended St. Catharine School.
Unable to find an answer on their own, the Ryans came to St. Catharine to tell then-principal Margaret Crabtree that they wanted to enroll Megan in Catholic school. Crabtree quickly put the Ryans’ fears to rest when she told them, “We’ve been waiting for her.”
That motivated the Ryans to start SPICE. Since then, the program has expanded in the diocese to other parishes, and the Ryans have visited others states where there is interest in starting SPICE.
“When we enrolled Megan in St. Catharine, we realized the expense that would be incurred and it was then that Bob and I decided to create the SPICE program to address the challenges and try to make it successful, not only for Megan but for all kids with special needs,” Mary Ginn said. “Megan went through all the grades in St. Catharine’s, spent four years at (Columbus) Bishop Hartley (High School) and then she went to Ohio State, which has a four-year transitional program for students with special needs.
“So she got the experience that all her siblings did. It’s been a gift. It’s been a journey for us. She’s given more to us than we’ve given to her.”
