Catholics Can Mass will be Sept. 29 this year

Intermountain Catholic

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Carol Ruddell, shown interpreting at the 2010 Catholics Can Mass, will be presented with the second annual Catholics Can Award this year. IC file photo

OREM — The fifth annual Catholics Can Mass to celebrate the gifts and contributions of each person in Christ will be held at Saint Francis of Assisi Parish in Orem on Sept. 29.

The Most Rev. John C. Wester, Bishop of Salt Lake City, will concelebrate the Mass with priests from throughout the diocese.

This Mass helps people with disabilities feel invited and welcomed in the diocese, said Carol Ruddell, past chairwoman and member of the diocesan Commission for People with Disabilities. "We have many people who aren’t Catholic see this as an opportunity to attend a faith service. Too often folks don’t always feel welcomed in their own faith communities and as a consequence it’s hard to worship if you are not comfortable. We get a lot of comments about how warm and welcoming Bishop Wester is; many people who don’t know him and aren’t Catholic think he is a wonderful leader and gentleman who cares, and say he demonstrates that by celebrating the Mass."

During the Catholics Can Mass there will be live captioning on a screen and American Sign Language interpreters for hard-of-hearing individuals and the Deaf; and low-gluten hosts for those who are gluten intolerant.

In addition, the second annual Catholics Can Award will be given to Ruddell.

"I am quite honored and very humbled to receive this award, because I believe that what I am doing is what I am called to do," said Ruddell. "Each of us has a calling and I just didn’t expect to be recognized."

Ruddell has been active throughout the diocese and with the commission for about 20 years, said Debra Adams, Diocese of Salt Lake City Commission for People with Disabilities chairwoman. "She started out as an interpreter at both Saint Vincent de Paul and Saint Thomas More parishes so people who were either hard of hearing or Deaf could attend Mass," Adams said. "She also travels to various parishes as an interpreter so children and adults can receive an education in preparation for their sacraments. This ministry is her passion and she has a lot of enthusiasm and energy for it."

"I have always felt called to do something with people with disabilities in my personal, my faith and my work life," said Ruddell.

Ruddell works for the Utah State Department of Health as a project director for Work Ability Utah, a multi-agency federally funded project that promotes employment in health care for people with disabilities.

On Sept. 29 St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church also will be recognized as a building fully accessible to everyone. "I’m excited we are having this Mass in a space that is so welcoming," said Ruddell. "It has no steps into the building and is all on one level with a ramp to the altar, and there is an FM system for assisted listening devices."

In planning the church’s construction, Julie Boerio-Goates, St. Francis of Assisi pastoral coordinator and parish building committee chairwoman, worked closely with architects Seth Striefel, John Sparano and Ann Mooney to make the building accessible.

"They knew what the American Disabilities Act requirements were and what we had to have and we worked with them," said Boerio-Goates. "It mandates such things as doors that are wide enough for wheelchairs, restroom stalls accessible for wheelchairs and having ramps up on the altar platform. We have seating in front of the chapel where pews were removed for wheelchairs, scooters or walkers. The other pews are actually wide enough that individuals can collapse walkers and place them inside the pew."

The National Catholic Partnership on Disability will benefit from a showing of the movie "The Mighty Macs" on Friday, Sept. 21, 7 p.m., in the Saint Ambrose Parish Hall, 1975 South 2300 East, SLC. Bring the family to see a fun movie and benefit the. Cost: $5 per person or $10 per family. Refreshments will be available. For information, contact Carol Ruddell, 801-440-8729.