Ugh: "Minnesota Church Files Restraining Order Against Autistic Parishioner"

[Tektonik]

http://www.wcsh6.com/news/watercooler/article.aspx?storyid=87389

BERTHA, MN (NBC) -- A Minnesota church is coming under fire for the way it's treating one of its parishioners.

Adam Race, 13, and his family did not go to mass at Bertha's Church of St. Joseph Sunday morning like they usually do.

The Todd County Sheriff told Adam's mom if she did take him to St. Joseph's, she would be arrested.

St. Joseph's has filed a temporary restraining order against Adam. In a statement, Father Dan Walz said he filed the petition as a last resort out of "a growing concern for the safety of parishioners".

Adam is severely autistic. He is home-schooled, and has attended St. Joseph's his whole life. He is also more than six feet tall and weighs more than 235 pounds.

In court documents, Father Walz said Adam's growing size makes it harder for his parents to manage his behavior during mass. Father Walz said Adam struck a child, bolts unexpectedly from church nearly knocking people down, including elderly people.

He said Adam also spits and urinates during church.

Carol Races said those allegations are either exaggerated or false. She said Adam is not angry or violent, he has never spit in church, and that on rare occasions, he has been incontinent.

Carol blames Adam's worst behavior, revving a church member's running car after mass, on a lack of accommodation from the church.

"They don't understand how the mechanisms of autism are working at the moment of these disruptions and so forth," Carol Race said. "And I want to point out that in the last couple of months Adam has been perfectly well-behaved. So that's what's shocking to me."

Carol said sometimes Adam is noisy and must be restrained during mass, but she said her family always sits in back and leaves church a few minutes early.

A hearing has been set on May 19th in Todd County Court.




Couldn't the church figure a better way to deal with this situation?

[Droopy]

1. I'd say good riddance to that church

Why does anyone want to go to church anyway? Sunday is just another day to me.

[Beaverhausen]

2. What do you suggest the church do?

They have tried many different ways for the family to attend, but nothing is working out.

edit: read the below from here http://www.cathnews.com/article.aspx?aeid=7233

Carol Race said it all started last June, when Walz and a church trustee visited the Races at their home address about the behaviour of Adam, who stands taller than 180cm and weighs more than 100kg.

In an affidavit, Walz said the church "explored and offered many options for accommodations that would assist the family while protecting the safety of parishioners. The family refused those offers of accommodation."

Carol Race said the family of seven, which has attended St Joseph since 1996, typically sat in the cry room or in the back pew to keep avoid disrupting the services and did not hear a complaint from the parishioners until Walz showed up at their home in June.

Even after the restraining order was served, the family continued going to the church and would leave during the closing hymn to avoid contact with others, Carol Race said.

The Diocese of St Cloud issued a statement saying the petition was filed "as a last resort out of a growing concern for the safety of parishioners and other community members due to disruptive and violent behaviour on the part of that child."

Walz said the boy's behaviour worsened over time, telling authorities that Adam has been "extremely disruptive and dangerous" since last summer.

According to Walz, Adam struck a child during Mass, nearly knocks elderly parishioners over when he hastily exits the church, spits and sometimes urinates in church and fights when he is being restrained.

The family admits that they do have to restrain Adam sometimes, because he gets overwhelmed in Mass, but they insist, no one else is in danger."My husband, myself... we'd protect anyone with our life before we'd let our son hurt anyone," Race said.

[hedgehog]

3. The family attended Mass with this child for many years with no problems.

My question is this: has the child recently become a problem because he is growing (ie a 13 year old can be a hazard to others that a 3 year old is not), because his behaviour has gotten worse or is the real problem that the new pastor doesn't want him in Church?

[zanne]

4. I have to admit my ignorance about autism...

I'd like to know if this boy knows what mass is all about and whether or not he gets anything out of it. If not, he should stay at home.

[NJmaverick]

5. It's a sad situation, but I don't see any villians here

I just see victims.