Did you know that we have a SPRED program here at St. Bernadette?
SPRED stands for SPecial REligious Development. We serve children and young adults with developmental disabilities, including autism, Down syndrome, intellectual disabilities, and learning disabilities. Every child deserves access to religious education, and SPRED is one way at our parish that we make sure that opportunity is available for all! Our goal is to meet each participant where they are, whether that is verbal or nonverbal, reading or nonreading, able to sit still or a ball of energy.
We meet several Saturday mornings a month September through May. We try to be conscious that often, it is difficult for children with disabilities and their families to feel welcome in the Church. We intentionally incorporate activities like prayer time together and sharing a snack to really make SPRED not just a class, but a community where everyone can feel like they belong and know how much they are loved by God.
Sometimes parents of children with disabilities are discouraged because they think that because their child cannot learn well in a typical religious education class with a textbook, their child cannot receive First Communion or Confirmation. That is absolutely not true! The sacraments are for everyone. Preparation might look a little different for people with developmental disabilities, but that is something we do in SPRED, too!
While right now our SPRED class includes students ages 5 to 18, we are hoping to expand the program and offer a class for young adults over 18 in the next few years.
We would love to hear from you if
  • you think your child would benefit from SPRED!
  • you are a young adult or the parent of a young adult with a developmental disability who might be interested in an adult class!
  • you are wondering if the Lord might be calling you to volunteer! No experience is necessary, and we will need more volunteers in order to expand the program!
  • or if you have any other Church-related disability question about the sacraments or accessibility!
We want everyone to feel welcome and included in our parish!
El clase de SPRED es en inglés, pero estamos encantandos de hablar sobre SPRED con usted en español.
Contact Caroline Jones, SPRED Coordinator, through Lynn Jones (Ljones@stbernpar.org) or Arlyn Agasen in the Religious Education Office at 703-451-8576.

If you would like to register your child for our SPRED program   Register Here