Title: Indispensable: A Catholic Guide to Welcoming Persons with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities
Publisher: Word on Fire
Publication Date: 2025
Language: English
ISBN 10: 1685782205
ISBN 13: 9781685782207
Binding: Paperback
Condition: As New
Dust Jacket Condition: No Jacket
Weight: 0.9 pounds

About this title

Synopsis

There are approximately two million Catholics with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDDs) living in America today. For every hundred individuals on a parish registry, there should be at least two or three with IDDs in the pews. Yet they are noticeably absent from our churches. Do these members of the Church and their families feel like they belong in our parish communities? Do they even feel welcome at all?

Indispensable, edited by Mark Bradford, is a groundbreaking exploration of how Catholic parishes can prepare to spiritually form and serve people with IDDs and their families. This inspiring collection features essays from a variety of disability experts and advocates, who offer insights from Church guidance, academic research, and their own extensive experience. It also examines a wide range of issues related to the intersection of parish life and IDDs, including chapters on prenatal diagnosis, perinatal loss, the sacraments, the liturgy, education, relationships, and more.

St. Paul teaches us that “the members of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable” (1 Cor. 12:22). For a vulnerable population like those with IDDs, the importance of the Church in creating a place of belonging can’t be overstated. The Body of Christ should shine as a welcoming and supportive community for all its members. This vital parish resource will assist readers of all backgrounds—pastors, parents, and all those who work in disability ministry at any level or who are eager to support it—in drawing those with IDDs more fully into the communion of the Church.

About the Author

Mark Bradford is the Fellow for Persons with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities at the Word on Fire Institute and the author of Let Us Pray: Catholic Prayers for All Abilities. For over twenty years, he has been blessed to serve in leadership positions in various church ministries, including as the founding president of the Jerome Lejeune Foundation in the US. Mark and his wife, Denise, are parents to Thomas, their sixth of seven children (and first son), who happens to have been gifted with an extra twenty-first chromosome. Mark is a passionate advocate for those born with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families. He especially advocates, at every opportunity, against the threat of abortion following a prenatal diagnosis. The Bradfords reside in the Philadelphia suburbs.

"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.

Store Description

ThriftBooks is a fully independent seller of used books, having sold more than 160 million used and new books since we started in 2003. Each quality used book is sorted, graded, shelved and shipped by hand by our team of dedicated employees in our seven warehouses across the US. We have the best selection of books, in the right condition and format, at everyday low prices. We also have a dedicated, US-based Customer Service team, ranked in the top three by Newsweek for Best Customer Service in 2018 and 2019, so you can shop with confidence. We support and invest in our employees, appreciate and value our customers, and truly believe in the power of the written word to educate, energize, and engage readers of all ages and interests.

Visit Seller's Storefront

Seller's business information

Thrift Books Global, LLC
18300 Cascade Ave S, Ste 150, Seattle, WA, 98188, U.S.A.

Sale & Shipping Terms

Terms of Sale

We guarantee the condition of every book as it's described
on the Abebooks website. If you're dissatisfied with your
purchase (Incorrect Book/Not as Described/Damaged) or if the
order hasn't arrived, you're eligible for a refund within 30
days of the estimated delivery date. If you've changed your
mind about a book that you've ordered, please use the "Ask
bookseller a question link to contact us" and we'll respond
as soon as possible.

Shipping Terms

All domestic Standard shipments are distributed from our warehouses by OSM, then handed off to the USPS for final delivery.

2-Day Shipping is delivered by FedEx, which does not deliver to PO boxes.

International shipments are tendered to the local postal service in the destination country for final delivery – We do not use courier services for international deliveries.

Shipping rates within U.S.A.

Shipping rates within U.S.A.
Order quantity	4 to 8 business days	4 to 8 business days
First item	US$ 0.00	US$ 0.00

Delivery times are set by sellers and vary by carrier and location. Orders passing through Customs may face delays and buyers are responsible for any associated duties or fees. Sellers may contact you regarding additional charges to cover any increased costs to ship your items.