Is Your Church Prepared for a Pastor with Disabilities?

September 17, 2026 · 1 min read

“You have to come check out this church,” my mom excitedly told me. “The pastor reminds me of you. He’s in a wheelchair and full of so much joy!” That day, in my early 20s, was the first time I saw someone like me front and center in a church. It was a wonderful surprise. Read more...

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Γιώργος Λαμπρόπουλος

Good story, but let's be honest: in our parish here on the island of Volos, if the priest cannot stand upright at the amvona and cannot serve without assistance, we will have a lot of difficulty. The deafblind child is a reality, however, the Liturgy requires specific movements. Has anyone thought about how this will be done in practice?

Bogdan Nistor

In our parish in Chisinau we had a deacon who used crutches after an accident. At first we were a bit hesitant, but when we saw him serve calmly and with that simple joy, we quickly got used to it. Maybe not all the movements of the Liturgy come out the same, but I believe that God sees the heart of man more than the feet. What do you think, would there be room for something like that here too?

Timothy Baker

Our parish in Boston had a visiting priest a few years back who used a walker after hip surgery. At first it felt a little awkward watching him navigate the steps to the altar, but once he started chanting with that steady, calm voice it stopped mattering. The Liturgy still happened, just with a bit more patience from all of us. Makes you wonder if we’re overthinking what “prepared” really means.

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