As a parent or a person with a disability, we welcome you to join a loving, caring accessible community to grow in your faith monthly. St. Bernadette Parish, 5930 South Abbott Rd. in Orchard Park, is beginning a new Family Faith Formation Program. This program is for people of all ages with disabilities and their families, including group home families. God's Family 2 will be held on the last Saturday of the month. Nov. 23, from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. in the parish center. Families are welcome to attend Mass at 9 a.m. where a sensory room is available, if needed. The program will include crafts, socialization, light breakfast, Catholic faith session and an interactive closing prayer service. The sessions are designed to meet the sensory, social and physical needs of all. If interested, please email me at sharonu@saintbopny.org or call 716-638-1720, ext. 3.

This program will follow the successful format of the first God's Family Program supported by the Diocesan Lifelong Faith Formation Office which began 15 years ago. Currently, the program is held at St. Philip the Apostle Parish, 950 Losson Road in Cheektowaga on the second Saturday of the month from Noon to 2:30 p.m. This program has received the National Conference for Catechetical Leadership New Wineskins Award in 2012 and The Edward M. Shaughnessy III Inclusion Award in 2009. If interested in this program, contact Elaine at edristoj@aol.com or Mitzi at 716-445-5529.

Both programs are designed to empower children, adults and families to share their abilities in the God's Family community. Eventually, the goal is to empower members to become active in their parish. Participants, past and current, have become parish advocates, ushers, greeters, altar servers and lectors.