Why visual schedules?
Autism makes thinking different. To stay in church, a stable visual cue set can help a great deal in making the service predictable and therefore less overwhelming. A visual schedule of the order of service provides social cues in a static way so that a person with autism does not have to work so hard to isolate them and process them. It also gives an easy to reference order of actions, so that one can plan one’s movements ahead of time and with less anxiety.
After seeing the enormous difference the {Orthodox Church Liturgy visual schedule} has made in so many families’ lives, I realized that I wanted to share this resource with Christians in other churches. Because many of my relatives and most Christians in the world are Roman Catholic, I have prepared a visual schedule for the Roman Catholic Mass. I hope that this free resource will help many, many families to attend church services.
To use a visual schedule, I recommend laminating it or placing the pages in heavy duty page protectors after printing. Stickers go in each box to the right of the schedule item, as the service progresses. Alternatively, a marker may be used to check off progress.
Download the free Visual Schedule in PDF here:
Roman Catholic Mass Visual Schedule
In Christ,
Summer
Did you know that I’ve written a book, Of Such is the Kingdom: A Practical Theology of Disability, that will help churches understand and welcome families with special needs? Please follow this blog, {my Twitter feed}, {my Facebook page}, and {Instagram}, to help me show publishers that people need more books like this.
