Earth Angels

Real Living with Multiple Sclerosis, Jul/Aug 2004 by Zielinski, Karen

Reading material

Many articles and books that move and encourage hesitant, potential volunteers to get involved have been published. Here are a few I found.

In his January 22, 2004 Denver Post article, "I Just Want to Be Included," religion writer Eric Gorski calls attention to the mixed record that religious institutions have in including and welcoming people with disabilities. While some congregations struggle with architectural, communication, and attitude barriers, others have successfully integrated people with disabilities as full members of their religious communities. The Pope echoed that idea in his January 2004 statement that the quality of society's life is gauged by the care of people with disabilities. And Rabbi Bradley Shavit Artson's article, "My Son is Not his Illness" from the December 1999 issue of Sh'ma magazine, speaks of his autistic son Jacob and his experiences with the true meaning of Sabbath.

So, I hope to see more of us in churches or synagogues or other places of worship, doing something up front or in the background.

Everyone has something to give.

Do you have clinical writing talent? If you're a skilled clinical writer and would be interested in contributing to Real Living with Multiple Sclerosis, please contact Barb Miller at bmiller@lww.com.

Karen J. Zielinski is a Roman Catholic nun, head of the Communications Office for the Sisters of St. Francis of Sylvania, Ohio, and a freelance writer. This is her 29th year of living with MS.