How have parishes across Australia encouraged and assisted people with disability and their families to participate fully in parish life? This is the question the Bishops' Commission for Social Justice, Mission and Service is asking every diocese in Australia so that, as a network of dioceses, we can share resources and work together to support people with disability and their families to fully participate in the life of the Church in Australia.

Despite the cessation of the Australian Catholic Disability Council at the end of 2019, the Bishops' Commission still calls us to be communities ‘where we can use and celebrate the gifts of people living with disability’. The Disability Projects Office has been extended for twelve months so that a national network of Diocesan Disability Contact Coordinators can be established.

In Sandhurst, Bishop Shane has appointed Mrs Mary Pianta to the role of Disability Contact Coordinator, on a voluntary basis. Mary is a parishioner in the Sacred Heart Cluster group and has over twenty years of experience working in the Special Education sector of Catholic Education, including volunteering for many years at Harrietville Camps where children with disabilities and their families enjoyed a weekend full of fun activities. Mary has qualifications in Special Needs Education, Teaching English as a Second Language and an Associate Diploma in Pastoral Ministry.

She currently volunteers at Vision Australia and Scope and as the proofreader for the Sandpiper!

Married for over fifty years, Mary has four sons and fourteen grandchildren.

Mary writes:

"I hope you are coping with our restrictions at the present time. The situation has certainly affected parish life as we knew it. My purpose today is to introduce myself to you all as Mary Pianta, the Disability Contact Coordinator for the Diocese of Sandhurst.
 

My husband, Peter and I have lived in Bendigo for our 53 years of married life. We have four sons and fourteen grandchildren spread throughout the world.

I come to this voluntary position with a great interest in the area of disability. My background is in teaching, with qualifications in Special Education, Gifted Education and English as a Second Language. During my 24 years at Catholic College Bendigo, I worked closely with Joy Ready and her team at the CEO, readily volunteering at camps in Harrietville, and served as a member of the Board at the Chalet.

My Associate Diploma in Pastoral Ministry has been very useful within the Cathedral Parish and now as part of the Cluster community.

One of my goals is to identify an interested person to act as a disability contact for each parish, to assist me with gathering information and developing strategies for people with disabilities and their families to participate fully in Church activities. I invite you to give some thought to this plan before we chat again.

I am excited about this new position and what we will be able to achieve together. Please feel free to reach out directly to me at any time.

Mary Pianta 
Disability Contact Coordinator
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