By Gordon Nary
Gordon: What initially interested you in studying to be a deacon?
Deacon Bill: My desire to serve the Lord and to bring others to Jesus Christ.
Gordon: When were you assigned to St. Andrew by the Bay and what are your principal responsibilities?
Deacon Bill: May, 2014. My duties include serving as deacon at weekend Masses, RCIA, funerals, baptisms, weddings among other responsibilities.
Gordon: You also serve as Director of Special Needs Ministry for the Archdiocese of Baltimore which includes the Office of Disabilities Ministry and the Office of Deaf Ministry. What are some of the challenges that parishes with people with disabilities may need to address?
Deacon Bill: Making persons with disabilities feel welcome and included in the life of the parish. People need to feel that they belong to their parish and this is no different for persons with disabilities
Gordon: How many of the parishes have deaf ministries and what special services do they provide?
Deacon Bill: There are a number of parishes in the Archdiocese of Baltimore that have Masses that are sign language interpreted for the Deaf.
Gordon: When was Camp Glow implemented and approximately how many people attend annually?
Deacon Bill: Camp GLOW began in 1979 and is a week-long residential camp for adults with disabilities. Approximately 150 people participate in the 4 sessions of Camp GLOW each summer.
Gordon: If you have additional funding support, are there any other services that would be helpful to address the disability needs of the Archdiocese of Baltimore?
Deacon Bill: It would be wonderful to provide faith formation resources to families free of charge and to sponsor more events for evangelization of persons with disabilities.
Gordon: Thank you for your commitment to people with disabilities and your service as a member of the Board of Directors of the National Catholic Partnership in Disability,