THE CATHOLIC VOYAGE : African Journal of Consecrated Life

Disability is a state of possessing certain human qualities that limit the effective functioning of persons in their daily lives. Disabilities can be a natural endowment which an individual cannot control although it can also develop through accidents or human carelessness. Notwithstanding its origin, disabilities can present themselves in various and subtle forms that elude ministers with abilities who focus only on physical limitations. The limitations of people with handicapping situations do not constitute them any less a human. Handicapped persons are persons that possess all human qualities and should be given all the human rights conferred to persons with abilities. However, to minister to the less cognitive and physically privileged persons is to extend the saving mission of our Lord Jesus Christ in our time. In the disabled persons, Mother Teresa of Calcutta, the saint of our time saw the image of Christ and abandoned everything to minister to them in the slums of India. Generally, man is inherently disabled by sin. Sin is the greatest obstacle that inhibits all created beings from reaching their goal of eternal bliss. Hence, the ministers of Sacraments care for the souls handicapped by sin. Therefore, the caregiver, either a layperson or a cleric is to recognize his or her role as a privileged person who the Lord Jesus has chosen to participate in the saving mission.

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