Our History

- Outreach

1978 (Rev. 1988)
- United States Conference of Catholic Bishops pastoral statement on disabled people recognizes unique gifts of persons with disabilities, calls for their full integration into the Christian community at the parish level.
6/20/1995 Archdiocese of New Orleans Commission for Persons with Disabilities (ACPD) established as a consultative body.
- Paula D’Albor Stukart, Family Life Apostolate, a founding member.
- Archbishop appointed 15-18 members.
- By laws approved.
5/2005
- 16 advocates/commission members from 150 parishes.
6/6/2005
- ACPD hosted National Catholic Partnership on Disability (NCPD) Summer Institute.
8/29/2005
- Hurricane Katrina hit N.O.
9/12/2005
- Shirley Bertucci, chairperson of ACPD, planned a meeting.
- Due to hurricane, meeting never took place.
- Many members were forced to relocate.
- New Orleans Archdiocese struggled to rebuild.
2011
- Janet Pesce, a 2005 commission member, contacted Drea Capaci,of Family Life to restablish ACPD. Janet and Kristen Cipriani addressed the East Jefferson Deanery and received approval to get the ACPD restarted.
- Quarterly masses began.
- Deanery meetings were attended in order to recruit advocates.
2011-2017
- ACPD group was headed by different Archdiocesan offices.
- After the Archdiocesan Synod ended, ACPD was assigned to Office of Pastoral Planning Ministries in order to revitalize,
5/20/17
- John Smested, Jr., Pastoral Planning director, hosted parish advocate meeting.
- Janice Benton, executive director of NCPD, addressed advocates. Ideas were the seeds for current Commission.
9/18/17
- Meeting of the new commission.
- Shirley Bertucci and Janet Pesce co-chair.
- The commission met monthly in 2017-2018 to establish mission statements, vision statements and goals.
3/2018
- 51 advocates from 30 parishes.
3/2021
- 74 advocates in 54 parishes.
2021 Accomplishments:
- Visited all deaneries once, now moving into second cycle.
- Regular orientation workshops held for new parish advocates.
- 5 parish advocate formation workshops held.
- Since 2018, posted bi-monthly newsletter, Opening Doors.
- The Gulf Coast Conference now presents on topics related to persons with disabilities.
- Elementary and high school principals are aware of the ACPD and how it can help in schools.
- Access Survey and Ministry Checklist are posted on website.
2021 Works In Progress
- Meeting with parish advocates in small groups within deaneries.
- Developing resources.
- Updating the webpage on nolacatholic.org