Archbishop hails ‘special’ association

HAPPY OCCASION Pictured after the Western Care 50th anniversary mass in Knock were, left to right: Noreen McGarry, Naomi Tiernan and Teresa Ward of Western Care. Pic: Dick Heraty

Mike Finnerty

“PEOPLE with special needs bring out the very best in all of us. People with special needs are truly a blessing for their families, their communities, the church and the world.”
These were the words of Archbishop Dr Michael Neary as he addressed the huge crowd at a special Mass in Knock Basilica recently to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Western Care Association.
Archbishop Neary also paid tribute to the “magnificent progress that has been made in just half a century” by Western Care, an organisation that ‘exists to empower people with a wide range of learning and associated disabilities in Mayo to live full and satisfied lives as equal citizens’.
“Everything that Western Care stands for, and does, speaks loudly in favour of unconditional respect for human life, for every human life,” said the Archbishop.
“For me one of the most profound successes that Western Care has had is in the area of language,” he added. “They have been able to bring about a change in the everyday language that we ordinarily use. The description we use today is of a ‘person with special needs’; that reflects the dignity of the person first, and only then moves to assess the needs that this person may have. Achieving that change was a monumental step forward in asserting the basic rights of all our citizens.”
Archbishop Neary also paid tribute to the founding members of the organisation in 1966 (Johnny Mee, Michael Joe Egan, and Tom Fallon), a group that was to eventually become the Western Care Association,
“These people saw the need at the time, and they generously and courageously responded to it, and they inspired, invited and involved so many others to join them in this truly inspirational Association that today we know and love as Western Care,” remarked Dr Neary.
“In celebrating this 50th anniversary, we celebrate your many heroic and often hidden successes, most of all in the language that we now use.
“We celebrate that you have broken down the barriers of the past, barriers that were built on fear and prevented us from being enriched and blessed by the men and women, boys and girls, with special needs we are privileged to know, and honoured to serve.”
Among those who attended the 50th anniversary mass were Anthony McCormack (Chairman, Western Care Association), Bernard O’Regan (Executive Director, Western Care) and service users from Western Care training centres from all across the county, as well as their families and carers.
Annette Griffin sang beautifully at various stages during the mass, with musical accompaniment from John Staunton, while students from Ballyhaunis Community School and Ballinrobe Community School also travelled to Knock to sing hymns.
The final song of the day was sung by the ‘Faith and Light’ choir, a group made up of service users, carers and their families and friends.
Fr Richard Gibbons, Knock parish priest, ensured that everything ran like clockwork, and the Mass was con-celebrated by Fr Michael Gormally, Fr Paddy Gilligan, Fr Fergal Cunnane and Fr John Doherty.