The voice of people with disabilities at the Synod

At the end of the special synodal listening session of persons with disabilities that the Dicastery organized starting in May 2022, we hereby publish the full version of the summary text that was delivered to the Holy Father and the Synod Secretariat.

This document is the result of extensive consultation involving dozens of people from five continents representing bishops' conferences and international associations. It addresses certain critical issues and proposes some perspectives regarding the full inclusion of the faithful with disabilities in the life of the Church.

This is the first time that a document of this kind - the result of contributions offered firsthand by women and men with disabilities - has reached the Synod. For this reason, we offer it as a testimony to the work done and as a contribution for further reflection.

The document includes an introduction by the Dicastery for the Laity, Family and Life that places it within the framework of initiatives it has been pursuing in this area for several years and that identifies the rediscovery of the common baptismal vocation as the prerequisite for any renewal.