April 19 at 1 p.m., Holy Redeemer Parish in Burton held the first Genesee County Special Needs Mass. Beginning in May, it will host a Special Needs Mass the fourth Sunday of each month that all are welcome to attend.The idea started with Jeanne Steible asking Holy Redeemer pastor, Rev. Steve Anderson, “Can we do it?” “It” being a Special Needs Mass. He answered yes and a committee was formed and began the planning process.
The Mass was celebrated by Rev. Anderson with Deacon Kenneth Preiss giving the homily. Many of the youths who attended were students at Elmer A. Knopf Learning Center (EKLC) in Flint. Both Cherie Wagner, assistant superintendent at the school, and Marianna Skunda, the principal, also attended. Sharlene Howe shared her sign language skills as her face and hands interpreted the Mass for the hearing impaired. Haley Wilmot a student at EKLC invoked the response for the petitions “Let us pray.” At the end of Mass, the hymn “My Redeemer Lives” was sung with people clapping their hands accompanied by tambourines and maracas.
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