Nazareth House will hold a training workshop at St. Francis Xavier Catholic School on Saturday, Aug. 16, for Catholic high school students interested in working with children and youth having intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Nazareth House is an apostolate providing education, liturgy, and advocacy for and with individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, such as individuals with autism spectrum disorder or those with genetic conditions as Down Syndrome, in the Diocese of Birmingham. The apostolate currently provides individualized religious education and sacramental preparation programming in Birmingham and Huntsville. While most children and young adults with disabilities are optimally served in their home parishes, some benefit from the Nazareth House model, which connects students with a high school volunteer catechist or teacher who meets with them one-on-one or in a small group setting.

For decades, Catholic high school students have served as volunteer catechists. Catechists earn volunteer hours by teaching weekly during the school year, and they receive the opportunity to form a meaningful peer relationship and friendship with the children and adults they teach. Volunteering at Nazareth House has informed many individuals’ future career choices in medicine, law, social work, education, and business.

The upcoming training workshop for the 2025-2026 school year will be held in the School Annex Building from 9 a.m. until 12 noon. Those wishing to participate in the Nazareth House Saturday program are asked to attend most Saturdays during the school year, which are eligible for service hours required for high school graduation and college scholarship applications. The school is located at 2 Xavier Circle in Birmingham. For more information, please contact Sarah Houser at sawisely@gmail.com or 205.612.6111 or Father Patrick Cullen at Rathmines.Cullen@gmail.com or 205.907.0287.