ATLANTA--At the Spring Faith and Sharing Day Mass on Feb. 22 sponsored by the Ministry with Persons With Disabilities, Toni Miralles was honored by the Grey Nuns of the Sacred Heart for serving the physically and mentally disabled of the archdiocese since 1973 as coordinator of that ministry.

The event with the theme "Love Your Enemies" attracted approximately 100 persons with disabilities, their families and other supporters, many of whom appeared grateful at the opportunity to worship. The Mass which was translated to sign languaged was held at the ministry base at St. Jude the Apostle Church in Atlanta. It was celebrated by Father David Talley.

The St. Jude ministry offers monthly Mass during the school year for those with disabilities which they organize and participate in. It includes one-on-one sacrament preparation and faith enrichment classes from September through May, a penance service and an annual Mass with St. Jude parishioners. Miralles is also the archdioesan contact for persons with disabilities.

At the bi-annual event Michael Dennis gave the first reading while others with disabilities led the congregation with guitars in songs including "Come and Go with Me," "All the Time" and "Peace is Flowing Like a River." The Gospel was proclaimed by Father Talley.

Eileen Murray of the Grey Nuns of the Sacred Heart presented the annual Sister Marguerite d'Youville Award for 1997 to Miralles. The award, she said, honors one who exemplifies the charism of the order's foundress, d'Youville, who established a community of women who love and trust God and who love Jesus in the poor, the disabled and others marginalized in society.

"May this liturgy, on this special day, revitalize our commitment to compassionate, happy and loving care for all those we serve and for each other. Each of us has the tremendous privilege of discovering the living God among us every day. We believe it has happened in Toni's ministry," she said.

"When Toni reflects on what she has learned from this ministry, she states very simply, a sense of reality, unconditional love, humility and honesty," she continued. "This afternoon we publicly thank you for all that you are and for all that you have done and do for God's special people who otherwise might have been overlooked."

Miralles approached the altar to receive a plaque and gave thanks to the students, their parents, her family and volunteers with whom she has worked through the years in the ministry.

While some mirrors reflect physical appearance, Father Talley said that God's heart is also a mirror which reflects his love for all people. "God's heart is the mirror that shows us ... who we are on the inside. The reflection, what we see on God's heart, is God loving us," he said. "Love is something that's real for all of us."

He said that, although many people seek revenge when treated wrongly by others, Jesus command people to stop hating and love others in order to be his disciple.

"Through this Holy Spirit, this fire that lives in our heart... Jesus is gonna be present to us," he said. "So let's praise him with all of our hearts."

Miralles later said,"Knowing that we've been able to provide services and relief for parents has pushed us to go on with our work" in the ministry.

She described the pleasure she has received in serving those with disabilities. "They really know Jesus and share him with us. They really know what is real. They really know what it is to work in the shadow of the cross. They're just such wonderful people to work with."

Attendees at the event had friends and relatives who had grown various ways through her work. Paul Rice, a 50 year old with cerebral palsy and St. Jude parishioner, has attended Miralles' class every Sunday for two years. His sister, Chris Rice, said, "He (her brother) has his own independence. This is something he can call his own, his own independence and that's definitely from the class, Toni Miralles' class."

"He needed something for himself, something he could call his own. It's been fantastic. He has his own things to do. He has his own friends. He has his own agenda. It makes him feel like a real person," she said. "When he has nothing to do he'll sit down with the rosary. He spends a lot of time in prayer."

LaveteTidwell, a parishioner at St. Patrick's Church, Norcross, said her son Paul, who has downs syndrome, is preparing for confirmation through the St. Jude program. "We really feel at home here. It's just been a super help in so many ways in raising him. He would have never have received any of the sacraments. He's went through confirmation. This is with the help and encouragement of Toni. She's just been a big help through the whole thing."

Miralles, she said, encouraged her son to attend Camp Will-A-Way for those with disabilities. "She really encouraged us to do this. I don't think that without her encouragement we would have ever done it. She really encouraged me that there would be proper care and it worked out great and he loved it," she said.

Tidwell tried to begin a class for those with disabilities at Holy Cross Church, Atlanta, but was told it didn't need one. She also initiated a confirmation class for this group at St. Patrick's but said only four boys attended.

Dan Kochan, a parishioner at St. Theresa's Church in Douglasville, said he enjoyed seeing persons with disabilities included in the Mass, both singing and participating as altar servers.

He is working with Miralles to teach his friend Buddy Wheyland, a baptized Catholic with a mental disability, to become confirmed at St. Theresa's. "We're in the process of looking at his first reconciliation. There's no game plan set up for it (at St. Theresa's). It's almost like I'm teaching him to the point where he's ready for reconciliation," he said. "It's kind of like on my own personal time since he's a friend of mine. It's more individual teaching."

Wheyland wants to receive communion and said about becoming confirmed, "I'm excited.. I like to help people out."

Nancy Hall, a parishioner at Corpus Christi Church, Stone Mountain, said that her son Aaron, who is mentally handicapped, went through confirmation at her church but was unable to participate in the youth program.

Aaron now attends the St. Jude program and Hall said she likes the level of acceptance and inclusion it offers children with disabilities. "It's a good ministry. I wish it was more widespread across this whole community. I believe there are enough people. I would think the Church would take the initiative to start it, " she said.

Miralles said two other parishes offer services to persons with disabilities yet believes there is a need for additional programs, liturgy in sign language and information. She believes that pastors want to serve persons with disabilities but don't know how to begin programs, and said that parishioners needing services should approach their pastors and express those needs.

She added that most archdiocesan parishes are accessible to the physically handicapped and that ones interested in increasing accessibility should have a qualified person survey the property and determine their needs.

"My biggest hope," she said, "is that one day very soon there will be a diocesan office for people with disabilities where there could be a clearinghouse of information."

Miralles began the program at St. Jude when her daughter Felicia, who is mildly retarded, was in the second grade and she realized that it lacked a program to effectively educate her.

Following Mass attendees gathered in the parish school cafeteria for a covered-dish dinner.