Adam Race is the young autistic man in Bertha, Minn.
The Church of St. Joseph in Bertha, Minn., filed a temporary restraining order barring Carol and John Race from bringing their 225-pound son, Adam, to church. An affidavit alleges Adam struck a child during mass, fought efforts to restrain him, pulled an adolescent girl to his lap and revved the engine of someone else’s car. A parish statement said the legal move was a last resort after church leaders tried to accommodate and mediate, but the family refused.
- On Monday, after her court hearing was delayed until early June, Carol Race spent the day lining up legal help and giving interviews to national media.
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Update:
My latest update on this story is here.
It is funny how quickly thoughs and feelings can change. While I disagree with Carol Race’s actions regaurding the media her own words about her situation are worth more than mine.
If for some odd reason you really want my thoughts on the whole situation they are much better expressed here.
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This is difficult and sad on so many levels, but lining up new interviews is not going to resolve the issue for her family. My sense is that the Diocese of St Cloud would have never gone forward with a restraining order without knowing pretty solidly that they had a good case if it goes to court once it was violated. Anyone with half a brain would see that this would be very bad publicity if it got out of hand. All of that together makes me think that the situation in the parish had gotten very bad and the priest had exhausted all options. I pray that this can all work out for the best for Adam, his family and the parish.
(Yes, I have serriously edited this post. I was angry when I first wrote it, not just at Mrs. Race, but also at the media and how they have turned this into a “faith” issue when it is really not.)