Special Religious Education, also known as SPRED, welcomes people with developmental disabilities into a well designed faith-sharing program and assists in integrating them into the faith community. Sister Aurora Perez of the Holy Family Sisters, brought the SPRED program to the Oakland diocese in the early 1980s. Now there are close to 30 SPRED centers throughout the diocese. Some centers serve children with developmental disabilities and others serve adults. An adult SPRED group was first here at St. Mary Magdalen in the nineties. After a hiatus of a few years, it was Father George Matanic O.P. who welcomed our adult SPRED group back to St. Mary Magdalen and we have been blessed with encouragement from the parish staff ever since.
Covid put us on another hiatus for close to two years, but we are hoping to be able to resume our in person SPRED sessions starting in October, 2022. Because we have lost some of our most devoted SPRED volunteers (catechists) to illness and death, we need a few dedicated, patient and reliable people to take the SPRED training and experience the blessings and joy that comes with being a SPRED catechist. If you feel that SPRED might be calling your name please contact me, Vivian Zelaya, at 510 499 0537 or through the parish office, and together we can explore your options.
