Considering an Awareness Campaign

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Hi,

My church has a parish festival on September 14th
after all three Masses are done.

It is a very big festival.

I am considering doing an awareness/anti-Autism Speaks campaign
during the festival. I do not know if I will actually do it.

How can this be done without the church's pastor and the deacon knowing about it?

If I will do it, how can it be done other than handing out flyers?

Thanks!

This would depend.

Do the priests and deacons have to approve all types of solicitations/booths/people handing out flyers at the festival?

If so, then you might not want to make waves by going at it alone, without their permission. Especially if you're a regular attendent of the church. It would be in your best interest to get approval first.

If you want to go through with it, I would highlight Autism Speaks' "pro-abortion of disabled children" position in your pamphlets. That would appeal to your priest, seeing as how the large majority of Catholic priests are pro-life. You could work a Catholic angle into your pamphlets, and then the people at the festival will be more receptive to what you're trying to say. Try saying something like "God created you the way you are, Autistic people are as deserving of life as everyone else. God doesn't want you to shun Autistic people".

Hope that helped.

That's a really good idea. The problem is, if it's like most church festivals and activities, booths have to be approved by the church first. I'd talk very politely with those responsible for approvals, calmly explaining what you want to do and the specifics of why you want to do it. Don't just say Autism Speaks is bad and and damaging and dangerous and it sucks, explain exactly why that's the case. Do not get riled up no matter what they say. I know that's easier said than done, but it really is true. That won't help you at all.

I'm having my first "official" outreach of my nonprofit (services, support and advocacy for adults with learning disabilities and AS/ASD) at the nonprofit exhibit area of the South Dakota Festival of Books in Sioux Falls, SD, Sept. 26-28, and am drafting the informational and promotional materials for display and distribution. Along with including flyers for ASAN (we're discussing collaborative efforts), I also very much plan on including information explaining my official position strongly against the hate groups FAAAS and ASIf you have any ideas as to what I should include in that, please feel free to let me know.

The catch is approvals for booths/solicitations closed sometime in early July.

If I do it, I will be running around the festival saying
something like, "Take this flyer" or something corny like that.

There are a few more catches.

The four Masses are:
4:00 PM Saturday Mass
8:00 AM Early Bird Sunday Mass
10 AM Regular Sunday Mass
12 Noon Sunday Mass in Spanish

My church has a VERY BIG Hispanic community
and they are very cliquey.

Well, all the Masses are very cliquey, especially the 10 AM Mass.

Concerning the Hispanic community, there is no way
of letting this supposed project go around them.
My mom has many friends in the Hispanic community
and they like her, but have notions that my older NT sister
and I are anti-social. My older NT sister & I speak a little Spanish.

Also, my family isn't very churchy.
Some families see my family as being anti-social,
but some try to be nice to us. They are scared off.

What is a good way to introduce myself without
the knowledge of BOTH my older NT sister and my mom?

Hey! Portland! We're practically neighbors! If you want to plan future anti-Autism Speaks demonstrations, contact me. Not available this weekend, though.