For the past 14 years, Jim and Donna Vogel have been leading Quincy SPIRIT (Special People in Religious Instructions Today). Classes begin in September and run through April. "We meet every other week at Blessed Sacrament in Quincy. Most of our students are from Quincy but we have a few from other places. One is from Liberty and another is from Hannibal," says Donna Vogel. "Right now we have 29 participants who range in age from 5 to age 60. We have 15 helpers." Some of the helpers are regulars, while others attend just once in a while.

Vogel says the group uses the Faith First teaching materials but they do have a few non-Catholic participants who heard about the program and asked to join. "We do other things, too. We go to St. Vincent Nursing Home three times a year to play bingo and do crafts," she says.

Although the students and their instructors enjoy the sessions every year, what happens at Christmas is very special, Vogel says. "We give a Christmas program at Mass during the holidays. We used to do a traditional Nativity program but then we started having speaking parts. One year we had the students portray an animal and say what that animal would say to Baby Jesus. The program is always very well-received. The students get a standing ovation and the programs are moving — they bring on a lot of tears."

Meanwhile at St. Ambrose Parish in Godfrey, Special Needs PSR coordinator Stacy Phelps enjoys leading the program that has served her own child well for almost a decade. The program is designed to serve the catechetical and social needs of the participants and sacramental preparation is offered.

"My daughter, Emily, is 17 now but she has been attending the program for nine years," says Phelps, who is a member of St. Mary (Immaculate Conception) Parish in Alton. "I've only been the coordinator for six months. I took over for Debbie Ellebracht."

Phelps says students come from the Riverbend areas of Godfrey, Jerseyville, Bethalto, Wood River, East Alton, Brighton and Rosewood Heights. They range in age from 12 to 46. "We have a lot of helpers so I have one helper for every one or two students," says Phelps, who has been a teacher and is now a school librarian. Some of the helpers come from Marquette High School and some parents stay to assist.

Although the St. Ambrose program has traditionally run from September to May, Phelps says that schedule has now been changed to be more in-line with favorable weather conditions that work better when traveling with people with disabilities. "This fall we're going to meet on Thursday evenings (6:30-7:30 p.m.) from late September to Christmas," she says. "Then in 2012 we'll start up at the end of May and go to the end of October. We'll have several parties during the off-time — for example we'll have a Christmas party and a Valentine's party."

Phelps says the program is held at St. Ambrose School and is funded by the Alton Knights of Columbus (Council 460) who donate time and money for the program, and also by the Ladies Auxiliary of the Godfrey Knights of Columbus (Council 7804). For more information on the program, call Stacy Phelps at (618) 467-0956 after 5 p.m. on weekdays.

Finally, in the see-city area, Blessed Sacrament Parish in Springfield has been hosting Religious Education for Exceptional People on Wednesday evenings during the school year, says Jane Mosey-Nicoletta, one of the religious education leaders. Developmentally disabled individuals (children who are at least 7 years old and adults of all ages) who live in the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois are welcome, but most of the participants come from the Springfield area.

This year's classes will once again be held on Wednesday evenings from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. The 2011-2012 academic year sessions will kick off with a "welcome" picnic at the playground pavilion at Washington Park, on Wednesday, Sept. 21, beginning at 5:30 p.m. Regular weekly classes will begin on Sept. 28.

Mosey-Nicoletta says she is looking for adult and teen volunteers to help facilitate the program. "Teens seeking service hours and musicians who are willing to provide accompaniment for group song are encouraged to apply," she says. All volunteers are required to have completed the Protecting God's Children program through the Springfield diocese.

Each class begins with prayer intentions, allowing each student to share what they wish to pray for during the upcoming week. The group then reviews elements of the Mass and other sacraments or the rosary, and then reads and discusses Gospel lessons for the coming weekend. Each class ends with song, singing praise and also the Our Father.

PSR for Exceptional People is supported by Springfield Knights of Columbus Council 364 and Chatham Knights of Columbus Council 4179. Blessed Sacrament pastor Father Jeffery Grant and Deacon Dave Erdmann provide spiritual support. For more information, call Juleann Randles at (217) 787-9966 or leave a message at the Blessed Sacrament office at (217) 528-7521.