Mary Beth Walsh holds a doctorate in systematic theology from Union Theological Seminary in the City of New York and is the mother of two adult sons, one of whom is diagnosed with profound autism. She is also a long-time advocate for the right of individuals with autism to evidence-based interventions. Pre-pandemic, she worked for years as a peer-counselor to other mothers of children with disabilities. Her greatest passion is advocating for the full inclusion of individuals with autism in communities of faith. She served as Co-Chair of the Autism Task Force for NCPD and continues to serve on the Executive Advisory Board for the Office of Pastoral Ministries with Persons with Disabilities of the Archdiocese of Newark, NJ. She taught in the MA in Pastoral Ministry program at Caldwell University and is co-editor of the resource, Journey into Community: Including Individuals with Autism in Faith Communities. Other articles include, “Autism, Culture, Church: From Disruption to Hope” in The Journal of Disability and Religion, “Inclusion as Evangelization: Welcoming Families of Individuals with Autism through Inclusive Liturgies,” in The Journal of Ministry and Liturgy. The profound connections her son with autism, Benedict, has with their local parish is one of the abiding sources of joys in her life.