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Posts by Deacon Mark Paine

Great sides are built off huge moments. That minute with the Martinez save & Tammy's winner was one of them.

Unai running on the pitch to celebrate.

It just *feels* like a huge moment in the Emery era at Villa.

An extraordinary finale. What a team. I love this team. #avfc

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Making Room or Making Demands? There is a familiar pattern whenever any institution begins to speak about inclusion. The language sounds warm. We hear about welcome. We hear about belonging. We hear about listening. Yet somehow,…

deaconmarkblog.wordpress.com/2026/04/16/m...

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Autism Acceptance Month at Radio Maria This April, we celebrate our neurodiverse community and reflect on what true belonging looks like in parish life. Join us for special programmes featuring Deacon Mark Paine, Emily Pugh, Fr Cecil Roger...

radiomariaengland.uk/radio-maria-... #autism

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Am I ‘Disordered’? In my mid forties, I received a diagnosis of Autistic Spectrum Disorder. Disorder. A messy room can be described as ‘disordered’. A riot can be described as ‘public disorder’. So it appears can my …

deaconmarkblog.wordpress.com/2026/04/10/a... #autism
@robinince.bsky.social

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Working to make schools and... Working to make schools and churches truly inclusive for autistic people.

www.autism.org.uk/what-we-do/a...

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The UK was not informed about this war. and as there are no clear objectives, no clear plans and no clear indication of what victory is supposed to look like, the Government made the eminently sensible decision not to join this particular jolly.

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A lot of young men are going to die. I fear that the US Marines and 82nd Airborne are heading towards a massacre.

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A Statement of Theological Method I do theology by paying attention. Not first to systems, or arguments, or the need to resolve questions, but to the reality of the person in front of me. Theology, for me, begins there—with encount…

deaconmarkblog.wordpress.com/2026/03/23/a...

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Marcus Diaconus The thoughts and reflections of a husband, father and Permanent Deacon of the Archdiocese of Birmingham

I have re-designed my blog to focus on the Catholic understanding of Autism I am developing.

Please let me know what you think.

And please subscribe for reflections on the theology of autism, dignity, and the image of God. #autism #theology #catholic

deaconmarkblog.wordpress.com

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Disability is difference, not deficit. In the image of God, there is no single template of the human—only a rich plurality of lives, each bearing that image in its own way.

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Agreed. Unfortunately, society is fixated on the idea of ‘deficit’ and deviation from ‘the norm’. Although I approach this from a Catholic perspective, I value your insight. Thank you.

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Autism and the Soul: Difference, Not Defect There is a way of thinking about autism that rarely announces itself directly, but sits underneath much of what is said and done. It is the sense that something is missing. Even in otherwise kind a…

deaconmarkblog.wordpress.com/2026/03/18/a...

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St Patrick’s Day Whilst I am partial to a properly poured pint of Guinness, St Patrick’s Day for me isn’t about drinking. OK, I like the music, the dancing, the fun. And yes, I am as susceptible to silly Paddywacke…

deaconmarkblog.wordpress.com/2026/03/17/s...

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‘Here I Am Among You As One Who Serves’ In recent weeks I have found myself returning again and again to the question of what my vocation actually feels like from the inside. Not what it is supposed to look like, not what others may assu…

deaconmarkblog.wordpress.com/2026/03/13/h...

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The deacon I am v the deacon I have tried to be Over time I have come to recognise that many of the tensions I have experienced in my diaconal life do not arise from resistance, inadequacy, or reluctance, but from a deeper vocational misalignmen…

deaconmarkblog.wordpress.com/2026/03/12/t...

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The Church is not the ‘Bodies of Christ’. I have been reflecting on my ministry and my developing ‘pastoral theology of Autism’. It centres on a simple, fundamental truth – we are all perfect creations of God, we are all equally love…

deaconmarkblog.wordpress.com/2026/03/11/t...

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Thank you, Caritas Salford, for inviting me to speak about my Autism resources for parishes and schools. Thank you too, to Dr Minna Moffat-Feldman for arranging it all.

I feel blessed to be doing this. #autism #catholic #inclusion

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Letters | ICN Letters either commenting on stories we have published, or raising issues relevant to Catholics.

www.indcatholicnews.com/news/letters #autism

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OK, 2. Point still stands.

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Sum total of wars started by women = 0 (unless you think Helen of Troy was real).
Perhaps, if more women and fewer wannabe Alpha Male men were in power, we would not have pointless war after pointless war after pointless war.

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The Face of Christ Today I had the privilege of taking part in a production performed by adults with learning disabilities. It was tender, joyful, and profoundly human. It was also a revelation—because whenever the v…

deaconmarkblog.wordpress.com/2026/03/07/t...

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It was a privilege to take part in ‘Hossnna!’, a cantata for Easter performed by adults with learning disabilities. I was moved to tears. #disability

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Autistic Catholics UK I was recently contacted by a group in the US called ‘Autistic Catholics’. Would anyone be interested in a UK version? If so, please contact me at: markpaine1970@gmail.com

deaconmarkblog.wordpress.com/2026/03/06/a...

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I was recently contacted by a group in the US called ‘Autistic Catholics’. Would anyone be interested in a UK version? If so, please contact me at markpaine1970@gmail.com #autism #autistic

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I don’t think he understands the concept of ‘principles’.

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Autistic Discernment If you have read some of my previous blog posts, you will be aware that for years, in fact decades, I have struggled with finding a spiritual home, that is a spirituality and charism that feels &#8…

deaconmarkblog.wordpress.com/2026/03/01/a... #autism

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Why are there so many more stars since we invented telescopes?
Also, why are so many people being diagnosed as neurodivergent these days? #autism #adhd #neurodivergent

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Become an oblate? This Lent, I am exploring whether I am called to be a Benedictine Oblate. An oblate is a lay or ordained person who makes a commitment to live according to the Rule of St Benedict (the rule which B…

deaconmarkblog.wordpress.com/2026/02/25/b...

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A talk given to the Midlands Region of the Handicapped Children’s Pilgrimage Trust 22/2/26 God does not make people disabled; society does. Imagine a planet where the majority of the population are 2 feet tall. Everything on that planet is built or made on the basis that everyone conform…

deaconmarkblog.wordpress.com/2026/02/22/a... #disability #autism

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