Carol Race was known for faithfully attending the same Mass in Bertha, Minnesota, every Sunday for 12 years, until a restraining order against her autistic son changed everything for her family. Determined to take her son to Mass, she faces a hearing for violating her restraining order and is meeting with the church board members and a mediator on Wednesday. Momlogic spoke exclusively with Carol.

Momlogic: Tell us about your experiences with Adam at church.
Carol: Up until June last year, I don't believe anyone had complaints against him. It seems like in the spring of 2007, there were more complaints among parishioners. Unless you're used to what my son does, it can be shocking. Mostly he makes humming noises. Often it's his physical position. We always sit in the back pew--he would lay on the floor, lay on the pew, sometimes he would hop the pew to go to the empty space in the back. If his anxiety level is very high, we use fleece strips to tie his hands or feet--I tie one end on one wrist and one on the other and I hold it with one of my hands. It's a mechanical advantage. We keep that on for however he needs it.

He doesn't want to misbehave. Once he refused to go into church until it was tied on his ankle. I realized he was afraid of what might happen and he did have an anxiety attack later. It isn't something he fights against. Once he gets it on his wrist it doesn't take long for him to calm down. It's almost as if he says, "Good! Mom's got control so I can relax." It's during these moments when he has a bout of anxiety that frightens other parishioners, because they don't understand the mechanisms. It's shocking when people don't understand autism and don't understand meltdowns. But these are simple anxiety attacks, and no one is in danger. I haven't been given the opportunity to explain. People on the outside say that these are violent outbursts. On May 9, the policeman came to our house and delivered the restraining order.

Momlogic: How did Adam take the news?
Carol: He knows things are going on about him. The first couple of days after the media story broke he just slept all day. I've attended every Mass for the last 12 years. Except for one time where we had to wrestle him down, I don't believe he was disruptive. Is there disruption going on? Yes, if you hear it, but it's not the sound that disrupts them, it's the thoughts about the sound that disrupts. If it brings up the thoughts, "I don't know why they're at church" or "I don't like that family" then yes, it is disruptive. But that's where spiritual leadership comes in.

I am currently going to another Mass with Adam. The people there are nervous because they don't know what to expect. The first few Sundays they have to get used to how Adam is. The last couple of months he has been doing very well, he sits, stands and kneels and tries to do the sign of the cross. He hasn't really been making noises at church.

Momlogic: What would you like to say to other moms who may suffer discrimination because of their special-needs children?
Carol: Know that your child is good, no matter what behaviors they display. They are struggling with things that don't occur to other children. You have to stand by them and encourage them when you see that they are doing something right.