On a January morning in 2014, new assistant superintendent of Catholic Schools for the Diocese of Phoenix, Colleen McCoy-Cejka, was invited to a meeting in the superintendent’s office. The meeting had been requested by two parents looking for support and direction from the Catholic Schools Office. Both moms had been searching for a Catholic school for their children and experienced rejection after rejection based on the same criteria. They both had children with Down syndrome. During that meeting, McCoy-Cejka realized that parents of children with intellectual disabilities were not being welcomed in Catholic schools, that parents wanted support from diocesan leaders, and that she might be able to make a difference.

The Holy Spirit was at work because in June of 2014, Dr. Lisa Fischer requested a meeting with the superintendent. She shared her personal story about being turned away from Catholic elementary school as a child and her dream to start an organization that would help equip Catholic schools to say yes to educating children with special needs. Additionally, she shared how she had observed families still being turned away and withdrawing from Catholic schools because student special needs were not being met or addressed. Superintendent MaryBeth Mueller connected Fischer and McCoy-Cejka, and an organization was born. Dr. Fischer then established a Donor Advised Fund with the Catholic Community Foundation for the new organization. In January of 2015, the board of the Arizona Catholic Schools Disabilities Fund (which became a 501c3 independent nonprofit called The Matthew 19:14 Project in 2019) first convened.

The subject of inclusion and accommodation for children with special needs is one that hits close to home for Dr. Fischer, who attended a Catholic high school in Phoenix where she received no learning support from the school or diocese to accommodate her hearing loss, since private and Catholic schools do not receive federal funding for classroom accommodations. Dr. McCoy-Cejka also has close ties to advocating for students with special needs. As the parent of a child with Autism, she identified with the parents she met that day in January 2014 who sought support, faith-based education, and places of belonging for their children.

Throughout the past decade, TMP has donated thousands of dollars through exceptional learner toolkits (equipment, resources, etc), professional development, Mini-Grants, and Partner School Grants.

TMP seeks to keep families together, to help schools achieve fullness of mission, and ensure that children of all abilities have what they need to benefit from a Catholic education.

Our passion for inclusion is what drives us, and as Pope Francis himself has stated: “An inclusive education finds a place for all and does not select in an elitist way the beneficiaries of its efforts.”

Learn More About Our History.