A heartwarming family event recently turned sour when a young boy with autism was asked to leave a church ceremony. Little Nicky, who communicates non-verbally, was in the church during his sister Sophia’s baptism at Christ the King Church in Hillside, New Jersey.

While the ceremony was underway, Nicky was engaged with his toy ball, naturally making some noise. His parents, being familiar with such situations, were unfazed by the commotion. However, the priest, Luke Duc Tran, paused the proceedings to address the noise and requested Nicky be escorted from the church.

“Please take him outside for me,” the priest directed the boy’s grandmother. “The church isn’t for playing.” Although Nicky’s parents attempted to convey the nature of his autism, the priest insisted that the noise was interrupting the solemn occasion.

The family, after the event, sought to smooth things over with the priest, hoping for an apology. However, the priest stood by his decision, citing Nicky’s actions were too distracting.

Julia Vicidomini, Nicky’s mother, later shared the difficulties the family faced during this experience. They wanted Nicky, despite his challenges with busy settings, to be part of his sister’s baptism. She acknowledged she might have informed the clergy earlier about Nicky’s special needs but believed the situation could have been managed in a different manner.

“My mother-in-law remained close to Nicky while we were upfront during the baptism. It’s true he was playing with a toy, but the priest’s way of asking him to leave was abrupt and unnecessary. I tried to explain that Nicky has autism and doesn’t grasp the situation fully,” Julia pointed out.

Marc, Julia’s husband, approached the priest afterwards to further explain their son’s condition. But instead of receiving understanding, Marc felt the priest was dismissive. Marc expressed his disappointment, stating, “We expected compassion from a priest for our son’s special needs, yet that understanding was sadly missing. It was an unprofessional display that marred our celebration, and a sincere apology was deserved.”

The priest stepped out to discuss the incident with the family, but rather than offering an apology, he continued to justify his actions, maintaining that Nicky was indeed causing a distraction.

Following the incident’s viral exposure, The Archdiocese of Newark issued an apology. They confirmed that the priest acknowledged his misstep and expressed his regret over the incident.

We invite you to think about this situation. How would you have handled it? Feel free to share your thoughts with us and spread this story amongst your circle. Keep in touch for more stories via our page!