Dr. Lawrence Sutton is director of pre-theologian formation at Saint Vincent Seminary, Latrobe, as well an ordained deacon serving in the Diocese of Pittsburgh and a psychologist specializing in developmental disabilities, especially autism spectrum disorders. He is the former manager of the Western Region Office of the Pennsylvania Bureau of Autism Services and is nationally recognized for developing his own methodology for providing religious education to children with special needs.
His latest book was released by Lambing Press in fall 2022, Autism and Holy Orders: How To Help Seminarians With Autism Become Effective Priests.
He received the Gold Medal in the Illumination Book Awards for his recent book, published by Loyola Press, Teaching Students with Autism in a Catholic Setting. The new book is a comprehensive guide to help equip those working in a Catholic setting with the tools, knowledge, and strategies they need to better understand and effectively respond to children with autism. The Illumination Book Awards are designed to “shine a light” on the best of Christian belief and personal development books. The book also received an honorable mention in the Catholic Press Association 2021 Book Awards, in the pastoral ministry, catechetical category.
His first book, How To Welcome, Include and Catechize Children with Autism and other Developmental Disabilities, a Parish Based Approach, described an effective method for priests, directors of religious education, and parishes to help those with autism and developmental disabilities be fully welcomed into the Church.