Lyman was looking for a way to address the very real problem that many young adults with autism, including his own son, Eli, face: How to transition successfully into adulthood as they grow beyond the cutoff age of built-in state benefits and supports.
In the days leading up to the conclave, more than 150 cardinals, some of whom won't participate in the election because they are older than the 80-year-old voting cutoff, gathered in Rome to discuss the state of the church.