I am agnostic now, but was raised a Catholic, so I feel like I can weigh in on this matter. I get a sense of entitlement coming from OP. Especially in the later post about how many years they have sat in the same pew, etc. I would encourage OP to remember that the church or mass experience doesn't mean the same thing to everyone. To OP, it would seem church is a place to "come home" and "be at home". To the offending lady, maybe it means something much different. Maybe she has crosses to bare that aren't as obvious as dealing with an autistic child. Maybe she hopes for peace and solace from the "church" experience. Intentionally bringing a child in who disrupts a church environment can be perceived as the height of rudeness and arrogance by others. Does that mean OP shouldn't bring the child? Not necessarily. But OP should be sensitive to the needs of everyone in her congregation, and not assume that everyone's needs (spiritually) are the same as hers and her families. As an additional side-note, if the child is shrieking, it may have actually been causing pain to the lady. I have been in quiet places where a kid streaks and it hurts my ears pretty badly.