OUR CATHOLIC DEAF CULTURE

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OUR CATHOLIC DEAF CULTURE
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Definition of deaf people

• Late Deafened
• Hard of Hearing
• Oral
• Hearing
• CODAS (Children of Deaf Adults)
• Hearing parents of Deaf children
• Culturally Deaf

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Deaf People

• What do they know about hearing
• What do they know about sound
• What about incidental conversation/sounds
• How can you get a Deaf persons attention.
• What about intelligence

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DEAF COMMUNITY

• 1. Recognition of ASL as a linguistically
  accepted language
• Individual Signs are themselves structured
  grammatical units which are placed in slots in
  sentences according to grammatical rules.

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Deaf Community

• Recognition of ASL as a linguistically accepted
  language
• Appreciation of Deaf identity and culture
• New assertion of Deaf people and their
  contributions
• Deaf pride in conflict with passive Deaf identity
• 96 of Deaf people dont attend church

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History of Deaf Ministry

• St. Francis de Sales
• Abbe de lEpeelate 1700s

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According to de lEpee

• Every deaf-mute sent to us already has a
  language. He is thoroughly in the habit of using
  it, and understands others who do. With it, he
  expresses his needs, desires, pains, and so on,
  and makes no mistake when others express
  themselves likewise. We want to instruct him and
  therefore to teach him French. What is the
  shortest and easiest method? Isnt it to express
  ourselves in his language? (Lane 1984, 59-60)

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History of Deaf Ministry(Continued)

• Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet
• Founding of Deaf Catholic Schools
• Deaf Churches
• ICDA
• Deaf Cursillo
• NCOD

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Current types of services for Deaf Catholics

• A. Mainstream
• B. Deaf Church

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Mainstream

• Interpreted Mass
• Non-interpreted Mass
• Auditory support

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Deaf Church

• Usually has signing priest
• Congregation uses ASL as their primary language
• Socialization after Mass (Community)

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Needs for the Future

• Liturgies more appropriate for Deaf identity.
  (Not using simultaneous communication)
• Enlightening bishops about Deaf churches and why
  interpreted Masses cannot replace Deaf Churches
• Teaching ASL and Deaf studies to seminarians

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The Future

• New strategies for running Deaf Churches
• Reserve priests who are fluent in ASL as
  sacramental ministers
• Full-time administrators/Pastoral Workers of Deaf
  Churches fluent in ASL for Religious Education,
  faith formation, and preparations for the
  Sacraments.
• Communicate with Deaf Community regarding the
  ministry, i.e. Board or advisory committee of
  Deaf Community members

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THANK YOU!

• For your interest in Deaf Culture. We look
  forward to working together with you.
• Remember, our language, ASL, is the third most
  used language in this country and only four
  percent of our population attends any Church. We
  need Evangelization!