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Services for the Deaf

We are working towards providing pastoral care for Catholic Deaf people by providing signed Masses and other services when required, including help and support concerning matters of faith and spirituality for Deaf people and their families.

A “signed” Mass was conducted at St Marie’s Cathedral Sheffield last December 2024 which was well attended.

We are hoping to schedule a number of such Masses throughout the Diocese in the coming months.

 

If you would like to be kept up to date on when these will take place, feel free to complete the form and either email or post to the Caritas office.

 

KEEPING YOU UP TO DATE WITH FUTURE DEAF AND HARD OF HEARING FOCUSSED EVENTS

For more information about how you can be involved contact Bernie Ware; [email protected]  0114 2566408 / 07980 406198

 

 

 


News 

Stuart recently attended a presentation by Father Paul Fletcher and Father Peter Mcdonough, regarding Jubilee Year and its relevance for the deaf and hard of hearing community.

It was an outstanding presentation so he is hoping for Father Fletcher to come to Hallam and give a presentation to the priests of our Diocese.

 

COLLABORATION 

Caritas has been invited to join up with Caritas Leeds to attend a signed Mass every Friday at Leeds Cathedral and the celebrant will be Father Peter Mcdonough.

If you would like to see signed masses from Leeds, please visit their website https://catholicdeaf.org.uk/  and the masses are detailed on their home page.

 

Caritas has also signed up to the Catholic Deaf Association which will allow us to keep readers up to date with any upcoming events.

Newsletter - June 2025
In the past, members used to receive Outreach magazine. Sadly, due to the increasing cost of printing and postage, the last issue was published in December 2018.

However, sending news and photographs by email is cheaper and easier! We thought we might try producing regular newsletters every two or three months. It still involves a fair bit of work, but it won't break the bank! And, of course, it depends on YOU to send us something.
CDA Conference 2025

The CDA Conference will be held at Hinsley Hall, Leeds, from Friday 10th to Sunday 12th October, and it’s fast approaching! We’re expecting around 40 people, which is great news, and we’ll be celebrating the 55th anniversary of the founding of the Catholic Deaf Association.The theme of the conference is 'Pilgrims of Hope', and our guest speaker will be Fr Eamonn Mulcahy, a renowned and inspiring speaker. Fr Eamonn is Deaf-aware and previously led a retreat for Deaf people at St Joseph’s, Manchester, three years ago.

It’s not too late to book your place. Limited number of rooms available, book NOW. Everyone is welcome!

If you are interested, download the booking from from www.catholicdeaf.org.uk. If you have any questions do contact the Secretary.
Spotlight
We will do a Spotight on different people. For this first edition, the Spotlight is on Alain Diette.

I come from a French hearing culture and became deaf at the age of 19. I have achieved Level 3 in signing. I love being at the Warrington Deaf Centre, signing with other members using BSL. I’m also involved in signing popular modern songs, Christmas carols, and more.

Due to my hereditary Type 2 diabetes and the medication I take, I can only attend evening Mass at my local parish church, St Peter and St Michael, in Warrington on Wednesday evenings. The live-streamed Masses are very important to me, especially the recorded Fr Paul CDA Masses every Sunday. I never miss them, and I feel I can respond and participate more fully. They bring me so much joy.

Signing prayers always brings the presence of God to me, filling me with awe and humility. Fr Paul’s signed Masses are different from other live-streamed services. With others, I feel like I’m simply watching a screen—but with Fr Paul, when he signs, I feel as though I am there with him, face to face. He addresses us, prays with us, and blesses us beyond time and space. His presence comes through in a truly special way.

The missionary work of the CDA is a great credit to the Catholic Church in reaching out to all people.

Signed Mass every Sunday with
Fr Paul Fletcher SJ

 
Did you know that Fr Paul celebrates a signed Mass on Zoom every week, live at 8am? If you're interested, click here.

If 8am is too early for you, don’t worry—you can watch the recorded Mass at any time. Click here to access it.

If you have any trouble accessing the Mass or would like more information, please contact the Secretary.

Sign name for Pope Leo

 
We still don’t have a sign name for Pope Leo. We can’t use the ‘L’ shape on the heart, as that sign comes from ASL, not BSL. It also looks like the James Bond 007 gesture and is already used as a sign name for the football club Arsenal—the ‘Gunners’!You can watch the video of Fr Paul explaining this in more detail.

If you have any ideas for a suitable sign name, please do get in touch with us!

 

Congratulations to
Fr Francis Wadsworth
Congratulations to Fr Francis Wadsworth, a priest from Accrington in the Salford Diocese, who has just passed BSL Level 2! He signs Mass with the Burnley Deaf community. We truly need more priests to learn BSL.Please remember this special intention in your prayers. And of course, continue to pray for the work of the CDA—thank you.

Don’t forget to send us your news and photographs for next month!

God bless you all.

 


Catholic Deaf Association of Great Britain and Ireland

50 Sudell St, Manchester M4 4JF

 


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