Mission Statement

Our mission is to promote the full, active, and meaningful participation of persons who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing in the life of the Church, affirming their Baptismal vocation. We are dedicated to combating the sense of isolation that many experience within our faith community. By fostering awareness in our parishes about the impact of this disconnection on the Body of Christ, we aim to collaborate on effective strategies of support and affirmation, ensuring that all voices are heard and valued in our Church family.

Charity • Justice • Inclusion

Responding to the Vatican’s recent mandate to “offer Deaf persons integral assistance for their complete self-realization”, Catholic Charities’ Pastoral Ministry with the Deaf carries on the work begun early in the twentieth century by local Catholic pioneers in Deaf Ministry who first realized this great spiritual need. 

Who Do We Serve

The Ministry reaches out to Deaf Catholics, their friends and family members, collaborating with other local Deaf Services organizations to offer a central advisory resource for common issues and concerns. Welcoming “Deaf Culture” and including A.S.L. (American Sign Language) as a valid liturgical language is essential to the mandate of hospitality and celebration of cultural diversity sweeping the Church today.

The Pastoral Ministry with the Deaf has evolved to include five host parishes throughout the Archdiocese including our Deaf Parish of St. John’s Church in downtown Newark, where Sunday Masses, sacramental preparation and other religious services are readily accessible to persons with hearing loss, through Sign Language interpretation or direct provision by ASL-fluent clergy.