Ministry with the Deaf
Mission Statement
To work for the full, active and meaningful participation in the life of the Church for persons who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing, affirming their Baptismal vocation
To combat their sense of isolation within the Church
To create awareness in parishes of the harm to the Body of Christ caused by this disconnection and collaborate on strategies of support and affirmation
Deaf Ministry Services
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.
