Deaf Ministries

This month for Taste and See we are highlighting our Deaf Ministry! The Deaf Ministry in our parish serves Deaf Catholics from the Diocese of Pittsburgh and surrounding areas.

A brief History of Deaf Ministry in our Diocese and our Parish: 
Before there was a Deaf Ministry in Pittsburgh, deaf people were invited to a mass (oral, spoken English only) 2 times each year and were given a religious statue if they attended both masses.

In the early 1960’s, three priests from Duquesne University learned sign language and had a signed mass for the Deaf.

After those priests were transferred, the Catholic Deaf Community moved to Epiphany Church in Uptown where the mass was interpreted by a seminarian and a Franciscan brother. The Franciscan brother convinced the bishop that the Deaf Community needed a place to worship, a gathering place for meetings, and a budget to provide faith formation.  The bishop provided a social Hall in the West End and office space (and budget) for a priest who could sign, a pastoral worker, a Religious Education Coordinator and a deacon. Mass was held in the social hall and meals were prepared in an adjacent kitchen because fellowship was an important part of the Deaf Ministry.

Eventually, the Deaf Community moved to St. John the Evangelist Church where we now had use of the church building, a social hall, and office space. One of the Sunday masses at St. John’s was the signed mass for the Deaf Community. The Deaf had a priest who could sign, a full-time pastoral worker, a religious education coordinator and a deacon.

When the church building on the South Side had to be torn down, we moved to St. Justin Parish. The pastoral worker position was reduced to part time and eventually phased out, as was the religious education coordinator position.  St. Justin Church closed in 2013 and we moved again, to St. Mary of the Mount Church. We are now happy to be a part of Mary, Queen of Peace parish. We are happy to still have a priest who can sign so we can participate in the mass and other sacraments. It is very important to have a priest who knows our language when we receive the sacrament of Reconciliation!

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Our Deaf parishioners live in many different communities but come to our church because WE EMBRACE our faith and can participate in liturgy and parish life in ways that we cannot experience in our neighborhood churches.

WE SERVE, our Deaf members can be Deaf Lectors who sign the Scripture readings alongside the hearing lectors. Deaf Response Leaders sign the prayers and responses that members of the congregation are saying. Deaf Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion assist with the distribution of the Body and Blood of Christ.

WE PRAY when our Deaf Choir adds the beauty of American Sign Language to the songs that are sung by the parish choir and cantors.

We have a Catholic Deaf Council which advises Fr. Michael about concerns and activities of Deaf Catholics. We also have a Coordinator of Deaf Ministries, Karen Shepherd, on staff who is the laison between the deaf community and the parish staff.  

Some churches have interpreted masses for the Deaf. That is an important and wonderful act of ministry. Every Sunday at 11:30 am our parish has a signed mass at St. Mary of the Mount Church. WE INVITE Deaf Catholics to participate in the Sacrament of the Mass by being Lectors, Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion, Response Leaders and Choir Members. Last week our “Taste and See” article explained about these ministries.

In addition to our Deaf participants, we have a priest who signs and skilled interpreters who communicate spoken parts of the mass into American Sign Language. ASL is a different language than spoken English and has its own structure and expression.

Facial expression and body language are important parts of the use of ASL. Because ASL is a very visual language, we request at the 11:30 mass that everyone remain seated throughout the mass so that all signers can be seen.