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Catholic deaf ministry seeks to rekindle spirits and boost presence | St. Louis Review
Before Monica Niemira was born in the 1960s, her mother, who had suffered from a case of Ruebella during her pregnancy, knew that something was going to happen to the baby she was carrying.
Monica was born deaf. As a child, she went to Central Institute for the Deaf, where she learned to speak and read lips and received her education. It wasn't until she was in college that Niemira learned sign language.
Raised in a Catholic family, Niemira said that her experience at Mass made her feel "lost and left out" -- that was, until she learned sign language and more about the deaf culture.
In an email, Niemira explained that during the signed Mass "my spirit rekindled and felt more alive," adding that she had "not felt that way before."She soon became involved in the Catholic deaf community in St. Louis and currently serves as president of the St. Louis chapter of the Catholic Deaf Society.
The Archdiocese of St. Louis also has a formal Catholic Deaf Ministry, overseen by the archdiocesan Office of Apostolic Services. In recent years, the ministry has undergone a change in leadership. Invited here last year by Archbishop Robert J. Carlson, two religious brothers from the Dominican Missionaries for the Deaf Apostolate have been charged with leading the ministry and are in the process of assessing the current state of deaf ministry in the archdiocese.
One of those leaders, Brother Joseph Thermadom, a native of India who was born deaf, explained: "We need God's help in order to redevelop the ministry of our Catholic deaf community."
In addition to working to boost deaf ministry here, part of the work also involves educating the Catholic hearing community about the needs of individuals who are deaf. Niemira explained: "We are trying to let the hearing people know that we, the deaf, are hungry to hear God's words ... We want to be included with our families, friends and Church."
Dominicans in St. Louis
Based in San Antonio, Texas, the Dominican Missionaries for the Deaf Apostolate was founded in 2004 by Father Thomas Coughlin as a community for deaf, hard of hearing and hearing men who "endeavor to preach the Word of Christ" via American Sign Language.
Last year, four brothers and one priest from the community established a home in Madison, Ill., with the intent of sending the brothers to nearby Aquinas Institute of Theology for formation and priesthood studies. Earlier this spring, Archbishop Carlson contacted the community seeking assistance after Father Victor Barnhart, previous director of the archdiocese's Catholic Deaf Ministry, took a leave of absence.
The ministry currently is based at St. Andrew Parish in Lemay, where Brother Adam Zawadzki, along with a small group of interpreters, offer an interpreted Mass every Sunday at 10:30 a.m. The team also provides interpreting services for other Masses, including Holy Days of Obligation and Opportunity, and part, if not all, of the Triduum during Holy Week.
Growing the ministry
Several other parishes in the archdiocese also offer interpreted Masses for the deaf. Most are held every week as part of the each parish's regular schedule, and some parishes offer the service on a limited basis. (See related story.) Brother Adam noted that he is in the process of reaching out to those parishes to assess the needs and to see what other services can be offered. He's already contacted interpreters, for example, to discuss the planned English translations of the Roman Missal, Third edition, which begins in parishes Nov. 27.
Besides the liturgy, Brother Adam said another important aspect of deaf ministry is providing catechesis and social opportunities. At St. Andrew, for example, the deaf community has a social every week after the 10:30 a.m. Mass. Brother Joseph oversees a frequent Bible study at the parish, and there are other social activities there during the year, including a trivia night and interpreting services at the fish fry. Brother Joseph, along with Sister Maureen Langton, a Sister of St. Joseph of Carondelet, make regular visits to the sick and homebound through the Home Care Services program.
One of the challenges for the deaf ministry is discovering the scope of who they are serving, said Brother Adam.
"In a way, we don't know how many people there are," he said. "It's kind of like trying to minister to a ghost or an invisible man. You can't offer something to them if you can't see them."
That means the brothers, in between their studies at Aquinas, are making attempts to get out into the community and attending events for deaf people. "We're telling them where the interpreted (Masses) are, inviting people back to church. We're doing this kind of evangelization, really."
Brother Adam also recently connected with the Office of Apostolic Services to organize a marriage preparation program for deaf Catholics. Apostolic Services executive director George Kerry said he was grateful for the opportunity, adding that "our office wishes to have a closer relationship with the deaf ministry. They deserve the best service we can possibly give them."
Catholic Deaf Society
The deaf ministry also is relying on the help of the St. Louis Catholic Deaf Society, which was formed in 1941 to help develop the Catholic deaf community in St. Louis. The society currently has about 50 members, according to president Monica Niemira. The organization is part of the International Catholic Deaf Associationa. Brother Joseph recently was appointed the organization's moderator.
Niemira, who became involved with the society in 1989, noted that its role is to meet the needs of the local Catholic deaf community, including spiritual and social needs. It has an annual open board meeting, which everyone is invited to attend. The society also connects with other states around the nation to share ideas and resources.
Brother Joseph said his community is thankful to the society for its support of Catholic deaf ministry in the archdiocese. "We're really trying to set up a working relationship that is ongoing in the future."
Niemira said she became involved with the deaf community "because I wanted to serve others. ... I still try to find ways to spread the word about the Catholic Deaf Ministry and Catholic Deaf Society. I wake up and thank God for the wonderful gift He has for me and my life."
For more information on Catholic Deaf Ministry, email Brother Adam at adamzawadzki@dominicanmissionaries.org.
Masses for the Deaf
The following parishes in the Archdiocese of St. Louis offer interpreted Masses for the Catholic deaf community. Masses are offered every week, unless otherwise noted:Assumption, 4725 Mattis Road in Mattese, 10:30 a.m. Sunday;
Holy Infant, 627 Dennison Drive in Ballwin, 10:15 a.m. every other Sunday (next Mass will be Oct. 9);
Our Lady of the Pillar, 403 S. Lindbergh Blvd. in Creve Coeur, 8:30 a.m. Sunday;
Our Lady of the Presentation, 8860 Tudor Ave. in Overland, 5 p.m. Saturday;
St. Andrew, 309 Hoffmeister Ave. in Lemay, 10:30 a.m. Sunday. Readings are signed every other Sunday (next Mass will be Oct. 16);
St. Francis of Assisi, 4556 Telegraph Road in Oakville; 9 a.m. second and fourth Sunday of the month (next mass is Oct. 9);
St. Joseph, 1355 Motherhead Road in Cottleville, 10:30 a.m. Sunday.
Before Monica Niemira was born in the 1960s, her mother, who had suffered from a case of Ruebella during her pregnancy, knew that something was going to happen to the baby she was carrying.
Monica was born deaf. As a child, she went to Central Institute for the Deaf, where she learned to speak and read lips and received her education. It wasn't until she was in college that Niemira learned sign language.
Raised in a Catholic family, Niemira said that her experience at Mass made her feel "lost and left out" -- that was, until she learned sign language and more about the deaf culture.
In an email, Niemira explained that during the signed Mass "my spirit rekindled and felt more alive," adding that she had "not felt that way before."She soon became involved in the Catholic deaf community in St. Louis and currently serves as president of the St. Louis chapter of the Catholic Deaf Society.
The Archdiocese of St. Louis also has a formal Catholic Deaf Ministry, overseen by the archdiocesan Office of Apostolic Services. In recent years, the ministry has undergone a change in leadership. Invited here last year by Archbishop Robert J. Carlson, two religious brothers from the Dominican Missionaries for the Deaf Apostolate have been charged with leading the ministry and are in the process of assessing the current state of deaf ministry in the archdiocese.
One of those leaders, Brother Joseph Thermadom, a native of India who was born deaf, explained: "We need God's help in order to redevelop the ministry of our Catholic deaf community."
In addition to working to boost deaf ministry here, part of the work also involves educating the Catholic hearing community about the needs of individuals who are deaf. Niemira explained: "We are trying to let the hearing people know that we, the deaf, are hungry to hear God's words ... We want to be included with our families, friends and Church."
Dominicans in St. Louis
Based in San Antonio, Texas, the Dominican Missionaries for the Deaf Apostolate was founded in 2004 by Father Thomas Coughlin as a community for deaf, hard of hearing and hearing men who "endeavor to preach the Word of Christ" via American Sign Language.
Last year, four brothers and one priest from the community established a home in Madison, Ill., with the intent of sending the brothers to nearby Aquinas Institute of Theology for formation and priesthood studies. Earlier this spring, Archbishop Carlson contacted the community seeking assistance after Father Victor Barnhart, previous director of the archdiocese's Catholic Deaf Ministry, took a leave of absence.
The ministry currently is based at St. Andrew Parish in Lemay, where Brother Adam Zawadzki, along with a small group of interpreters, offer an interpreted Mass every Sunday at 10:30 a.m. The team also provides interpreting services for other Masses, including Holy Days of Obligation and Opportunity, and part, if not all, of the Triduum during Holy Week.
Growing the ministry
Several other parishes in the archdiocese also offer interpreted Masses for the deaf. Most are held every week as part of the each parish's regular schedule, and some parishes offer the service on a limited basis. (See related story.) Brother Adam noted that he is in the process of reaching out to those parishes to assess the needs and to see what other services can be offered. He's already contacted interpreters, for example, to discuss the planned English translations of the Roman Missal, Third edition, which begins in parishes Nov. 27.
Besides the liturgy, Brother Adam said another important aspect of deaf ministry is providing catechesis and social opportunities. At St. Andrew, for example, the deaf community has a social every week after the 10:30 a.m. Mass. Brother Joseph oversees a frequent Bible study at the parish, and there are other social activities there during the year, including a trivia night and interpreting services at the fish fry. Brother Joseph, along with Sister Maureen Langton, a Sister of St. Joseph of Carondelet, make regular visits to the sick and homebound through the Home Care Services program.
One of the challenges for the deaf ministry is discovering the scope of who they are serving, said Brother Adam.
"In a way, we don't know how many people there are," he said. "It's kind of like trying to minister to a ghost or an invisible man. You can't offer something to them if you can't see them."
That means the brothers, in between their studies at Aquinas, are making attempts to get out into the community and attending events for deaf people. "We're telling them where the interpreted (Masses) are, inviting people back to church. We're doing this kind of evangelization, really."
Brother Adam also recently connected with the Office of Apostolic Services to organize a marriage preparation program for deaf Catholics. Apostolic Services executive director George Kerry said he was grateful for the opportunity, adding that "our office wishes to have a closer relationship with the deaf ministry. They deserve the best service we can possibly give them."
Catholic Deaf Society
The deaf ministry also is relying on the help of the St. Louis Catholic Deaf Society, which was formed in 1941 to help develop the Catholic deaf community in St. Louis. The society currently has about 50 members, according to president Monica Niemira. The organization is part of the International Catholic Deaf Associationa. Brother Joseph recently was appointed the organization's moderator.
Niemira, who became involved with the society in 1989, noted that its role is to meet the needs of the local Catholic deaf community, including spiritual and social needs. It has an annual open board meeting, which everyone is invited to attend. The society also connects with other states around the nation to share ideas and resources.
Brother Joseph said his community is thankful to the society for its support of Catholic deaf ministry in the archdiocese. "We're really trying to set up a working relationship that is ongoing in the future."
Niemira said she became involved with the deaf community "because I wanted to serve others. ... I still try to find ways to spread the word about the Catholic Deaf Ministry and Catholic Deaf Society. I wake up and thank God for the wonderful gift He has for me and my life."
For more information on Catholic Deaf Ministry, email Brother Adam at adamzawadzki@dominicanmissionaries.org.
Masses for the Deaf
The following parishes in the Archdiocese of St. Louis offer interpreted Masses for the Catholic deaf community. Masses are offered every week, unless otherwise noted:Assumption, 4725 Mattis Road in Mattese, 10:30 a.m. Sunday;
Holy Infant, 627 Dennison Drive in Ballwin, 10:15 a.m. every other Sunday (next Mass will be Oct. 9);
Our Lady of the Pillar, 403 S. Lindbergh Blvd. in Creve Coeur, 8:30 a.m. Sunday;
Our Lady of the Presentation, 8860 Tudor Ave. in Overland, 5 p.m. Saturday;
St. Andrew, 309 Hoffmeister Ave. in Lemay, 10:30 a.m. Sunday. Readings are signed every other Sunday (next Mass will be Oct. 16);
St. Francis of Assisi, 4556 Telegraph Road in Oakville; 9 a.m. second and fourth Sunday of the month (next mass is Oct. 9);
St. Joseph, 1355 Motherhead Road in Cottleville, 10:30 a.m. Sunday.