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South Texas Catholic News Article -- Closed captioning brings Cathedral Sunday Mass to deaf community
Although the Cathedral Sunday Mass has been broadcast over local TV stations since 1986, a select group of special individuals have not had the opportunity to participate in this method of evangelization.
But since Sunday, August 6, the hearing impaired have been able to enjoy the weekly Mass from home, due to a new closed captioning broadcast.
"I'm glad something is being done to help the people who are impaired in hearing," said Marc Cisneros, CEO of the John G. and Marie Stella Kenedy Memorial Foundation.
The Foundation approved a $5,000 grant toward the $11,000 project and the rest of the money was supplemented by donations from the Bishop's Annual Appeal.
The purchase of airtime for weekly broadcasts is made possible by an annual gift from Christus Spohn Health System.
"We are excited to offer this because we want everybody to be involved in what the priest is saying during Mass," Bishop Edmond Carmody stated at the August 2 announcement. Individuals from the Catholic deaf ministry and the Office of Persons with Disabilities were in attendance.
Gloria Davila, who worked in diocesan television production for nine years, and her assistant, Amanda Little, are the two women behind the microphone. Their voices are turned into words that can be read at the bottom of the television screen.
From a remote location, most often their homes, they are able to listen to the Mass live through a small radio. They repeat what is being said into a microphone, and the machine transcribes it. While the process may sound simple, Davila and Little have been working hard to train the machines to recognize the sound of their voices.
"This is a brand new adventure for me," Little stated. "I think with the influence of the media today being so negative I feel good being part of something that's reaching out to the population, including the hearing impaired."
At last count, the Cathedral Sunday Mass was reaching 5,000 homes each week.
"Our mission is to support those less fortunate and those in need, especially a group like this," Cisneros said of the donation from the Kenedy Foundation. "It's a very noble mission which all of us at the Foundation enjoy doing."
According to diocesan Director of Communications, Marty Wind, the annual cost to keep closed captioning, including salaries and equipment, will be between $3,000-$4,000 a year. "We always appreciate donations," he said.
Donations to support closed captioning of the Cathedral Sunday Mass can be addressed to Marty Wind, Diocesan Telecommunications, 1200 Lantana, Corpus Christi.
Although the Cathedral Sunday Mass has been broadcast over local TV stations since 1986, a select group of special individuals have not had the opportunity to participate in this method of evangelization.
But since Sunday, August 6, the hearing impaired have been able to enjoy the weekly Mass from home, due to a new closed captioning broadcast.
"I'm glad something is being done to help the people who are impaired in hearing," said Marc Cisneros, CEO of the John G. and Marie Stella Kenedy Memorial Foundation.
The Foundation approved a $5,000 grant toward the $11,000 project and the rest of the money was supplemented by donations from the Bishop's Annual Appeal.
The purchase of airtime for weekly broadcasts is made possible by an annual gift from Christus Spohn Health System.
"We are excited to offer this because we want everybody to be involved in what the priest is saying during Mass," Bishop Edmond Carmody stated at the August 2 announcement. Individuals from the Catholic deaf ministry and the Office of Persons with Disabilities were in attendance.
Gloria Davila, who worked in diocesan television production for nine years, and her assistant, Amanda Little, are the two women behind the microphone. Their voices are turned into words that can be read at the bottom of the television screen.
From a remote location, most often their homes, they are able to listen to the Mass live through a small radio. They repeat what is being said into a microphone, and the machine transcribes it. While the process may sound simple, Davila and Little have been working hard to train the machines to recognize the sound of their voices.
"This is a brand new adventure for me," Little stated. "I think with the influence of the media today being so negative I feel good being part of something that's reaching out to the population, including the hearing impaired."
At last count, the Cathedral Sunday Mass was reaching 5,000 homes each week.
"Our mission is to support those less fortunate and those in need, especially a group like this," Cisneros said of the donation from the Kenedy Foundation. "It's a very noble mission which all of us at the Foundation enjoy doing."
According to diocesan Director of Communications, Marty Wind, the annual cost to keep closed captioning, including salaries and equipment, will be between $3,000-$4,000 a year. "We always appreciate donations," he said.
Donations to support closed captioning of the Cathedral Sunday Mass can be addressed to Marty Wind, Diocesan Telecommunications, 1200 Lantana, Corpus Christi.