Ephpheta Centre's Danni Wright chats in sign language with Fr Cyril
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The world's only deaf-blind priest, Father Cyril Axelrod has returned to London but he will nevertheless play an integral role at next week's National Deaf Pastoral Workers Conference to be held at Mary MacKillop Place in Sydney from today until Wednesday, reports the Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney.
"Before he left Australia two weeks ago we videotaped an opening address by Fr Cyril," says Nicole Clark, Hearing Interpreter and Assistant to the Director of the Archdiocese of Sydney's Ephpheta Centre.
Initially it was hoped the timing of Fr Cyril's visit to Australia would coincide with the Conference. When this proved impossible due to his crowded schedule and commitments, it was decided that while the South African-born priest could not be there in person, his work with the deaf, his insights into their care and support, and his ongoing inspiration, would remain a key element.
"Those of us fortunate enough to spend time with Fr Cyril during his time here learned so much from him and his experiences with the deaf and as a deaf person himself," says Nicole.
In addition to her work with the Ephpheta Centre, Nicole is Chair of the National Committee for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing established by the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference (ACBC) two years ago and describes the 70-year-old priest as "a wonderful example of the power of faith and someone who has never seen his deafness or his later blindness as a disability or handicap."
"Nicole points out that most of Sydney's deaf community have never even met a deaf priest, let alone someone like Fr Cyril, who is both deaf and blind.
"For all of us at the Ephpheta Centre, particularly for our younger members, having Fr Cyril in Sydney was incredibly exciting. Many in the deaf community had never met a deaf priest before and his example, kindness and profound faith, gave everyone no matter what their age, a chance to feel empowered and to see how anything and everything is possible," she says.
Born with Usher's syndrome, a relatively rare genetic condition characterised by profound hearing loss, followed in adulthood by a gradual loss of his sight, the humble Redemptoris priest has never seen his deafness nor his more recent blindness as a handicap or an affliction.
