Dublin Deaf Choir
The Dublin Deaf Choir signs the words of hymns at special masses for deaf people. In collaboration with ACCORD, a Pre-Marriage Course for deaf couples is organized every year. A group of deaf parents organize a popular family Mass once a month, deaf families travel from far and near to attend this celebration.
Archbiship Diarmuid presenting members of the the Deaf Choir
with the Cedar Award for their work of Parish Outreach and for their
contribution to promtoing Deaf Awareness in the Dublin Diocese.
The Dublin Deaf Choir performs in all kinds of situations.
Their main function is to lead the community in prayer and
song at liturgical celebrations where deaf people attend,
to help them to sign together and be actively involved in
the celebration. It is wonderful to see deaf people taking part
in liturgy in this way and for hearing people it brings a new dimension
to the liturgical celebrations. Everyone benefits and
everyone enjoys the celebration together.The main events have
been the celebration of the Eucharist, celebration of Reconciliation,
Weddings and Funerals. Most recently in June ‘08 the choir performed
with four other international deaf choirs in St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome.
Parish Outreach
In the Chaplaincy, we have what we like to call our "Parish Outreach". This is where we go
to a parish outside of the deaf community and celebrate the Eucharist for the local community.
Many times the deaf themselves will come to us to ask us to go to their home parish and to
celebrate Mass there with the Deaf Choir. This can be a very moving experience for many
people. Because we work and live in the world of deaf people we sometimes forget how
beautiful the language of deaf people is. It is only when we move out from our deaf
community that we realise the effect sign-language can have on the hearing community. Parish
Outreach has two functions for us in the Chaplaincy. It allows us to go to the
parish church of the deaf person and meet with deaf people in their local
community. This is very important. But it also affords us the opportunity to raise
the level of deaf awareness. Many people do not have the experience of working or
living with people from the deaf community, so it is a great opportunity for us to
be together worshipping as a community in praise of the God who made us.
It is true to say that when you put music and words together in Liturgical song you have
an explosion of emotions. But now, when you include sign-language you are introducing a third important dimension, movement.
As I see it, you have three elements :
• You have the musical sound of the piece which for me as a hearing person can pierce the
very core of my being and take me on a roller coaster of emotions like;
joy, sorrow, inner peace, love and so on.
• You also have the words which can lead us to a place we
have never gone to before and help us to understand things we find
difficult to understand. Again, words, like poetry that can pull at
our heart strings.
• Now, the Dublin Deaf Choir introduces a new element which is movement. Not
only do we feel the words and music in our heart, mind and soul but
we experience it in our body as we gently move with the rhythm of
the piece we are signing.
When you put the three elements together they tap into the
very core of our being and transform us into the wonderful people that we are.
All of the above is so important in our world today. It is so important in our
liturgical celebrations.
The Dublin Deaf Choir brings great joy to many people. This is their gift.
This is their ministry. It is what they are called to do as a choir. They
have a very special ministry to lead all people to a deeper spiritual life and
to help us understand something of the mystery of life and love given to us by God.
The presence of the Dublin Deaf Choir enhances every liturgical celebration they are
present at. They raise the level of our spirituality to a level that no other groups
of people are capable of doing. Thank God for the gift they are to all who are
blessed with their presence.
St. Francis de Sales, Patron of the Deaf and Hearing-Impaired
In 1605, an indigent young man named Martin, a deaf-mute from birth,
came almost daily to a house in Roche, France, where Bishop de Sales
was staying, to ask for alms. He was a strong young man fit for all
kinds of work, and the Bishop's housekeeper often allowed him to
help her in payment for the Bishop's generosity. One day a servant
introduced Martin to the Bishop.
As a result of his handicap, Martin, who was about 25 years
old, had never received any kind of education -- or instruction
in the Catholic faith. (It was presumed by all of the
educated people of that age (the 17th century) that a
deaf-mute was a mentally handicapped person and that trying to
educate or trying to communicate religious truths to such a
person would be a waste of time.)
At the time of their meeting, St Francis de Sales was visibly
disturbed and touched with pity for the unfortunate Martin.
St Francis realized that the poor man would remain forever ignorant
of God and the rich mysteries of the Faith and that his lack of
instruction would forever keep him from receiving the Sacraments
of Penance and the Eucharist.
After considering young Martin's deprived condition for a time,
St. Francis determined that he would undertake the instruction of
the young man.
By using signs that he formed with his hands and fingers, St
Francis personally began to teach Martin about the Catholic Faith.
Martin, as was soon clear, was highly intelligent and a very good pupil.
After a period of time, through his gentle patience and persistence and
with the signs and gestures he had invented for the purpose, St
Francis succeeded in instructing Martin about God and His love
for all people. All went so well that eventually Martin was able
to receive the Holy Eucharist for the first time in 1606. Two
years later, Martin was confirmed.
St Francis eventually hired Martin as his gardener and brought
him along with him when he returned to his Episcopal household
in Annecy, France.
Martin's devotion to the Bishop of Geneva was second only
to his devotion to God. Martin prayed fervently,
examining his conscience every evening before retiring,
regularly confessed his sins to the Bishop, and assisted
devoutly at the Bishop's Mass whenever he could.
Sixteen years later, no one would be more affected by
the death of St Francis de Sales than his faithful
servant Martin, who would visit his master's last
resting place almost every day until the day he himself died.
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