HISTORY OF DCE
The 2015 European Catholic Deaf Gathering was held in Rome, Italy. This event brought together deaf Catholic people from all over Europe to share experiences and work on inclusion within the Catholic Church. Since then, other meetings have been held in different European cities, such as Prague in 2017, Lubliniec in 2019 and Aachen in 2022
ROMA 2009
ROMA 2015
I EUROPEAN MEENTING OF CATHOLIC DEAF IN ROMA 2015
One of the plans for the future is to expand the initiative to other countries, because historically meetings such as these had never occurred before. The main objective is to collaborate and discuss the faith of the deaf and the life situations they face directly. I think, because of the importance they have for us, they were loved by God. The first encounter of deaf Catholics in Europe took place in Rome, in 2015. It was organized by me, Luca, in collaboration with a priest, Father Delci. , of the small mission for deaf (referring to Gualandi, a special institute for deaf, which is today in Via Vincenzo Monti, 3). With considerable effort, we have gathered deaf people from several Italian churches and have found and established contacts with deaf people from several European countries. This first encounter in Rome was a really good feeling for us and an opportunity to see how things were going and discuss how deaf people are in the Church. Given the difficult times of today and the crisis of faith, the participation of the deaf has decreased due to the lack of evangelization towards them. There have been some setbacks, paradoxically, not only in Italy but also in European countries. New technologies have made us lose direct contact with the faithful and the fundamental orientation of faith has been lost. That is why the encounter was very desired, with the aim of discussing, helping and exchanging many things. We gathered and gave rise to the new group of deaf Catholics in Europe. Finally we decided to meet every two years, every time in a different country, in shifts.
He said that the first meeting was in Rome, then by raffle we established that the Czech Republic would organize the second meeting in 2017 ..
The second European Deaf Catholic meeting was held in Prague (Czech Republic) on 12 May 2017.
The second European Deaf Catholic meeting was held in Prague (Czech Republic) on 12 May 2017.
15 the meeting followed the first meeting, held in 2015 in Rome (Italy). The meeting was carefully prepared by the faithful of the Catholic parish for the deaf in Prague, whose pastor is. Stanislav Góra. The head of the parish was pastoral assistant for the deaf Fr. Alena C Voracova, who is a great thanks. The meeting was attended by representatives from 12 countries from the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Ireland, Hungary, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, Spain, Italy and Ukraine.
II. European meeting of deaf Catholics
15. 5. 2017, the second meeting took place in Prague in the Czech Republic.
The 1st meeting took place in Rome, Italy, and after two years in Prague.
Representatives of the Catholic Church from 12 countries participated: from Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Poland,
Ukraine, Malta, Ireland, Slovakia, Hungary, the Czech Republic and the Netherlands.
12. 5. 2017 on Friday at 16h the representatives of the Church were invited to Cardinal Duke, where the deaf
thanked for receiving and establishing a parish for the deaf in January 2017.
The 18th was followed by the holy Mass in the temple of St. John the Baptist. Vitus, Wenceslas and Adalbert for all the deaf and the hearing. The Holy Mass was interpreted in the Czechoslovak Union and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The most beautiful moment was when the representative of each state brought the flag of his state and the candle under the altar.
On May 13, 2017, only representatives of the Church met in the Franciscan monastery.
During the morning, the representatives of each country presented answers to questions we had prepared for them in advance (eg who is responsible, who translates the Mass, who translates the Bible, whether they use the services of an interpreter and how to solve other problems in the Church).
After a lunch break, we continued our work: we had 3 group workshops.
The first workshop was attended by priests and deacons, the second workshop was dedicated to pastoral assistants, and the third workshop to technical staff representatives.
For each workshop, questions have also been prepared that we need to address in the church (eg, how better
to work with hearing and interpreters, how to translate reading to holy Mass, how should
look for a deaf website, etc.).
The workshop was followed by a country in which the next European meeting will take place in two years
Our priest Stanislaw Góra for the Czech Republic first prayed to the Holy Spirit, and then drew out the lot on which Poland was written, So III. a European meeting of deaf Catholics will be in Poland in 2019.
14.5. 2017 on Sunday morning was a free program. First, we had a boat trip to Prague Venice and then we visited the exhibition on St. Anežce české.
At 14h the Holy Mass was served only to the deaf at the Church of the Virgin Mary in the Franciscan Monastery. Holy Mass was served by deaf priest Juan Jose of Spain, in the international signage system. It was very beautiful and the sermon for us was encouraging for all
After the Holy Mass we went to the refectory (hall) of the Franciscan monastery where all deaf people from the Czech Republic and other countries were invited.
Two deaf moderators introduced all national representatives to other deaf people.
At the end of the meeting, we were all afraid, some had to go home and the rest of the guests left for the next morning on Monday.
The whole program was very encouraging, we got new contacts, met people with their experience of faith. All the representatives thanked us very much for organizing the meeting. They said that they felt filled with the Holy Spirit and gained the power to live fully for Jesus and continue to carry their faith further.
NEWS OF DEAF:
The participating countries in a Catholic European meeting for deaf persons
A Maltese delegation made up of Fr Martin Micallef, Director of The Providence House, Mr. Natalino Psaila, a-person Deaf, and Mrs. Rita Portelli, Interpreter of-the Maltese Sign Language, tooks part in the-second Catholic European meeting for Deaf Persons That tooks place in the City of Prague in-the Czech Republic.
Print bi-Annual meeting meant for the Representatives of-the Catholic Church in European Countries, Who are Involved in Deaf Persons With Pastoral work, To Meet Up and share Experiences, as well as Projects With Difficulties encountered in their respective Countries.
The meeting Was officially opened by Cardinal of Prague Mgr O.P. Dominik Jaroslav Duka, Who ALSO celebrated mass for All-the participants following the St Vitus's Cathedral.
During the-meeting, the-Maltese Representatives thought-the Opportunity to share-the Experiences of-the Malta Diocese With Deaf Persons amongst Which are:-the setting up of a Deaf Ministry Team, a Saturday evening mass in-the Chapel of-the University of Malta interpreted With The Maltese Sign Language, an Interpretation service for thoses Preparing for-the Sacraments, RESOURCES Suchi as new readings of-the-the-the Liturgy of Word and Other Prayers in-the Maltese Sign Language That one can easily access YouTube or on-the Laiko Website.
Other Countries Besides part-taking-the Czech Republic and Poland were Malta, Italy, Holland, Ireland, the-Ukraine, Spain, France, Germany, Slovenia and Hungary.
Was CHOSEN Poland to host a meeting-the third European That Will take place in 2019.
III EUROPEAN CATHOLIC DEAF IN LUBLINIEC (POLAND) 2019
European Catholic deaf regret the lack of reception in many dioceses
The association is working on a project to spread the Gospel among people with disabilities across Europe.
A moment of the IV Meeting of European Catholic deaf. Ceded photo.
Catholic people with disabilities continue to take steps for their full inclusion in the Catholic Church. After the little reception they had during the Synod Assembly organized by the Spanish Episcopal Conference, to which the Pastoral del Sordo de Barcelona, for example, led to proposals such as "a greater formation of the priests and catechists in sign language "or" a real reception by parish communities ", now the Catholic deaf in Europe have taken a step further and are working on a project to try to overcome all these difficulties that are for Practice your faith on a day to day
The idea "is to assign a new lenguage of signs for all of Europe with which to teach the gospel more appropriate to deaf and deafblind people," explains the laity Valenciano Miguel Ángel García, responsible and representative of the association deaf Catholics of Catholic Europe. "European Catholic deaf need to receive good formation and catechesis to delve into the Word of God, but this is not possible if there are no priests who learn the language of signs," Garcia adds in an interview with Alfa and Omega.
Likewise, the Association aspires that European dioceses be more sensitive to the needs of people with disabilities and can allocate pastoral resources for their spiritual attention. "Today there are many bishops and priests who do not know the reality of deaf people," says Garcia.
At present, the project, which received a push in the IV Meeting of the Deaf European Catholics held in Aachen (Germany) in early September, is aware of the indications, and of approval, of discastery for the laity, the family and life. There he was transferred on the recommendation of the Commission of the Episcopal Conferences of the European Union.
From the association they hope that the project can count on the green light before its next meeting, which will take place in Bratislava (Slovakia) in 2024. It will be the fifth match after those held in Rome (Italy), in 2015; In Prague (Czech Republic), in 2017, in Lubliniec (Poland), in 2019; and the one held from September 1 to 4, 2022 in Germany.
