Hello!

Of all the dioceses spread throughout the Philippines, there

are only two dioceses that have deaf ministry. You can visit or

reach out to them to see how they cater to people like me.

These are:

Archdiocese of Manila

Address: Arzobispado, 121 Arzobispo St., Intramuros, Manila

Contact no.: (02) 405-0093; 527-3955

Christ the King Parish

Address: Atlas St., Filinvest Homes II, Batasan Hills, Quezon City

Contact no.: (02) 932-0239

I am ________. I am deaf.

I am baptized as a Catholic. I live in _______, but I go to church in

____________ because ________________________. I enjoy going to
mass. I travel this far and long to hear God’s word. My deafness
should not stop me from nurturing and strengthening my spiritual
faith. It saddens me that majority of the parishes in the Philippines
do not have a deaf ministry because they think that they do not
need to because there are no deaf church-goers in their respective
parishes. Of course, they would not see that!

This is my story. Thank you for letting me share this with you.
Together, let us call for Philippine parishes to progress and answer
the unmet need of people like me. Together, let us call for a change.
 MORE THAN WHAT WE HEAR:
WHO ARE THE DEAF?
Problems of the Deaf
Lk 7:22
The main problem for many Deaf Catholics is their limited
“Go and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind
participation in the faith community. Until now, the
regain their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf
Church remains largely inaccessible to most deaf Filipino
hear, the dead are raised, the poor have the good news
Catholics. Out of 85 dioceses, only 2 of them cater to the
proclaimed to them” - Jesus to John the Baptist
deaf. Some would resort to attending non-Catholic

churches to hear God’s Word, even if it is not their faith.

The sick and the disabled, are invited into the kingdom of God

Teachings of the Church by Jesus through healing and forgiveness. Thus, as members of

the Catholic Church who aim to do as Jesus did, we ourselves

must look for those who are in most need of God’s grace. It is
The Deaf Church
the role of the Catholic Christian community to give people
It’s not just about signing in the church, we aim to be the deaf
hope when they are in doubt. Elizabeth Browne describes
church. The deaf church not only breaks down the
God as a “God of Disabilities” in her book, Creating an
communication barriers but cultivates a welcoming and
Inclusive Worship Community.
accepting culture to address the community’s needs. They are

those that see deafness not simply something that needs to be

People with disabilities may find themselves wondering why
fixed but also as the Deafs culture and identity.
God made them as such, but Browne assures them that while

God gives only “what he or she can bear.” He is a God that

The Church’s Role in Inclusivity
despite putting people through trials will perform miracles,
The Church is a social institution that’s main goal is to connect
allowing them to mature not only through blessings but
the divine with humanity through interpretation and mediation
through suffering. “God is not manipulated by my desires, but
of the teachings of Christ. The role of the Christian community
offers me grace to carry on in the midst of pain and doubt,”
is a crucial point in the teachings of Jesus. As Gerhard Lohfink
says Browne. That is why the Church is important for the deaf:
says in Jesus and Community, “The reign of God is in no way
to assure them of God’s presence and grace in where they
something elusive and unattached; it is bound to a concrete
feel most unable.
people, the people of God.” Thus, it is through His people that

God’s word is spread. Jesus further teaches us is that this

community is not an exclusive one, but it is inclusive of all

people, especially those who have been discriminated upon.