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The Diocese has been meeting the needs of moderate to profoundly deaf people within the pastoral setting since 1973 when Canon McHugh, the then Director of the Children’ Society initiated this much needed apostolate.
The Service was re-organised in 1999 under a new Management Structure, keeping abreast of current needs and thinking within the church and culture of deaf people.
The Service has four part-time Chaplains with the full-time Service Co-ordinator to provide:-
- Monthly Mass in two centres within the Diocese
(1st Sunday - September to June inclusive at St Peter’s Catholic Church, Hazel Grove, Stockport - 3pm)
(4th Sunday at Nazareth House, Manor Hill, Birkenhead - 3pm)
- Intensive Pastoral Visiting throughout the Diocese.
- Communication Support for sign language users in Church and Social settings as required.
- Catechetical Support for children not attending Catholic schools.
- Support to other Deaf Services as requested.
- Opportunities for Volunteers wishing to develop their skills and share their time in forming Eucharistic cell communities with Deaf people.
Working as a cell of the Catholic Deaf Association, we form part of a wider network enabling deaf people to “have life to the full” - John 10:10. Through serving God and other people, we are bringing God’s presence into various situations and through witnessing to the Kingdom of God and following God’s commandment ‘Love one another as I have loved you’, as a Diocesan Service, we are doing the same work as the apostles and all Christians.
The Service recognises the Deaf community as a cultural and linguistic minority group, it therefore endeavours to ensure that there is full access to Christ’s Kingdom in the church and society.
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