Since we are travellers and pilgrims in the world, let us ever ponder on the end of the road, that is of our life, for the end of our roadway is our home (St Columban, 8th sermon).
Now when John heard in prison about the deeds of the Christ, he sent word by his disciples and said to him, “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?” (Matthew 11:2-3; Gospel).
Readings(Jerusalem Bible:
Australia, England & Wales, India [optional], Ireland, New Zealand,
Pakistan, Scotland, South Africa)
GospelMatthew 11:2-11 (English Standard Version
Anglicised: India)
Now when John heard in prison about the deeds
of the Christ, he sent word by his disciples and said to him,
“Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?” And
Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: the
blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the
deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news
preached to them. And blessed is the one who is not offended by me.”
As they went away, Jesus began to speak to the
crowds concerning John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to
see? A reed shaken by the wind? What then did you go out to see? A
man dressed in soft clothing? Behold, those who wear soft clothing are in
kings' houses. What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes,
I tell you, and more than a prophet. This is he of whom it is written,
“‘Behold, I send my messenger before your face,
who will prepare your way before you.’
Truly, I say to you, among
those born of women there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist. Yet
the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
I have used this material before but it fits in with one of the themes in today's readings: Then the eyes of
the blind shall be opened,and the ears of the deaf unstopped(Isaiah 35:5;
First Reading), It is the Lord . . . who
raises up those who are bowed down (Responsorial Psalm), Go and tell John . . . the deaf hear
(Matthew 11:5; Gospel).
Fr Joseph Coyle was a Columban priest from Derry city, Northern Ireland. He died in the Philippines on 18 December 1991, aged 54, and is buried in a Catholic cemetery in Bacolod City. Father Joe and I weren't related - my Coyle ancestors moved centuries ago from the north-west of Ireland, where the surname originated, to Rush, a fishing village north of Dublin city - but we felt a sense of kinship. He was ordained on 21 December 1961 during my first year in the Columban seminary in Ireland.
Father Joe spent most of his life as a priest in the island of Negros. He gradually became aware of persons with disabilities and of how their needs weren't being met. He was able to obtain artificial limbs for some. But he noticed that there was one group in every community that was almost totally isolated because they didn't share a common language with those around them, not even with their own families. These were persons who were profoundly deaf.
More and more Father Joe became involved with deaf people, celebrating Mass in Sign Language in a number of places. In the late 1980s he established Welcome Home in Bacolod City as a residence for out-of-town deaf students so that they could attend special schools in the city. Special Education has spread now to many towns and that particular need is no longer urgent. But Welcome Home Foundation, Inc. continues with a school for young children, deaf and hearing, catechetical programmes in public schools with both deaf and hearing catechists, and other activities.
Father Joe's death was devastating initially to the young deaf people with whom he had worked. But his vision was continued and developed by others, most noticeably by Mrs Salvacion V. Tinsay who died in 2008. Her daughter Mrs Agnes T. Jalandoni, President and CEO, along with her board and staff have enabled the work begun by Father Joe to grow and adapt to current needs.
May I ask your prayers for the soul of Mrs Teresing V. Lizares who died recently. She was a founding trustee of Welcome Home Foundation and a sister of Mrs Salving V. Tinsay.
Fr Mike Depcik preaching in American Sign Language on today's readings (also spoken)
Fr Mike Depcik OSFSis an Oblate of St Francis de Sales and one of very few profoundly deaf priests in the world. He has his own vlog, Fr. MD's KitchenTable, where, among other things, he posts videos of homilies for Sunday Masses in American Sign Language, such as that above for this Sunday's Mass.
John the Baptist sends his followers to ask Jesus, Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another? Jesus replies, Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news brought to them.
For Catholics who are profoundly deaf, priests such as Fr Mike Depcik, deaf from birth, and Fr Joe Coyle, who became aware of the isolation of the profoundly deaf, especially within their own families, are included in the response of Jesus to his cousin St John the Baptist: the deaf hear. The deaf aren't isolated to the same degree as before, though I have known of priests and people who consider a signing interpreter at Mass as a 'distraction'.
And the ministry of priests such as Fr Depcik and Fr Coyle isn't limited to the deaf. Indeed, part of their ministry, and of those who work with them, whether deaf or hearing, is to bring about the change of heart that is central to Advent, not only a turning away from sin but a recognition of the needs of others that we weren't aware of before. It was through having friends who were deaf in varying degrees from birth and through knowing Father Joe that I became aware of the isolation of the deaf within the Church and in society at large. The same can be said to some extent of persons with other disabilities. But profound deafness is the only physical disability that of its nature can totally isolate a person from the community.
There will always be some, for whatever reason, on the margins. The gradual inclusion of those who are profoundly deaf in all activities of the Church and of wider society shown, for example, in the use of signing interpreters at public functions and on television, is one of the signs that Jesus spoke about to assure St John the Baptist that he, Jesus, truly is the one who is to come.
Mary
walked through a wood of thorn Kyrie eleison. Mary walked through a wood of thorn, Which seven long years no leaf had borne; Jesus and Mary.
What bore Mary beneath her heart? Kyrie eleison. A little child without any smart Mary bore beneath her heart, Jesus and Mary.
Then roses sprang from out the thorn; Kyrie eleison. As the Christ child through the wood was born, Roses sprang from out the thorn; Jesus and Mary.
These are the first three stanzas of seven but have acquired a life of their own. Their context is the Visitation. Wikipedia notes: The dead thorn wood,
a symbol of infertility and death, begins to bloom when Mary walks through it
with the divine child.
Traditional Latin Mass
Third Sunday of Advent
The Complete Mass in Latin and English is here. (Adjust the date at the top of that page to 12-11-2022 if necessary).
John answered
them, “I baptize with water; but among you stands one whom you do not know, even he who comes after me, the thong of whose sandal I
am not worthy to untie” {John 1:26-27;
Gospel).
Readings(Jerusalem Bible: Australia,
England & Wales, India [optional], Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan,
Scotland, South Africa)
GospelMatthew 11:2-11 (New Revised
Standard Version, Anglicised Catholic Edition, Canada)
When John heard in prison what the Messiah was
doing, he sent word by his disciples and said to him, ‘Are you the one who is to come,
or are we to wait for another?’ Jesus answered them, ‘Go and tell John what you
hear and see: the blind
receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf
hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have good news brought to them. And blessed is anyone who takes no offence at me.’
As they went
away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John: ‘What did you go out into
the wilderness to look at? A reed shaken by the wind? What then did you go out to see? Someone dressed in
soft robes? Look, those who wear soft robes are in royal palaces. What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I
tell you, and more than a prophet. This is the one about
whom it is written,
“See, I am sending my messenger
ahead of you, who will prepare your way before
you.”
Truly I tell you, among those born
of women no one has arisen greater than John the Baptist; yet the least in the
kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
Father Joseph Coyle was a Columban priest from
Derry city, Northern Ireland. He died in the Philippines on 18 December 1991, aged
54, and is buried in a Catholic cemetery in Bacolod City.
Father Joe and I weren't related - my Coyle ancestors moved centuries ago from
the north-west of Ireland, where the surname originated, to Rush, a fishing
village north of Dublin city - but we felt a sense of kinship. He was ordained
on 21 December 1961 during my first year in the Columban seminary in Ireland.
Father Joe
spent most of his life as a priest in the island of Negros. He gradually became
aware of persons with disabilities and of how their needs weren't being met. He
was able to obtain artificial limbs for some. But he noticed that there was one
group in every community that was almost totally isolated, because they didn't
share a common language with those around them, not even with their own
families. This group was people who were profoundly deaf.
More
and more Father Joe became involved with deaf people, celebrating Mass in Sign
Language in a number of places. In the late 1980s he established Welcome Home
in Bacolod City as a residence for out-of-town deaf students so that they could
attend special schools in the city. Special Education has spread now to
many towns and that particular need is no longer urgent. ButWelcome Home Foundation, Inc., continues
with a small number of residents, a school for young children, deaf and
hearing, catechetical programmes in public schools with both deaf and hearing
catechists, and other activities.
Father
Joe's death was devastating initially to the young deaf people with whom he had
worked. But his vision was continued and developed by others, most noticeably
by Mrs Salvacion V. Tinsay who died in 2008. Her daughter Mrs Agnes T.
Jalandoni, President and CEO, along with her board and staffhave enabled
the work begun by Father Joe to grow and adapt to current needs.
Fr Mike Depcik OSFSis an Oblate of St Francis de Sales,
one of very few profoundly deaf priests in the world. He has his own
vlog, Fr. MD's KitchenTable, where, among other things, he posts videos of homilies for
Sunday Masses in American Sign Language, such as that above for this Sunday's
Mass.
John the Baptist sends his followers
to ask Jesus, Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for
another? Jesus replies, Go and tell John what you hear and see: the
blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the
deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have good news brought to them.
For Catholics who are profoundly deaf, priests such as Fr Mike Depcik, deaf from birth, and Fr Joe Coyle, who became
aware of the isolation of the profoundly deaf, especially within their own
families, are included in the response of Jesus to his cousin St John the
Baptist: the deaf hear. The deaf aren't isolated to the same degree
as before, though I have known of priests and people who consider a signing
interpreter at Mass as a 'distraction'.
And the ministry of priests such as
Fr Depcik and Fr Coyle isn't limited to the deaf. Indeed, part of their
ministry, and of those who work with them, whether deaf or hearing, is to bring
about the change of heart that is central to Advent, not only a turning away
from sin but a recognition of the needs of others that we weren't aware of
before. It was through having friends deaf in varying degrees from birth and
through knowing Father Joe that I became aware of the isolation of the deaf
within the Church and in society at large. The same can be said to some extent of
persons with other disabilities. But profound deafness is the only physical
disability that of its nature can totally isolate a person from the community.
There will always be some, for
whatever reason, on the margins. Pope Francis has on a number of occasions very
strikingly shown his respect and love - the respect and love of Jesus himself -
for such persons. The gradual inclusion of those who are profoundly deaf in all
activities of the Church and of wider society, shown, for example, in the use of
signing interpreters at public functions and on television, is one of the signs
that Jesus spoke about to assure St John the Baptist that he truly was the
one who is to come.
It was to the credit of the Columbans that I was
accepted as a candidate for priesthood. That was back in 1969 when I was
completing Form Seven in high school at St John’s College, Hastings, New
Zealand.
You are here
I was accepted despite the fact that I was not only
deaf but I also suffered a serious speech impediment which was a consequence of
my hearing disability. My deafness was more peculiar rather than pronounced. I
cannot hear high-pitched sounds. As a result, I cannot hear many of the
consonants in my own ‘native’ English language. Read the rest of Fr Tom Rouses' article and the responses to it of five profoundly deaf Filipinos, Normam, Willy, Eli, Noel and Marinela here.
Luis Antonio G. Cardinal Tagle, Archbishop of Manila, with Deaf students and staffof Welcome Home Foundation, Carmelite Monastery, Bacolod City, 26 January 2015.
Antiphona ad Communionem Communion Antiphon Cf. Isaiah 35:4
Dicite: Pusillanimes, confortamini et nolite timere:
Say to the faintof heart: Be strong and do not fear.
When John heard in prison what the
Messiahwas doing, he sent word
by hisdisciplesand said to him, ‘Are
you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?’Jesus
answered them, ‘Go and tell John what you hear and see:the blind receive their
sight, the lame walk, the lepersare
cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have good news
brought to them.And
blessed is anyone who takes no offence at me.’
As they went away, Jesus began to speak
to the crowds about John: ‘What did you go out into the wilderness to look at?
A reed shaken by the wind?What
then did you go out to see? Someonedressed
in soft robes? Look, those who wear soft robes are in royal palaces.What then did you go out
to see? A prophet?Yes, I
tell you, and more than a prophet.This is
the one about whom it is written,
“See, I am sending my
messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.”
Truly I tell you, among
those born of women no one has arisen greater than John the Baptist; yet the
least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
Responsorial Psalm [Philippines, USA Lectionary]
Father Joseph Coyle was a Columban priest from Derry, Northern Ireland. He died in the Philippines on 18 December 1991, aged 54, and is buried in a Catholic cemetery here in Bacolod City where I live. Father Joe and I weren't related - my Coyle ancestors moved centuries ago from the north-west of Ireland, where the surname originated, to Rush, a fishing village north of Dublin city - but we felt a sense of kinship. He was ordained on 21 December 1961 during my first year in the Columban seminary in Ireland.
Father Joe spent most of his life as a priest in the island of Negros. He gradually became aware of persons with disabilities and of how their needs weren't being met. He was able to obtain artificial limbs for some. But he noticed that there was one group in every community that was almost totally isolated, because they didn't share a common language with those around them, not even with their own families. This group was people who are profoundly deaf.
Fr Joseph Coyle
(28 February 1937 - 18 December 1991)
More and more Father Joe became involved with deaf people, celebrating Mass in Sign Language in a number of places. In the late 1980s he established Welcome Home in Bacolod City as a residence for out-of-town deaf students so that they could attend special schools here in the city. Special Education has spread now to many towns and that particular need is no longer urgent. But Welcome Home Foundation, Inc., continues with a small number of residents, a school for young children, deaf and hearing, catechetical programmes in public schools with both deaf and hearing catechists, and other activities.
Father Joe's death was devastating initially to the young deaf people with whom he had worked. But his vision was continued and developed by others, most noticeably by Mrs Salvacion V. Tinsay who died in 2008. Her daughter Mrs Agnes T. Jalandoni, President and CEO, along with her board and staff have enabled the work begun by Father Joe to grow and adapt to current needs.
Fr Mike Depcik OSFSis an Oblate of St Francis de Sales, one of very few profoundly deaf priests in the world. He has his own vlog, Fr. MD's Kitchen Table, where, among other things, he posts videos of homilies for Sunday Masses in American Sign Language, such as that above for this Sunday's Mass.
John the Baptist sends his followers to ask Jesus, Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another? Jesus replies, Go and tell John what you hear and see:the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepersare cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have good news brought to them.
For Catholics who are profoundly deaf priests such as Fr Mike Depcik, deaf from birth, and Fr Joe Coyle, who became aware of the isolation of the profoundly deaf, especially within their own families, are included in the response of Jesus to his cousin St John the Baptist: the deaf hear. The deaf aren't isolated to the same degree as before, though I have known of priests and people who consider a signing interpreter at Mass as a 'distraction'.
And the ministry of priests such as Fr Depcik and Fr Coyle isn't limited to the deaf. Indeed, part of their ministry, and of those who work with them, whether deaf or hearing, is to bring about the change of heart that is central to Advent, not only a turning away from sin but a recognition of the needs of others that we weren't aware of before. It was through having friends deaf in varying degrees from birth and through knowing Father Joe that I became aware of the isolation of the deaf within the Church and in society at large. The same can be said to some extent of persons with other disabilities. But profound deafness is the only physical disability that of its nature can totally isolate a person from the community.
There will always be some, for whatever reason, on the margins. Pope Francis has on a number of occasions very strikingly shown his respect and love - the respect and love of Jesus himself - for such persons. The gradual inclusion of those who are profoundly deaf in all activities of the Church and of wider society, shown, for example, in the use of signing interpreters at public functions and on television, is one of the signs that Jesus spoke about to assure St John the Baptist that he truly was the one who is to come.
Renato G. Cruz and his wife Anastacia, a profoundly deaf couple, and their five children, all hearing, teach Pope Francis how to say ‘Thank you’ in Sign Language. [16 January 2015]
It was to the credit of the Columbans that I was accepted as a candidate for priesthood. That was back in 1969 when I was completing Form Seven in high school at St John’s College, Hastings, New Zealand.
You are here
I was accepted despite the fact that I was not only deaf but I also suffered a serious speech impediment which was a consequence of my hearing disability. My deafness was more peculiar rather than pronounced. I cannot hear high-pitched sounds. As a result, I cannot hear many of the consonants in my own ‘native’ English language.
Read the rest of Fr Tom Rouse's article and the responses to it of five Deaf Filipinos, Norman, Willy, Eli, Noel and Marinela, here.
Luis Antonio G. Cardinal Tagle, Archbishop of Manila, with Deaf students and staff of Welcome Home Foundation, Carmelite Monastery, Bacolod City, 26 January 2015.
