The organizers hope that the event will raise awareness among the Catholic Church hierarchy about the needs of deaf Catholics.
Newsroom (08/04/2025 12:26, Gaudium Press) On April 4, a Eucharistic Congress aimed at the deaf Catholic community took place. At the National Shrine of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton in Emmitsburg, Maryland, it was the first of its kind to raise awareness of the needs of deaf Catholics. The deaf community has no official translations of the mass (sign language) and limited resources.
Most deaf people don’t attend Mass
Father Mike Depcik is the chaplain of the deaf ministry in Baltimore and organizer of the event. It is expected that around 230 Catholics took part in this pious initiative. The priest, who is also deaf, designed the congress for deaf people to participate actively.
The majority of the deaf community do not attend mass, due to limited resources. “Various statistics have shown that 96% of deaf people, including baptized Catholics, do not attend any church because of the very limited services available to them in their own language,” he said.
A Eucharistic Congress by and for the Deaf
Fr. Depcik is one of the few deaf priests in the Catholic Church and is one of only 10 deaf priests in the United States. He grew up in a strong Catholic family from Chicago. Born deaf, he is part of the Deaf Community, a robust group with a strong identity, language, and culture.
In an interview with Catholic News Agency, Father Depcik stated that “this Deaf Eucharistic Congress is unique and focused entirely on members of the deaf Catholic community, with deaf, hard of hearing, deafblind, hearing pastoral workers who work in deaf ministry, hearing parents of deaf children, etc.”. Conversely, the 2024 Eucharistic Congress included ASL (American Sign Language) interpreters, but none of the sessions targeted the deaf communities.
The Maryland Deaf Congress focuses on the Eucharist, with Adoration, Mass, and access to the sacrament of confession in ASL. Yet also includes talks and time for fellowship.
“We believe this event will be memorable, as it will be the first Eucharistic Congress specifically made by and for deaf Catholics. Our aim is for the participants to feel inspired by their Catholic faith and to appreciate the Eucharist. We also hope that it will make the Church hierarchy aware of the needs of deaf Catholics,” he concluded. (EPC)
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