Liturgies With Deaf Worshipers

For deaf persons, liturgies need to communicate through gesture, action, sign language, drama, film, slides, overheads, and skits, as well as through speech and music. Such media are the vernacular for deaf people. The following article will offer some suggestions on how to make liturgy communicate to deaf people.

Music and sound, drama and poetry are closely linked to liturgical prayer, as indeed, most forms of worship are based on sound. For many people, worship is the spoken or sung Word. Sometimes music is added to the liturgy; and gestures and objects are part of the accompanying ceremonial. However, too often liturgists emphasize language only, citing the assembly's need to understand the service and to share in the proclamation of the Word. Severely deaf people derive little or no benefit, however, from this type of religious service; and they are unable to contribute much to it. For the deaf, the liturgist must change the emphasis from the auditory to the visual aspects of worship. It is less obvious, but of great importance to note, that this shift will also be helpful for people who can hear. Sound, especially speech, is important for worship; it evokes an intellectual, emotional, and inspirational response from the assembly. Yet there are three theological problems with liturgies that only rely on sound to communicate. First, sound liturgies are based on the principle that faith comes by hearing. They do not seem to be based on the principle that God's Word is incarnate and should be proclaimed by seeing, touching, tasting, and smelling, as well as by speaking and listening. Second, the nature of human response also requires a larger vision. In Mark Twain's Letters from the Earth, the angel was astonished to discover that earth's people, most of whom could not abide music for any length of time, still imagined heaven to be entirely devoid of every pleasure not associated with harps and singing. It was obvious to Satan that the "?church?" was a plague to be avoided, so little did it have to do with the full range of people's capacity for life (Bernard DeVoto, ed., Letters from the Earth [1985]). Third, a liturgy that is too auditory fails to make even good use of sound, since silence and gesture as well as spoken language are parts of sound. These theological problems clarify an important point: a liturgy that is good for deaf people will be good for people with hearing also. Men and women who have been severely deaf from birth or early infancy will generally have experienced great difficulty in acquiring language. Many have little intelligible speech, and their understanding of both spoken and written language is often limited. Where vocabulary is limited, the understanding of thought patterns takes on visual, rather than verbal forms. The poetry of biblical and liturgical language, as well as its theological significance, must be explained as far as possible; this means that communicators to deaf people must be more than translators—they must also be interpreters. In a religious setting, we are dealing with words that signify abstract concepts and ideas, rather than words that lead to obvious concrete and pictorial imagery. During liturgy, Christians call forth praise, increase awareness of their brothers and sisters and their needs, and express their faith and relatedness to the Holy One. Deaf persons, as well as persons with hearing, need to experience this celebration in communion with the whole church. Involving everyone in this experience is a difficult challenge. To meet this challenge, we must develop and follow some general principles for planning liturgies that include the deaf. Physical Surroundings According to Eugene Walsh, S.S., five ministerial locations are necessary for the celebration of Mass. The assembly, the presiding minister, and the musician need identifiable places, as well as the altar and lectern needing a place. The space and place of each ministry must be so arranged that they help the assembly and its ministers to do their tasks effectively and graciously. There must be good light so that people can see each minister's face and hands clearly. No window should be located behind the minister; it would produce a glare for the congregation and cast the minister's face in a shadow. The assembly space should assist people to gather around and to be in touch with one another. The other spaces should be in front and in full view of all members of the assembly. The worship space, and especially its background, should be uncluttered. Statues, ornate decoration, and murals should not draw attention away from the presider. Only furniture that is actually being used should be in the celebration area. Vestments and Other Decorations. The utensils and the elements of bread and wine should be chosen carefully for each celebration. A glass decanter of wine and a glass chalice allow persons to see the wine. Loaves of bread are more visible than unleavened bread. The altar is an important symbol; it should have on it only what is used when it is used. Books, banners, flowers, vestments, and other decorations are secondary signs. They should not be distracting, but simple and bright, strong and wholehearted. No signs should be present that do not focus on the theme chosen for a particular celebration. A theme is not an addition to the lectionary. It is, rather, the specific idea or concept embodied in a particular liturgy. The more clearly it is understood, the easier it is to express. Music and Speech. Too many elements incorporated into the liturgy are distracting and confusing. A good liturgical principle is to make the liturgy a visual or visible event. It should be shown, not said. What people can see is what happens in the liturgy. The use of the vernacular in liturgy extends beyond the use of the native tongue to include the use of sign language, drama, gesture, film, slides, overheads, and skits. Such media are the vernacular for deaf people. Songs that are simple and repetitive can be used in liturgies for deaf people, especially if the music's purpose in worship is to promote celebration by the assembly. Songs must be capable of eliciting the participation of deaf persons; for example, a deaf person may choose and lead the signing of songs. Otherwise, deaf people will watch songs as an interpreter's performance, rather than as an occasion for their own participation. Sometimes, deaf persons enjoy watching a reverent rendition of a hymn and are led to pray by this experience. An occasional solo or sign choir performance can enhance the liturgy. Some pastoral workers who teach signing songs to deaf choirs find the work a good opportunity for catechesis. Deaf persons, after discussing the meaning of the words, will choose the signs and motions that best express this meaning, invite participation, and elicit praise. Some Concrete Suggestions There are many possible ways to include deaf persons in the penitential rite. Slides can be used, for example, to illustrate failure to appreciate God's gifts or situations of interpersonal discord. All persons should sign after each picture, "?Lord, have mercy,?" or another appropriate response. Penitential rites should always be simple—in keeping with their place in the overall structure of the celebration. If the use of slides overemphasizes this rite, they may be used at another time, perhaps during the prayers of the faithful. The opening prayer in the sacramentary is a model prayer. The presiding minister may want to embellish it or adapt it to a specific congregation. When inviting the people to pray, the presider should pause and encourage the people to pray silently before proceeding with the official prayer. Many pastoral workers with the deaf will use only one reading at the liturgy of the Word, because they do not believe the average person (hearing or deaf) can pay attention to and assimilate three readings. Although this is not always the case, the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy makes provision for special liturgies when it states, "?The revision of liturgical books should allow for legitimate variations and adaptations to different groups, regions, and peoples?" (par. 37). Drama by deaf persons is a very effective presentation of the readings; filmstrips and slides are also good. The New Testament for the Deaf published by Baker House will assist those who need assistance in simplifying the language. The use of all three readings ensures that the gospel is presented in relation to the whole of Scripture, and it provides a more ample opportunity for deaf lectors to participate. Lectors should always practice well ahead of the ceremony to ensure that a clear expression of the message is given. Short and simple homilies are usually good ones. Charts and visual aids are especially effective for younger audiences. Adults too will remember ideas that are visually illustrated. The prayer of the faithful is an important and comforting aspect of celebrating the Eucharist. It can be a time to invite spontaneous petitions from the congregation. An appropriate response could be signed, for example, "?Father, for your gifts, we thank you.?" Action and gesture speak more than words, during the presentation of the gifts. People bring a decanter of wine and a basket with unbroken bread to the presider, who accepts them and places them on the altar. The prayers of preparation are said silently and quickly with the priest holding the decanter and basket together in a single, simple, reverential gesture. No music or song should be permitted at this point as it might distract from or prolong what is taking place. Possibilities for interpreting the various eucharistic prayers have been developed and are available from the National Catholic Office for the Deaf. When the distribution of Communion is complete, the empty baskets and goblets are placed on a side table to await purification after the service. Once again the altar should be clear. A quiet meditation with slides can be used during this time. An appropriate short reading, adapted psalm, or a spontaneous thanksgiving litany could serve for this meditation. In a variation of the thanksgiving litany, a representative from each family may come forward and mention a specific blessing for which that family is thankful. The closing song will be simple, repetitive, and joyous. I have presumed that the planners and ministers of liturgies are comfortable with the language of the deaf and are sensitive to the special needs of this group. Specific materials may be ordered from the National Catholic Office for the Deaf, which publishes Signs for Catholic Liturgy and Education and a bimonthly journal Listening, which features specific liturgies for various seasons of the church year. Another type of situation occurs when a few deaf persons are part of a congregation in which most can hear. Then an interpreter, rather than the celebrant, signs the words of the celebrant, readers, and singers. In this case, the interpreter must follow the established format. Since the celebration will probably proceed at an accelerated pace, the interpreter must be well-prepared and should have consulted with the minister about where to stand and where deaf persons will sit in order to see clearly. Before the service begins, the interpreter will study the readings, the song words, and the homily, if the celebrant has a copy. Often song words are not clearly articulated and so the interpreter will need to rely on written lyrics. Those who appreciate the difficulty of interpreting hymns and who need assistance in signing, should see "?Interpreting Hymns for Deaf Worshipers?" in Listening magazine (Sept.-Oct. and Nov.-Dec. 1983). With careful preparation, an interpreter can be the link connecting deaf people to the celebration, allowing them to take their rightful place in a worshiping assembly. Sometimes persons who can hear may also sign parts of the liturgy. At such times, deaf persons will feel a true sense of care, concern, and unity within their parish.