Cardinal George Alencherry, the head of Kerala-based Syro-Malabar Church, led a Mass for hearing impaired people Sept. 11 assisted by priests train-ed in sign language, with local media calling it a first in India. Some 200 people, including school-going children to 83-year grandmother, attended the mass and gathering at the Church’s headquarters in Kochi. Hearing impaired people from all the 15 dioceses of the Church in the southern state attended the program. As the Cardinal said the Mass prayers, a priest and a nun trained in sign language stood behind him in the altar commu-nicating the prayers through signs to the gathering that could not hear or speak a word. They also responded to the prayers in sign language. “All the dioceses would arrange Mass for you, whenever you need. Please let us know,” Cardinal Alencherry said at the end of the Mass. The Church is realizing the increasing need of pastoral care for physically challenged people. Other sacraments including confession also would be administered in sign language, he said.
Spanish bishops speak out after leaks of their meeting with Leo XIV
The executive committee of the Spanish Bishops’ Conference, (CEE, by its Spanish acronym) meeting in Madrid this week, issued an official statement regarding the leaks
