Kochi, Kerala: For the first time in the history of the Syro-Malabar Church, the Holy Mass (Qurbana) will be celebrated in sign language for the speech and hearing impaired members of the community.
Head of the Syro-Malabar Church, George Cardinal Alencherry announced, this decision was made to make it possible for the deaf or hard-of hearing to fully participate in the Holy Mass and other liturgical celebrations. He said that the liturgy will be celebrated by priests who are trained in sign language.
To initiate the project, the Syro Malabar mass was explained in sign language to a congregation of 40 speech and hearing impaired members in the Ernakulam and Angamali Archdiocese. Sister Abhaya FCC and Sister Smitha ASMI explained the liturgy using the sign language at St. George’s Forane church in Edappally .
Syro Malabar church has become the first Catholic church in Kerala to lead such an initiative and was made possible by the constant efforts of the Synodal Commission for Family and Pro-life of the Church.