Religious Education
The Diocese of Orange in California offers religious education for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. Our Sacramental religious preparation program is in American Sign Language. Our parishioners are Deaf, Deafblind, Hard of hearing, and hearing. We support those with disabilities who know American Sign Language. Our community supports those who have family members who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing. We offer ASL and deaf culture classes as needed.
The demographic population in California is ethnically mixed, but this truly enriches our faith community. We respect and honor ethnic cultural traditions all the while advocating for Jesus Christ and His Church. Our approach to education is to assess each person to see which kind of instructional method will most likely work. For some it is strictly 1:1, for others it is in a group setting. We create individual education plans upon request or need. Everyone is different and has different aptitudes for learning. We get it.
Program
Our program meets weekly on Sunday before or after mass. Our schedule is posted and given to parents, sponsors, and those participating usually in the fall. We committed to the teachings of the church and follow a lengthy process of formation. Why so long? Because, to withstand and deter evil in this world takes time, training, and discernment. Discipleship is life-long. There is no end. A few initial years in our eviternal existence is nothing in comparison to the big picture.
Be assured that we will cover pressing dogmatic and moral theological questions. Yes, we methodically answer the tough themes, questions, and objections that the devil would like all of us to believe. The difficulty, opportunity, and treasure is to know why all of the Catholic Churches teachings promise happiness, joy and fulfillment. Contrary to popular and sinful rationale of our time does the Church offer answers to make us happy, or happy again.
Join
Join our community by registering. We keep in contact with email, newsletters, and blog/vlog posts. Retreats are frequently requested because we seek the Lord and vice-versa. We have retreat offerings for only men and only women and coed as they appear.
Our bread and butter program deals with sacramental preparation. We offer First Communion, Confirmation 1 & 2, RCIA, and baptism classes for parents and Godparents.
Church
Why come to church at all? Going to church is a safe harbor for our soul. God overshadows the church to allow us to rest in him. It is a place and time to be one together. Outside the church is disunity and chaos. God our creator, protector, and shepherd soothes our being. He gives us exactly what we need, Him!
We are created to know, and our intellect never stops inquiring about things, let alone God. Our religious education program aims to reveal God’s saving plan for all of us and prepares souls to receive him via the sacraments.
Visit our community in-person and subscribe to our social media channels.
Tags: ASL Catholic, Catholic Deaf Community, Catholic Deaf Community California, Christian Deaf Community Orange County, Orange County ASLASL Sign for Catholic
ASL Sign for Catholic. These four words encompass what our Deaf Church lives and breathes. We communicate in American Sign Language. We are the light of the world as followers of Christ to all. It appears to many of us that the world is deaf. It does not listen to words and teaching of Christ as the way, the truth, and the life.
ASL Sign for Catholic
Being a follower of Christ involves carrying our cross. What better way than to show to the world the cross we carry than on our foreheads. For our intellect or mind gives command to our actions and words. We intentionally follow the Lord and the way of life he led to become more like unto him.
Want to know more signs? Check out the rest of the resources in our website. Better yet, visit us on Sundays.
The video to the left demonstrates how to sign the word Catholic in ASL. Why is it done this way? In Lent we receive ashes on their forehead. The dark ashes worn by the faithful on ash Wednesday is a indicator that someone is likely Catholic.
The picture below is an Ash Wednesday comical relief.
Catholic
Catholic ASL Deaf Church Community in the Diocese of Orange, California. We follow Jesus Christ which makes us Christian. Followers of Christ all over the world is summed up with being universal followers. We are Catholic because the word itself means ‘universal.’ Christianity is predominantly Catholic even though there are many denominations. Our Catholic-Christian Deaf ministry is centered on the Eucharist. Our efforts here for brothers and sisters in Christ to seek to receive the sacraments especially the Eucharist.
Hallmarks of the Catholic faith is the hierarchy. We have the vicar of Christ on earth, the pope. We also have cardinals, bishops, priests, deacons, religious brothers and sisters, and the lay faithful. This body of faith in unique and diverse that it cultivates life as we have grace within us. Our prayer is that we all are united in Jesus Christ. That we confess to one faith, one church, and one Lord of all.
Catholic
An interesting fact about the Catholic faith is that you can go anywhere in the world and the service is the same. The mass, the unbloody sacrifice is offered unto God the Father just as on Calvary. It is not a new and separate sacrifice aside from Christ’s it is the same. Our notion of time thinks that it is impossible to do, say, and believe such a thought.
Time is a creation of God that we humans know and experience. However, with God it is not the case. He is outside of time. He gives us his one eternal sacrifice throughout all time. The scriptures attest that the lamb was already slain from the foundations of the world.
Mass
We Catholics take Jesus’ words really seriously even more so than Baptists, Adventists, Methodists, Jehovah Witnesses, Mormons, and all others. Our Lord’s words are placed in the proper context. A sure way to be sure to stand behind such teachings and decrees of the Church is to look at all the councils, synods, and responses to heresies. They all attest to the same truth that the Church proclaims.
Eucharist
John 6:53-58
53 Jesus said to them, “Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you. 54 Whoever eats[a] my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day. 55 For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. 56 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him. 57 Just as the living Father sent me and I have life because of the Father, so also the one who feeds on me will have life because of me. 58 This is the bread that came down from heaven. Unlike your ancestors who ate and still died, whoever eats this bread will live forever.”
We truly believe that Jesus’ body, blood, soul and divinity is present in the Catholic mass.
ASL
Our ministry exists to proclaim and hand down the faith in American Sign Language to Deaf, Hard of Hearing, Hearing, disabled, and those with special needs. ASL Ministry is fulfilling and so come join us on Sundays.
Tags: ASL Catholic, California Deaf Ministry, OC DeafASL Catholic
Find ASL Catholic prayers, signs, resources, and churches all throughout our community website. Catholic ASL has a lot of roots dating back centuries ago. Read the post. Our Sunday School classes teach Catholic American Sign Language religious signs. Our Deaf church community in Orange County California welcomes you and so does our ministry team! How to sign Catholic in Sign Language. Interpreters. Worship. Access. Disability.
ASL Catholic
ASL Catholic Media is one of the prominent dispensers of content. It is respectable Christian sign language media source. Another resource that is collaboratively being done to disseminate the Catechism in sign language is ASL Youcat. ASL Youcat is worth reviewing, studying, and watching to learn about the Faith. Saint Stories in ASL are also available to watch with English and or Spanish subtitles. For those who doubt the real presence of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist visit Al Alvord’s youtube channel. Deaf Philly has a phenomenal Sunday Vlog that reflects on the gospel. Another fan favorite is Fr. Mike Depcik’s website and YouTube channel.
Covid-19 created an online Deaf ministry springtime in all Christian denominations. There are great websites out there and we want to bring them to you here. But, we want to do our part and contribute to the worldwide community as well. We are going to do our part in the little corner of the world that we live in and connect. We want to connect everyone to Jesus Christ.
One of our big contributions to the United States church and abroad is our ASL Catholic mass finder. Churches are added as soon as they are fact checked that they do Catholic Deaf ministry. If you know of any that are not listed in our database please contact us.
Sign Language
The Diocese of Orange supports Catholic American Sign Language for Deaf, Hard of Hearing, and those with disabilities. We have a large community that overwhelmingly fluent in ASL. We are here for those parents needing to learn the language to communicate with their child. Whatever we can do to assist and advocate for our Deaf parishioners we will do our best, all-the-while advocating for Jesus Christ.
We have dedicated interpreters for our liturgies. If you would like to request an ASL interpreter for diocesan faith matters please do so here. If you would like to join our interpreting team please contact us. We are very supportive to ASL students and ASL interpreting students.
Tags: ASL CatholicChurch
Church is a polarizing word to speak these days. Why? It implies being God-fearing. The word Church means that we honor and serve God. Following His laws and not the human laws concocted without justice to God makes us enemies to the world. We are those who honor God in church worship by attending mass and receiving the sacraments. Our Deaf Catholic Church empowers those who are Deaf, Hard of Hearing, hearing, and with disability. We gather for worship every Sunday and as often as we can as a community. In our Catholic-Christian tradition you may find a local church service using our custom ASL mass finder. Other Catholic Churches with Deaf ministry have their church times listed. We are doing our best in our new online presence and we are just getting started. Visit our in-person church service to find out how you can be involved.
In Orange County California we are a constantly growing Deaf and Hard of Hearing Christian community. Our services are in American Sign Language (ASL) and our ministry is to proclaim Jesus Christ to everyone particularly in Sign Language. We do this by first praying that the Holy Spirit may equip us with love and truth to spread his love.
Church
“Catholic vision assigns symbolic meaning to the various parts of the church building, as it does to pretty much everything else in the world. The roof symbolizes charity, which covers a multitude of sins; the floor symbolizes the foundation of faith and the humility of the poor; the columns represent the Apostles, Bishops, and Doctors; the vaulting represents the preachers who bear up the dead weight of man’s infirmity heavenwards; and the beams represent the champions of ecclesiastical right who defend it with the sword. The nave symbolizes Noah’s Ark and the Barque of St. Peter, outside of which no one is saved. The direction of the East represents the Heavenly Jerusalem, and the direction whence the Messiah will return in glory; West represents death and evil.”- Catholic Encyclopedia
The above diagram is how early Catholic-Christians saw church worship. But, it is also how we view it as well. It is an universal belief, hence the word Catholic means universal. Our Church worship and church services have stayed the same.
Added Church theology
The layout of the church despite what configuration you see today has a lot of theological layers and meaning. The Narthex in the ancient Jewish understanding were for the gentiles. The gentiles were not circumcised nor were part of the chosen people. But they could be parts of God’s people if they got circumcised. This ritual was their way of acceptance, per God’s decree. Today the idea is the same except that baptism is the entry point. This is why generally, baptism fonts are in the back of the church.
The word “nave” should resound. It is where we get the word navy. It is boat or ark. Once we enter the church we embark through the oceans and winds of the world. God protects us. This journey is toward heaven. Generally, there is a demarcation via steps that signify the line where the lay faithful and priest separate. This is for an important purpose. Why? Well, lets look at a funeral liturgy. The deceased is placed at the steps before the altar. The steps to the sanctuary represent the separation but vicinity of earth and heaven. It is only Jesus Christ who ascends to heaven to intercede for us. Furthermore, the priest of Jesus Christ ascends to the altar in the person of Christ to offer the mass for the soul of the deceased. More catholic bytes to be continued…
Christian
To be a Christian today is a bold choice. It is bold because it is a choice and a way of living to honor God and his creation.
Christians are followers of Jesus Christ. Some may ask why are Christians hated today and why were they hated at the time of Christ? What follows is a very brief summary of the tie of religion and the quest for power.
Very brief history of early Christianity
Lessons from our history note that emperors and rulers relied on religion to unite peoples. If they captured this aspect of life above all, as well as other facets, they had a kingdom. I.e. look at the early roman persecutions before 300 a.d. At this time, the emperor and lords demanded that everyone worship and offer sacrifice to a pagan idol. Simply said, the authorities indicate to which idol the people are to worship. If they worship it, they are part of the emperor’s kingdom. If not, the sword awaits them. Mind you, Christians were at this time not a publicly accepted form of religion. They were considered trouble makers and dividers. Why? Well this notion of Jesus Christ raising from the dead that prophecies and scriptures tell of, took place and is spreading.
As Jesus and the promised land of heaven echoes throughout regions and foreign lands, it makes every king shiver. Why? Because Jesus is not an acceptable form of worship. This means that whole hosts of people rejected offering sacrifice to strange idols. It means that their kingdom was not united. It means those who followed Christ were slaughtered wholesale. No different today whether be it a physical, political, emotional, or psychological death. Anyway, continuing on, as the persecutions continued it was the bishops, priests, and deacons who met the sword first before the rest of the faithful. Why? because these were the leaders spreading the faith. The rationale behind this is, If they kill them, they kill the resistance within the kingdom, and if they kill them and all other Christians, they have a united kingdom.
How was Christianity officially recognized?
How was Christianity officially recognized? Briefly, the emperor Constantine was outnumbered 5:1 in battle. One account suggests that in his sleep Christ revealed to Constantine that “with this sign” you will conquer. That sign being, the sign of the cross. So, Constantine ordered his troops to put the Sign of the cross on their shields and so forth. Just like in the Old testament, the Lord of hosts delivered his people from death and won victory. Part of the agreement between our Lord and Constantine was that he would ratify the Christians in the kingdom. Constantine was baptized on his deathbed. He is considered along with Charlemagne as a Christian Civil defender. These two people are recognized in bronze statues in the breeze way of the facade in St. Peter’s basilica in Rome.
More Christian history to be continued…
Our Catholic Deaf Community shares the same faith as those who gave their lives out of Christian witness. We aspire that in Orange County California we may spread the faith to peoples that know not Jesus Christ. To join our Deaf ministry crusade contact us.
Catholic ASL
The Diocese of Orange has Catholic ASL resources at your fingertips. Search among our Christian ASL database in the links above to find what you are looking for. Catholic American Sign Language videos are posted every week. We train Christian American Sign Language ministry leaders. Our ASL Church liturgies attract many from all over the Greater Los Angeles area.
Catholic ASL
Do you know that you can find a Deaf Church near you? Catholic Churches that support the Deaf and Hard of hearing can be found in our custom directory.
The definition of the word “catholic” is universal. ASL is short for American Sign Language. You can find a church universally in sign language almost anywhere in the word. Check it out!
Those of you residing in Los Angeles, Orange County, Riverside, and San Diego you can see our mass times here. Anyone who wants to find an online Catholic Deaf church service can click here.
ASL Church
A big component of any Deaf Church is the use of American Sign Language. This includes parents of Deaf children. Family members of the Deaf are in most ways obligated to know ASL anyways. Language within any culture is cherished or sacred. It is the language that they relate to God and the manner in which they yearn to know God through.
We realize that many have relatives that are Deaf and do not yet know ASL. Attending our services, retreats, and other public gatherings increases your language receptivity skills. “Little by little” as the idiom goes. In no time our Deaf community will support you in your ASL language quest. Over a couple years you will be up-to-speed and converse fluently in Sign Language.
Catholic American Sign Language
In addition to already being fluent in ASL or if you are learning the language you will find that there are different signs for biblical terms. Yes, nearly every Christian denomination has it’s own version of biblical terms. Why? Because the signs used denotes the underlying theology. i.e. Catholic American Sign Language signs will be different than most protestant or baptist churches. Some Christian ASL signs are the same i.e. “sin”. What is more interesting is the differences between national Catholic sign languages. For example, the Catholic ASL sign for God is a bent open-B arching above the head with your dominant hand. In Italy, LIS is the sign language use there. For God, it is simply the index finger of your dominant hand pointed upward. International Catholic sign language signs are different but, underlying the same theology.
What is even more odd or confusing is to find non-denominational churches using the same signs other non-American Catholic countries are using. For example, non-denominational Christian American Sign Language for a term may be the index finger pointed upward like the Catholics in Italy do. But the question remains as to whether their notion or understanding of the triune God is the same. Interesting huh? Welcome to the Church! At any rate we welcome you to our ASL Church.
Tags: Catholic Deaf Community, Catholic Faith for the Deaf, Orange County ASL