Deaf Church
Welcome to our Deaf Church. We are Catholic and we are one. Our OC Deaf Church is vibrant and a dynamic faith filled community. Our Lord allows our congregation to continue thriving. Why? Because we follow the teaching of our Lord Jesus Christ. The tradition of the Church and Holy Scripture aid us on our endeavor to know God. Our community wants to know God. We strive to be open to experience his love. Moreover, receiving the sacraments of the church that our alone Lord gives, truly satisfies our soul. Our Deaf assembly is welcoming to all cultures while maintaining the Catholic tradition and teachings. Every year we participate in the California Deaf Conference in Anaheim. Our interpreters are available to anyone who wants to attend the religious education conference. Want more religious education? Join our Catholic Orange County Deaf Church.
Our Deaf Church
Our community welcomes sojourners of other faith traditions. We walk and engage them to know of Jesus better. We do so by articulating what our faith teaches us through tradition backed by scripture. With open arms we welcome those who come from a Deaf Baptist Church tradition. We also welcome those from other non-denominational Deaf churches out there.
Join us!
Leave you current non-religious Deaf assembly and join our Catholic OC Deaf Church. Hungry for theology? We got you! We attend the California Deaf Conference, which is open to all in Anaheim. Our interpreters are there for you. Our Deaf church is easy to connect with. Our community is inclusive and values Deaf cultural norms.
We have a mixed cultural ethnic makeup and it’s makes us quite dynamic. Our potluck socials have delicious food. Vietnamese egg rolls, Mexican Carne Asada, Filipino Pad Thai, great tasting salads and deserts…etc. The great tasting earthly food is nothing in comparison to the spiritual food of our Lord Jesus Christ in the Eucharist.
Tags: ASL Catholic, Christian Deaf Community Orange County, OC Deaf, Orange County DeafDeaf Ministry
OC Deaf Ministry in Orange County California is home at Christ Our Savior Catholic Parish in Santa Ana. You are able to find on our platform Catholic Churches doing California Deaf ministry. You can find such churches on the Mass and Confessions page. OC Deaf and hard of hearing ministry is growing. Deaf Christians are returning to the true Church of Christ. We are glad. Subsequently, we are taking up the mantle to offer sacramental preparation to suit the needs of the faithful. However, we are still searching on behalf of Christ for more souls. Deaf Outreach is best done when Deaf reach Deaf. In a few years time considering the growth rate we see we will be the biggest California Deaf Church.
California Deaf Ministry
California is a big state. There are a lot of churches in California. Though not many have an extensive Deaf program. In California there are a number of churches that have a full scale religious program tailored for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing.
In the archdiocese of San Francisco Fr. Paul Z. is pastor at St. Benedict’s parish. He has been pastor for more than a decade serving the Deaf there. He is a Deaf pastor leading the Deaf. In the Archdiocese of Los Angeles at Holy Angels parish Fr. Tom S. leads the Deaf flock. Deaf outreach in Los Angeles really strong because at Holy Angels it is a personal parish for the Deaf and Hard of hearing.
The Diocese of Orange is shepherded by a number of priests. A couple of them know enough sign language to hear confessions, preach, communicate in ASL. The other priests have been attached with the Deaf community for decades now. They are faithful in their service to satisfy the spiritual needs of many.
OC Ministry
The OC Deaf and hard of hearing ministry has it’s own Facebook page and this website to promote our presence in the Greater Los Angeles, Orange County, San Bernardino, and San Diego area. Over the years each Deaf parish in all of these areas have frequently met and done retreats together to foster greater unity amongst leaders and the faithful.
We are proud to announce that we have the only ASL mass finder in the nation, maybe even the world. You are able to find for example, the mass times our Deaf community by clicking our location on the map. And if you know of any other parishes that need to be on the map contact us.
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 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…
Eucharistic Miracle Rosana Italy
“Bishop Luciano Giovanntti wrote a letter explaining the Eucharistic miracle in Rosano, Italy. On Easter Sunday, April 4, 1948, a group of people praying noticed a tear drop that ran down from the eye of a statue of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The statue was life-size and was donated by a devout person during WWII. It featured Christ’s face with an expression that invites all to prayer, and Christ’s Heart was in the center of His chest with the crown of thorns. A few months later in June, some nuns and others witnessed blood flowing from the statue again, and it continued from 1948 to 1950. Mother IIldegarde Cabitza, the head nun of the community, also witnessed it, and they decided to move the statue to a secret room at the monastery archives. This is also where all the finger towels and purificators that were soaked with the Blood from the statue were kept. Later the Bishop of the diocese of Arezzo learned about it, and the Holy Office sent Fr Luigi Romoli to interview the nuns. He disagreed with the nuns about keeping the statue in a secret room. On November 14, 1950, Holy Office ordered the statue out of the secret room and later in 1952 it was sent back to Rosano. The community of nuns in Rosano experienced the events with joy and great devotion.”- Al Alvord Youtube post
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.
California
We are continuously in contact with California Deaf Ministries all over the state. California Deaf Worship centers are in high demand because generally a lot of people are turning back to God including the Deaf. Below you are able to find Southern California Deaf Ministries. We hope you find the right Southern California Deaf Church.
Find a Deaf Church in California
Los Angeles, CA
Holy Angels in Vernon: Sunday 8:30am ASL w/ (Spoken English translation) & 11am ASL w/ (Spoken Spanish)
Oakland, CA
St. Joseph Center for the Deaf
Orange County, CA
Christ Our Savior in Santa Ana: 12 noon ( in old worship space)
Christ Cathedral in Garden Grove Sundays 9:45am English (ASL interpreted-live) & 11:30am Spanish (ASL Interpreted)
Sacramento, CA
San Bernardino, CA
St. Catherine of Alexandria in Riverside: Sunday 10:15 am English (ASL interpreted) Catechetical class 8:45am
Our Lady of Hope in San Bernardino: Sunday 9:30am
St. Martha in Murrieta: Sunday 9:00am
Sacred Heart in Rancho Cucamonga: Sunday 10:00am
Sacred Heart in Palm Desert: Sunday 8:00am
Our Lady of the Desert in Apple Valley: Sunday 9:30am (Interpreter in Sign, Tactile/Tract, & Oral ((760-964-1089 (V/VRS)) or ((760-242-4427 (CRS/VRS))
San Diego, CA
St. Rose of Lima, Chula Vista Sunday 9:00am PST (ASL Interpreted)
St. Gregory the Great. San Diego Sunday 9:00am PST (ASL Interpreted)
San Francisco, CA
Saint Benedict Parish for the Deaf @ St. Francis Xavier Church (, San Francisco Sunday 10:30am in ASL
San Jose, CA
Stockton, CA
Church of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Please let us know if you are aware of any other Deaf Churches in California by contacting us. If your Southern California Deaf Church is not listed on our map finder, let us know. Many wish to have a fresh list of Southern California Deaf Ministries available to choose from. California Deaf Worship locations sometimes change so please contact us if have any new input.
You can also find Deaf Events in Orange County and Los Angeles here.
ASL and Interpreting students are welcome in our congregation. We ask that if you are interested in being part of our community that you be a practicing Catholic. This condition being met enables you to interpret and assist in Deaf ministry if you are called to it. Livescan, fingerprinting, and a thorough background check is required for volunteers per diocesan policy. It is a lot of work to volunteer but it is worth it.
OC
Welcome to the Orange County Deaf Catholic Community website. OC Hard of Hearing and Deaf events are listed for your convenience. We are one of the biggest CA Deaf communities and we are still growing! California Deaf residents state that they find our community warm, full of zeal, and strong. Why? OC Deaf ministry is strongly supported by our Bishops, priests, and deacons. There are a myriad of priests that serve our community and we are very grateful to them.
Our new website has many unique features. An awesome feature is the ASL mass finder. We are continually adding more churches to the map as we come aware of them. Try it when you travel and when you want to recommend a church to friends or family. Simply enter the city or address that you are staying and press enter. A list of the nearest churches will display.
OC Deaf Church
Our Orange California Deaf community is multicultural. We have a mix Korean, Mexican, Filipino, Anglo, and Vietnamese Deaf and Hard of Hearing persons. Currently there is a demand for Spanish masses before or after the Deaf religious program occurs. This benefits family members who speak Spanish and do not know American Sign Language. What is a blessing is that we are able to do that at our parish. So, please consider joining us if that is question in the back of your head.
Opportunities for ASL students and student interpreters are available to serve the Orange County Deaf community. Students can enlist to receive service hours for school or college. We kindly ask that such students be practicing or baptized Catholics. If any such student has been away from the church they may find our confession schedule to receive the sacrament of reconciliation.
Deaf ministry opportunity
ASL hymn videos are a big hit on the internet. As of yet our community is preparing to reach into this wonderful evangelizing opportunity. Our observations and feedback indicate that the Deaf love interpreted music videos. The ratio to ASL music video hits to an ASL catechetical video is well over 500:1. For example one ASL catechetical video may reach one to two thousand views, while an ASL music video will get fifteen to thirty thousand. That is astronomically different. We feel that emphasis in this ministry will attract more Deaf and Hard of Hearing persons to our faith community. This is so to lead all souls to Jesus Christ.
One of our ministerial goals is to be the leader in Orange County and California. We thank all OC Hard of Hearing and Deaf parishioners. Moreover, we thank any and all California Deaf residents who visit us every week. Feel free to check our Deaf OC and CA Deaf events calendar.
Orange County Deaf
Welcome to the Orange County Deaf Catholic Community website. Deaf OC events are listed at your convenience. We are one of the biggest CA Deaf communities and we are still growing! California Deaf residents state that they find our community warm, full of zeal, and strong. Why? OC Deaf ministry is strongly supported by our Bishops, priests, and deacons. There are a myriad of priests that serve our community and we are very grateful to them.
Our new website has many unique features. An awesome feature is the ASL mass finder. We are continually adding more churches to the map as we come aware of them. Try it when you travel and when you want to recommend a church to friends or family. Simply enter the city or address that you are staying and press enter. A list of the nearest churches will display.
Orange County Deaf Church
Our community is multicultural. We have a mix Korean, Mexican, Filipino, Anglo, and Vietnamese Deaf and Hard of Hearing persons. Currently there is a demand for Spanish masses before or after the Deaf religious program occurs. This benefits family members who speak Spanish and do not know American Sign Language. What is a blessing is that we are able to do that at our parish. So, please consider joining us if that is question in the back of your head.
Opportunities for ASL students and student interpreters are available to serve the Orange County Deaf community. Students can enlist to receive service hours for school or college. We kindly ask that such students be practicing or baptized Catholics. If any such student has been away from the church they may find our confession schedule to receive the sacrament of reconciliation.
ASL hymn videos are a big hit on the internet. As of yet our community is preparing to reach into this wonderful evangelizing opportunity. Our observations and feedback indicate that the Deaf love interpreted music videos. The ratio to ASL music video hits to an ASL catechetical video is well over 500:1. For example one ASL catechetical video may reach one to two thousand views, while an ASL music video will get fifteen to thirty thousand. That is astronomically different. We feel that emphasis in this ministry will attract more Deaf and Hard of Hearing persons to our faith community. This is so to lead all souls to Jesus Christ.
One of our ministerial goals is to be the leader in Orange County and California. We thank all OC Deaf parishioners and California Deaf residents who visit us every week. Feel free to check our Deaf OC and CA Deaf events calendar.
