Empowering the deaf Catholic community: A journey of faith, inclusion
October 24, 2023
Every year, the St. Dominic Center for the Deaf sponsors a “Lunch with Santa” for the children in their program. The event features a Santa Claus that knows sign language and meets with families. (Photo courtesy of the St. Dominic Center for the Deaf)
HOUSTON — In Houston’s Medical Center, St. Dominic Center for the Deaf stands as a beacon of hope and belonging for the deaf and hard-of-hearing community in the Archdiocese. With a mission to provide a “home” where these individuals feel accepted, cherished and empowered to fully live their Catholic faith, the center’s journey for over 40 years has been one of unwavering commitment and dedication.
Father Len Broniak, C.Ss.R., chaplain and program director of St. Dominic Center, has been a driving force behind the ministry’s initiatives for over two decades. He remains steadfast in his commitment to furthering the ministry’s goals, particularly in training and empowering more deaf lay leadership within the deaf Catholic community.
“We have been recently blessed with the ordination of a deaf deacon, Bruce Flagg,” Father Broniak said. “We also are hosting this year’s National Catholic Office for the Deaf Pastoral Week, where we hope to encourage more people to become active leaders in the faith.”
Currently, approximately 1,000 deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals benefit annually from the center’s services. While the ministry did face challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to a slight dip in attendance, there has been a recent positive shift.
“We were affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, and our attendance is a little down,” Father Broniak said. “But recently, we have had new families joining our community when they find us on Facebook and through a Google search.”
St. Dominic Center offers a range of services to the deaf, hard of hearing and their families, including a weekly Mass in American Sign Language (ASL) every Sunday at 11:15 a.m. in the Warren Chapel. A voice interpreter is available for hearing family members, and deaf members actively participate as lectors, ushers and Eucharistic ministers. The ministry also offers hospital visitation and home visiting for the sick and shut-ins, provides classes for deaf couples on marriage and Baptism preparation, and provides interpreters for Baptisms, weddings, funerals and church events at other parishes.
“Because we serve a culturally diverse population, we are always trying to find new leadership that reflects that reality,” Father Broniak said. “We offer a quarterly Mass in Spanish to encourage Hispanic families to be involved. And we are grooming our young deaf members to be catechists and future leaders.”
One individual who has made St. Dominic Center her faith home is Mary Ann Ryba. She is grateful for the Masses provided by St. Dominic Center because she feels isolated in the “hearing churches.”
“I appreciate that we have a deaf church, so now I can see the words of God and homily in sign language/ASL,” Ryba said. “I feel closer to God in a deaf church than in a hearing church. I can participate, as well as help the deaf community by serving.”
As one of 60 ministries supported by the Diocesan Services Fund (DSF), Father Broniak said he believes it is important for the faithful to support the annual campaign so St. Dominic Center can continue to fulfill its mission to serve the deaf and hard-of-hearing and their families.
If more DSF monies were available, Father Broniak acknowledged the resource challenges the ministry faces.
“To be able to pray and worship in your own language is truly a blessing that is not found in many dioceses throughout the U.S.,” Father Broniak said. “We currently post our Mass on YouTube each week, but there is so much more we could do if we had the technical equipment and know-how. Another wish is training opportunities; there are various programs offered to help train lay leaders, but time and funding are always a challenge.”
To learn more about St. Dominic Center for the Deaf, go to archgh.org/deafministry or Facebook, Houston-Galveston Archdiocese Deaf Community or YouTube, St. Dominic Deaf Church.
To donate to the DSF, go to www.archgh.org/DSF. The DSF supports each of these ministries, whether direct service or education, which require this critical funding to remain in operation. Out of each gift given to DSF, 100% of every dollar goes directly to supporting these ministries.