'Can life still be something grand, even when suffering unexpectedly enters it?'

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For many years I've had some involvement with persons with disabilities. Last Sunday I officiated at a wedding for two Deaf people. I regularly celebrate Sunday Mass in Sign Language. I'm not very good in that language and find conversations difficult, since I'm poor at reading signs. I've asked a number of experienced interpreters and their experience has been similar to mine. When you are learning a spoken language you reach a point when you can understand far more than you can express. With Sign Language it is the opposite.

I've also been on the fringes of Faith and Life for many years. It is a movement, born from a pilgrimage to Lourdes in 1871, that is made up of 'communities made up of persons with an intellectual disability, their families and friends, particularly young friends, who meet together on a regular basis in a Christian spirit, to share friendship, pray together, fiesta and celebrate life'.

San José Foundation
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Comments

  1. Anonymous2:05 pm, August 23, 2011

    Andrew & I used to go to a Faith & Life group in Chatham, Kent when we were both teaching in secondary schools there..it was very uplifting & inspiring..let me give you a laugh Fr Sean! One of the disabled young men asked us all in a v loud voice..pointing at my husband Andrew.. "Is he handicapped..only looks as if he is!!" lol.. I expect we all are really...

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