The Gospel in sign language
Tewatte (AsiaNews) – Some 200 people, mostly hearing-impaired, celebrated Sunday mass in the Jubilee Hall of Tewatta National Basilica on the occasion of the 9th National Catholic Day for the Deaf. The ceremony was entirely performed in sign language.
Unlike most people, the hearing-impaired cannot use the telephone to call a friend or a relative just to ask “How are you?” They rely instead on sign language to “speak” and “hear,” whether it is others or the Gospel. Hence, Fr Sudath Jayalal Silva, chaplain of the blind, hearing- and speaking-impaired, had announced that the thanksgiving mass would be performed entirely in sign language for the 200-strong gathering of mostly deaf people and families who joyfully gathered for the event.
In the presence of Father Silva; Sr Shirani Perera, Superior General of Perpetual Help Congregation; Sr Clarice Perera who is in charge of the hearing-impaired; Sr Jacintha Jayasinghe, principal of the St. Joseph’s School for the Deaf; Chrisantha Jayawardana, chairman of the St Joseph’s Alumni Welfare Association; and a student currently enrolled in the school, the mass was preceded by the traditional lighting of a oil lamp.
“We gather here today as a one family of deaf people to thank the Lord for every blessing we have received during the past year,” Father Silva said in his homily. “We ask the Lord to grant us the wisdom to grow spiritually and to lead our lives on the correct path. We must also decide today to set a good goal for our lives in the coming year.”
Many of those in attendance expressed their enthusiasm and joy. A 29-year-old lady, Ruwanthi Fernando, who helped Father Silva set up the altar, said that she was very happy to be there. Only this way could she and others be together and share their love, joy and sorrow.
Her 62-year-old father told AsiaNews that he was “very grateful to the sisters of Perpetual Help for their priceless service to the deaf that belong to the association.”
School alumni chairman Chrishantha Jayawardane and the association’s secretary Palitha Appunhamy told AsiaNews that “many association members came above all to give thanks to God for their life, marriage, education and even their sorrow.”
“We have never attended this kind of mass,” they said. “In our society it is a rare opportunity to attend a mass like this. This is a blessing for the members of our association and a great day for all of us.”
An event such as this represents a sign of hope for a population burdened by years of strife. Sri Lanka’s civil began in 1983 when minority Tamils organised in the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam attacked Sinhalese soldiers. In a few days this resulted in the death of about a thousand Tamils in the capital Colombo with many more becoming refugees. The conflict has gone on ever since and cost the lives of 60,000 to 80,000 people.
Since December 2005 clashes have escalated costing the lives of 4,000. Since the beginning of the year about a hundred people have been abducted or gone missing, mostly in government-controlled Colombo, Batticaloa and Jaffna. In rebel-held areas, abductions have also been commonplace.
In December 2001 Tamil Tigers and the government signed a truce in Norway, which has acted as a go-between in an attempted peace process. This was formalised by a cease-fire agreement inked on February 22, 2002. However, that accord has remained a piece of paper.
On Thursday of last week some 100,000 people fled the Batticaloa area where Sinhalese troops have massed for what appears to be an offensive against Tamil rebels.
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07/03/2006
09/03/2023 13:42
