HONG KONG (SE): The need for the hearing and the visually-impaired to attend Mass amid Covid-19 coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) restrictions was addressed with the help of the Diocesan Pastoral Centre for the Disabled which offers sign language translation of the Masses livestreamed by the Diocesan Audio Visual Centre every Sunday. As for the visually-impaired, for those who cannot access the Internet, an officer from the centre helps them by connecting them through their mobile phone.
Leung Yuen-wai, an officer from the pastoral centre called for more to be done about the needs of the visually-impaired. She said that while they wish that public Masses can resume soon, they are glad to find more liturgies and formation materials online and hope that such services can continue.
Leung told the Kung Kao Po that whenever there is a Mass organised by the pastoral centre, she bring liturgical books in Braille for blind participants. They are bigger than ordinary booklets, about 10 centimetres thick and at A4 or A3 paper size.
She said that volunteers at the centre have translated a number of liturgies or biblical formation books into Braille. She has also learned some simple Braille to help her work.
She said many visually-impaired people are in fact, very familiar with the Bible because of good recollection and good concentration developed from having to deal with their daily challenges with memory instead of their eyesight.
Leung said that for visually-impaired people, reading takes longer because it takes time to figure words out, through touching the Braille symbols representing consonants, vowels and tone. However, she believes careful reading can help them deepen their appreciation of the scriptures.
She said many visually-impaired people are in fact, very familiar with the Bible because of good recollection and good concentration developed from having to deal with their daily challenges with memory instead of their eyesight.
Peggy Fung Pui-kay of the Diocesan Pastoral Centre for the Disabled has been the sign language interpreter for Masses organised by the commission and the diocese for years. While overcoming the difficulties of interpreting, she realised that humility is needed when offering help.
Fung, the chairperson of the pastoral centre, recounted that when she began her service she thought she was capable of helping the hearing-impaired come closer to God as she believed she knew more about the faith. However, she then realised her limitations in sign language, expression techniques and Bible knowledge. These experiences reminded her to be humble.
Fung found it necessary to discuss biblical vocabulary in sign language when she encountered hearing-impaired Massgoers every week and she found these discussions helpful for mutual spiritual growth.
“It is hard to translate the Bible into sign language as there is a lack of vocabulary,” Fung said, adding however, that sign language has the power to effectively express the emotions of the people in the Bible through the interpreter’s facial expressions and body language.
