Vatican City, Jun 4, 2010 / 14:29 pm
In response to Pope Benedict's call to promote the dignity of the deaf and work for their “full social integration,” the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Health Workers, who is celebrating their 25th anniversary this year, has organized a convention in Rome this weekend.
“Effata! The deaf person, herald and witness of the evangelical announcement” is the theme of the convention being held June 4-6.
The program of events includes addresses from the top officials in the Vatican dicastery for health as well as international Church and lay representatives who specialize in the care and formation of deaf individuals. Hearing-impaired deacon Dr. Josef Rothkopf, president of the Association of Deaf Catholics, is among the speakers and gave his talk titled, "The Gospel of life proclaimed to the Deaf by a Deaf Man" to approximately 100 participants on Friday morning.
The dicastery’s secretary, Bishop Jose Redrado, explained in a statement announcing the initiative that it “constitutes a first concrete act” based on the recommendations given by Pope Benedict XVI during an audience with the 400 participants in an International Conference on “Deaf people in the life of the Church” in the Vatican last November.