San Antonio, Texas, Jan 19, 2008 / 21:17 pm
Next Tuesday, Father Tom Coughlin and a group of seminarians who minister to the deaf will go up against the Castle Hills City Council in hopes to obtain a special permit that would allow them to continue living in their single-family zoned home.
The House of Studies for Deaf Seminarians is comprised of Father Tom Coughlin and seminarians who are either deaf or who minister to the hearing impaired. They reach out to the deaf community and help train priests from around the world to use sign language.
The ministry, which began in New York, struggled to find a reasonably-priced home in California before settling in San Antonio. Within the city, the priest and seminarians found a supportive archdiocese and also an affordable place to live.
Their new home hasn’t offered the solace they desired. The San Antonio Express reports that after purchasing a 9-bedroom, 9-bathroom, two-story home, Father Coughlin learned that the property was actually located in Castle Hills, a suburb of San Antonio.