By Chainarong Monthienvichienchai
BANGKOK, Thailand – Deaf and hard-of-hearing Catholics gathered at St Louis Church in Bangkok on Sunday, Jul 20, for a special “Open House” event celebrating the Church’s Jubilee 2025: Pilgrims of Hope.
The event welcomed participants from across Bangkok and neighboring provinces, highlighting the Church’s growing commitment to accessibility, inclusion, and pastoral care for one of its most underserved communities.
Fr Peter Bhuravaj Searaariyah, chaplain of the Deaf Catholic Association of Thailand, told LiCAS News that the gathering aimed to address the deep sense of isolation many deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals experience, especially in religious settings where communication barriers remain high.
“This gathering is not only a moment of joy and solidarity,” Fr Peter said, “but also a pastoral response to the deep needs of people who often feel unseen in our churches. By bringing them together and meeting with other faithful, they experience the support of community, and feel the love of God in a language they understand.”
Appointed by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Thailand (CBCT) as the national coordinator for Deaf Ministry, Fr Peter has been leading efforts to improve access through sign language interpretation, Bible sharing, rosary prayer, retreats, and the creation of more welcoming worship environments.
He is also developing a unique “picture language” version of the Bible to make Scripture more accessible to deaf Catholics.
Continue reading in LiCAS.news.
