The Catholic Ministry for the Deaf community with Fr Rowland Yeo
By Jomeilyn Fogata
Aug 9 2023
PAHANG – The Catholic Ministry for the Deaf (CMfD) held its annual retreat recently at the Villa Dominic Retreat House. Fr Rowland Yeo Teck Heng, a Singaporean priest from St Francis Holy Orders, facilitated the retreat. He is the first South East Asian deaf Catholic priest who ministers to the Catholic Deaf Ministry across the continent.
During the retreat, Fr Rowland conducted deep-dive theological teachings. These sessions were on Grace and Sacraments, Plagues, the Passover, the Four Cups, Moses and Jesus, Covenants, the Bread of Life Discourse, and Mary, the new Ark of the Covenant.
Fr Rowland said, “I spoke about the community of faith to the attendees. As a fellowship of believers, we manifest our love and unity. We gather to celebrate the Eucharist by sharing in Holy Communion. We receive the Bread of Life and the Cup of Salvation. Holy Communion symbolises and affects our unity. We pray for each other. We help each other in need. We support the members of Christ who are labouring in the missions with our prayers and alms. We work together to renew the face of the earth, and associate and cooperate in the work of the parish to which we belong and in social, economic, and civic life.”
Through these topics, our CMfD brothers and sisters gained deeper knowledge and understanding of how the Catholic faith has such a great part in the history of mankind and how it brings us to today’s generation of the practice of faith. They were able to re-align what they learnt and understood. They also expressed real and deeper acceptance of every symbolism and representation of our faith in God through Catholicism.
The CMfD community also strengthened their ties during the retreat through bonding activities and fellowship, while in reflection. Our gratitude to Fr Rowland for guiding our community to lift their spirits back to God and living the retreat theme “Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practise hospitality – Romans 12:13”
The CODA (Children of Deaf Adults) also attended a children’s camp run by volunteer Special Ed Teacher, Rachel Sebastian, and three other visiting volunteers.
“I hope the deaf’s need for priests who know sign language is realised and they also listen and act on behalf of the deaf who can go to Mass and receive the Sacrament of Confession in sign language,” said Fr Rowland.
Over the weekend, members of the CMfD community had an awakening and deepening of faith and relationships, thus creating the desire to continue serving our Lord and the Catholic Church through the power of the Holy Spirit and the everlasting grace of our Lord. May all the works for the Lord be to His praise. – Herald Malaysia
