Thursday, March 27, 2008

Follow up on deaf priests

Looks like we have an answer to the question about the ability of a deaf man becoming a priest.
(CNA).- A Cuban priest who works on the Spanish island of Tenerife has been named an honorary Prelate by Pope Benedict XVI. Father Saturnino Agustin Yanes Valer is 80 and is deaf.

Msgr. Yanes, as he is now referred to in his diocese, received the honorary title after 50 years of pastoral service to the deaf in Spain.

One of his most recent projects is the blog http://www.pastoraldelsordo.blogspot.com, which offers the readings of the Mass in simple language and a Sunday homily in sign language.

Msgr. Yanes was born in Havana, Cuba on February 26, 1929. His parents, natives of Spain, returned to Tenerife when he was only seven months old. At the age of five he was diagnosed with an illness that left him deaf.

He has several brothers who are also priests.
Source
I would say getting an honorary promotion by the Pope would be a sign there isn't a problem with it.

3 comments:

Athanasis Contra Mundum said...

I wonder if there are any blind priests.

Mark said...

Fr. Caughlin founded a chapter of Tertiary Dominican deaf priests (San Francisco). I also see that:

Nov 10, 2005 ... In 1997, the Archdiocese of New York established a House of Studies for Deaf Seminarians, helmed by the Rev. Thomas Coughlin,

and, according to this article National Catholic Office for the Deaf there are seven deaf priests and 4 in seminary from Fr. Caughlin's community.

KaleJ said...

Good to hear. (pun intended) I don't see any reason for not allowing blind men as priests. As a father of a blind son, I am hoping and praying he will have a vocation to the priesthood.