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On 26 April, Maria and Peter Booker, diocesan Deaf Service Coordinators, and Fr Ian Byrne joined a Catholic Deaf Association (CDA) pilgrimage to Rome organised by the Kairos Forum, for the Jubilee for People with Disabilities: “Living Fully with Value and Hope”.

The group visited and processed through the Holy Doors of the Basilicas of St Peter, St Paul Outside the Walls, Santa Maria Maggiore, including a chance to visit the tomb of Pope Francis. Peter relates that this was a “simple and beautiful solemn moment for each person walking past.”

During the Pilgrimage, the group also visited the Paths of Hope exhibition on the Via della Conciliazione. There were exhibition stands and the National Conference on occasion of the Jubilee of People with Disabilities, whose title was "We: Pilgrims of Hope". Organisations shared the lives and signs of hope of persons with disabilities.

Earlier, opening the work of the conference, Sr Veronica Donatello, head of disability outreach for the Italian Bishops, recalled how this Jubilee was inspired by Pope Francis’ legacy of encounter. "It is beautiful to see men and women of every language and nation coming together to give thanks to the Lord," she said. "In recent years, we’ve worked a lot on the culture of belonging: looking at the person with disabilities beyond their limitations."

Paralympic athletes BeBe Vio and Oney Tapia, also shared their stories with the audience, inspiring them to face every difficult situation with renewed impetus and without fear, knowing that, in the end, disability is an asset for the whole of society.

On Tuesday 29 April, the group was in St Peter’s Square for another part of the conference, and Peter noted that they were “with hundreds of other Deaf people from around the world with their own interpreters, some giving testimonies.” The group also enjoyed a party in the park within the grounds of Castel San Angelo.

On Wednesday 30 April there was a meeting of the Worldwide Deaf Community with Sr Veronica Donatello and Archbishop Fisichella. Peter tells us that “here the Deaf people gathered to hear testimonies from various people in the Basilica di San Giovanni Battista, with catechesis and testimonies from Deaf representatives from all five continents. Fr Paul Fletcher SJ, spoke about his own life experience growing up.”

For Peter, “The whole 5 days were packed and busy, the atmosphere throughout the week was one that we will never forget.”

One of the interpreters in the group, James Fitzgerald RSLI, recalls the challenges and rewards of interpreting in international crowds of thousands: “Despite everything being in Italian with poor sound quality, Lyn and I managed to interpret into BSL for our group, using Cristina who translated quietly into spoken English, which was then relayed into louder English by an Irish lady, from which I interpreted into BSL. The BSL was then relayed into International Sign by someone else, who then relayed that into ASL for a group from America. A trans-language challenge!”

“It was a joy to voice-over Fr Paul [CDA Chaplain] giving his presentation (arranged at the very last minute!) at the international meeting, and to see him and Fr Ian concelebrating with deaf clergy from around the world... It was a great witness to the power and beauty of sign language with so many deaf Catholics gathered together to celebrate the Eucharist from around the world.”

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Many thanks to Peter and James for sharing their accounts with us.

‍Sources: Peter Booker, James Fitzgerald, Vatican News