Mumbai (AsiaNews) – The 4th Asia Deaf Catholic Conference (ADCC Korea 2026) opened today in Seoul, South Korea. The event, which runs until 21 October, is themed “God saw that it was good” (Genesis 1:10).
The gathering marks as a significant moment, bringing together deaf Catholics, religious leaders, and pastoral workers from across the continent to share experiences, promote liturgy in sign language, and advocate for greater accessibility to the sacraments.
Previous editions were held in Thailand (2015), the Philippines (2018), and Indonesia (2023).
Ahead of the conference, AsiaNews spoke with Father Joseph Thermadom, India’s first deaf Catholic priest, whose ordination in May 2024 became a powerful symbol for the entire community.
Father Joseph, who is accompanying the Indian delegation to the Seoul conference, is a member of the Congregation of Holy Cross. His ministry is dedicated to celebrating the sacraments in Indian Sign Language (ISL), so that millions of people with hearing and speech impairments can fully experience the richness of the Gospel.
The “Deaf Catholic Ministry is the most neglected ministry in the Catholic Church,” he told AsiaNews, “but it is the ministry that Jesus loves the most. Leviticus 19:14 says, ‘You shall not curse the deaf’.”
“God calls us to protect and serve. Today in Asia, we have five forms of ministry: 1 Deaf Church, the best form. But in all of Asia, we have only ONE, Ephphatha Church in Seoul, South Korea; 2 Signed Mass, Mass in sign language by a signed priest; 3 Interpreted Mass, Mass interpreted for Deaf people; 4 Inaccessible Mass, Deaf people attend but cannot understand. This is the most common in Asia; 5 Invisible Mass, Deaf people are not even welcomed or seen.”
Given this situation, the Seoul Conference provides an opportunity to examine the strengths and weaknesses along this path.
“Our strengths are many: many Deaf Catholics in Asia, growing signed clergy, strong Deaf communities, high spirituality. Our weaknesses are real: few ministries, less support from bishops, low catechism, no network outside Asia.”
For Father Thermadom, “Sign language and Deaf culture are two sides of the same coin. We need both. We need Deaf space, not just signs.”
“I cannot stay silent. I must help make Mass accessible. I must not let our Deaf brothers and sisters leave the Catholic Church because they did not understand. Jesus said, ‘Ephphatha! Be opened!’, He wants our churches to be open to Deaf people,” the clergyman said.
Jude Luiz, who leads the Catholic Deaf Association of India, and his wife Mary also spoke with AsiaNews about their expectations for the Seoul Conference.
“We are hoping to improve the needs of the Catholic Deaf people in India by sharing our talents and skills with them,” they said. “Eventually, Catholic Deaf people could empower others hopefully to unite Catholic Deaf people into one Body of Christ.”
