As Father Michael Depcik and the three concelebrants vested for Mass on June 26, the sacristy in the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist was much quieter than usual. The four priests processed in silence to the altar as Father Depcik, a priest from the Archdiocese of Baltimore, began to celebrate Mass in American Sign Language.
He is one of the few deaf priests in the United States and serves as the deaf chaplain for deaf ministry in the archdiocese.
(See photo gallery above.)
Although Mass was celebrated in ASL, Patrice Latessa and Christine Mason served as voice interpreters.
The deaf community has a long history in the diocese. The June 26 liturgy marked the 80th anniversary of the Cleveland Catholic Deaf Center. The first monthly Mass for the deaf at St. John Cathedral was celebrated on Jan. 3, 1915. The first Catholic Deaf Bulletin was created in January 1955 and the Cleveland Catholic Deaf Center started in 1946 at St. Columbkille Parish in Cleveland. CCDC moved to Immaculate Conception Parish 1959-1960, then to St. Augustine Parish in 1964 from St. Malachi, Immaculate Conception and St. Colman parishes. In 2024, CCDC moved to its current home, St. Charles Borromeo Parish in Parma.
The International Catholic Deaf Association Chapter 18 (which operates as the Cleveland Catholic Deaf Center), was chartered on March 13, 1953. The chapter has hosted the ICDA conferences five times: 1982, 1991, 2009 and 2015. Father Depcik told those gathered for the liturgy he was pleased to be back in Cleveland where he always feels welcome. “You’re one of my favorite groups, but don’t tell anyone,” he said as his fingers deftly moved using ASL. “The way you people in Cleveland help each other lets me see what heaven must be like. There may be things going on behind the scenes, but you always stick together and keep this group together. I applaud you,” he added.
“Why do you stay together? You follow Jesus. You worship at Mass and follow his teachings. In the Gospel, he told us to love each other. The true test of love is getting through things together. You keep trying through all the turmoil … Show love through kindness, humility and patience with each other. Paul commanded us to do those things because Jesus did them and told us to do them, too,” he said.
“I’ve been with you for 20 years. I see how you are as a group and you are doing the right things. Keep doing what you’re doing because people are watching.”
After Mass, cathedral docent Diane Fusco led the group on a tour of the cathedral with two ASL interpreters assisting. She pointed out features including the extensive paintings that are being refurbished, the pillars, arches and graceful curves that encourage people to view the cathedral ceiling. “It brings our eyes up to heaven,” Fusco said. She also described other features of the cathedral – which is undergoing an extensive renovation – such as the cathedra where the bishop sits, and Resurrection Chapel, the final resting place for many of the bishops of the diocese.
The celebration concluded with dinner at downtown Cleveland restaurant.
Click here to learn more about the Cleveland Catholic Deaf Center.
