In 2005, a group of Catholic deaf people in Mexico decided to begin a discussion about their needs as DEAF and CATHOLIC. About 40 people came to the first meeting (Encuentro). August 5-9, 2011, over 200 deaf people, interpreters, pastoral workers, seminarians and priests gathered for the 6th annual Encuentro. The gathering was held at the John Paul II Retreat Center in San Juan de los lagos(Saint John of the Lakes), Mexico.
San Juan de los lagos is a two hour drive from Guadalajara, Mexico. It is in the Mexican state of Jalisco (famous for the world's best tequila!!!!) There are 32 states in Mexico, and attendees came from more than half of those states. The Conference has many purposes: workshops for deaf people about their lives and faith; workshops for interpreters about religious signing; discussions for seminarians and priests. FR. BILL KEY from Wisconsin (who speaks Spanish) attended the whole time. I flew down on Sunday to participate. The flight was delayed, so I did not arrive at the retreat center till midnight!
MON, 8/8: I was up and walking around the beautiful retreat center at 7:30am. I began meeting deaf people I know in Mexico, especially young people from our previous youth gatherings. After a delicious Mexican breakfast, a group of us drove to the famous Basilica of the Virgin of San Juan de los lagos(about three miles away). All around this famous church, there are people selling EVERYTHING! The Basilica is famous as a place of healing. (In Mexico, tehre are three special churches where people come for healing: #1, The Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City; #2, this shrine in San Juan; # 3 the Shrine to Our Lord in Chalma. The custom in San Juan is that the first time you come to the Basilica, you are to walk ON YOUR KNEES from the front of the church to the altar. Many, many people, young and old, were doing this. (With my knees, if I tried that, I would need a lot of healing!) Behind the altar, there is a room filled with letters and pcitures of people thanking the Virgin for their healings!
After this, we returned to the retreat center. That afternoon, I gave an hour and a half workshop for the deaf community about how to translate Bible readings into sign-language. (Mexican sign-language is very different from ASL. However, the skill of translating the Bible is the same for any language!) Last year, DEACON PAT GRAYBILL had done a wonderful job with the Deaf Conference in PUEBLA. So, my job was a lot easier. I signed, without voice, in ASL. CHELO MANERO voiced for me in Spanish. Then, the LSM(Mexican sign language) interpreter communicated to the group. We had some very good discussions. After that we celebrated Mass. That is the correct word. When Mexican people come together for Mass, it is a celebration of faith and love for God! Dinner was very simple food, but well prepared and delicious. By 9pm, I was exhausted and fell sound asleep.
TUES, 8/9: I was up for the Mass at 7am. The Mexican priests told me, "Oh, you're preaching this morning!" Again, thanks to Chelo, I was able to communicate. Mexican deaf people love music, and sign all the songs at Mass with great emotion, and guitars!!!!! After breakfast, I had an hour and a half workshop with the seminarians and priests to discuss deaf ministry. There are only a few deaf people (very wealthy) in Mexico who can afford a Cochlear Implant(government does NOT pay for this), or have cell phones/texters/Blackberries/etc. There is NO VP system, though some deaf are using their computers and SKYPE. However, there is a growing desire from the deaf to have more technology. The problem is that in Mexico, all these are VERY expensive. The priests shared with me the struggles they are having with the terrible violence in their cities and parishes. Why is there all this violence? Because Americans keep buying drugs like cocaine, etc from the drug cartels(gangs). If Americans stopped their drug use, the killing would stop in Mexico! Also, thousands of guns from the USA are sold to the gangs in Mexico. Then, it was back to Guadalajara, then flying abck to Chicago where I arrived at 10:30pm!
I truly love the deaf people, interpreters, and priests I have met in Mexico. These people have VERY little money, resources, technology, educational opportunities compared to people in the USA. Yet, they are loving,happy, faith-filled, hard-working people. I am truly blessed to be able to share a bit in their lives. They truly inspire me with their faith and love!