Thailand’s Deaf Ministry team arrived in Ho Chi Minh City to help strengthen pastoral support for Vietnam’s deaf Catholic community.
The visit, from Dec. 4 to 8, aimed at planting the seeds of evangelization and structured ministry for people who are deaf.
The delegation was led by Fr. Peter Bhuravaj Searaariyah, chaplain of the Deaf Catholic Association of Thailand and national coordinator for Deaf Ministry appointed by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Thailand (CBCT) and for his Chanthaburi Diocese.
Vietnam is estimated to have around one million people who are deaf, many of whom remain socially marginalized and lack access to education and faith formation.
“Like in Thailand, most of them have been denied not only educational opportunities but also limited chances to know and experience the love of God through prayer and the Bible,” Fr. Peter told LiCAS News.
“This meeting is not only a moment of joy and solidarity,” he said. “It is also a pastoral response to the deep needs of people who often feel unseen in our churches. By coming to visit our brothers and sisters here in Vietnam, they experience support and encounter God’s love in a language they understand.”
According to Fr. Peter, deaf Catholics in Vietnam face challenges similar to those in many Asian countries. “They tell us how difficult it is to understand the Mass, the homily, and the sacraments, especially the Sacrament of Reconciliation,” he said, noting the absence of consistent sign language interpretation in church settings.
As national coordinator for Thailand’s Deaf Ministry, Fr. Peter has led initiatives to expand access to pastoral services through sign language interpretation, Scripture sharing, rosary prayer, retreats, and the creation of more welcoming worship environments for deaf Catholics.
Asian collaboration
Fr. Peter noted that regional collaboration has played a key role in strengthening ministry among deaf Catholics in Asia.
He recalled that the First Asian Deaf Catholic Conference (ADCC) was held in Thailand in 2015, bringing together more than 120 deaf participants from 14 Asian countries to promote evangelization and pastoral cooperation.
“From 2016 to 2023, we gained valuable experience in communication, coordination, and collaboration across countries,” he said.
Follow-up conferences were later held in the Philippines and Indonesia, providing further opportunities to share experiences and develop regional pastoral strategies.
In 2024, while attending a retreat for deaf Catholics in Malaysia, the Thai team learned of emerging contacts with deaf communities in Vietnam, which led to the recent visit to Ho Chi Minh City.
Crossing language barriers
During the first gathering in Vietnam, communication required the use of three sign languages simultaneously: Vietnamese Sign Language (VSL), Thai Sign Language (ThSL), and international sign systems, including American Sign Language (ASL) and Gestuno.
“With the help of volunteer sign language interpreters who assisted in translating deeper conversations into Thai, communication became smooth and meaningful,” Fr. Peter said.
One especially significant moment was the celebration of the Sacrament of Reconciliation, conducted using all three sign languages to ensure mutual understanding between priest and penitents.
“This became the first sign-language confession experience for these deaf Catholics in the archdiocese,” Fr. Peter explained. “Before this, confessions were typically made by writing down their sins and handing the paper to the priest.”
Ongoing challenges
Despite small but dedicated initiatives, deaf Catholics in Vietnam continue to face widespread isolation and limited access to pastoral care.
Spoken liturgies often prevent meaningful participation in worship, and religious formation resources in Vietnamese Sign Language remain scarce, though some efforts are now underway to develop materials specifically for VSL users.
Encouraging signs exist. A deaf priest serving as chaplain for the deaf in the Diocese of Xuan Loc represents a major step forward for inclusive ministry.
In addition, organizations such as Hy Vong School, founded by a former Catholic nun, provide educational and vocational skills to deaf students, helping build confidence and foster inclusion, including links to parish worship life.
Yet Fr. Peter emphasized that existing initiatives “are still far from sufficient to meet the scale of the need.”
“Like in many places in Asia, deaf people in Vietnam remain isolated from society and often from the Church, especially those who have been deaf since birth,” he said. “This visit is only a first step. Our hope is to continue building partnerships so that deaf Catholics here may one day fully participate in sacramental and community life.”
The Thai delegation concluded its visit by reaffirming its commitment to accompany Vietnam’s emerging deaf ministry through continued regional cooperation, training, and mutual support in the years ahead.
