Be Opened! The Catholic Church and Deaf Culture

 (CUA Press)

by Lana Portolano, Ph.D.

Be Opened! The Catholic Church and Deaf Culture  is a comprehensive overview of the history and heritage of deaf culture and sign language in the Catholic Church. It is the first attempt at a connected narrative about Deaf Catholics from the monastic origins of deaf ministry in Europe, to twentieth-century advances in civil and religious rights, to today’s deaf missions in Asia, Africa, and Latin America. Sources include published and archival works, but also unwritten histories passed down in the deaf community through interviews, folk traditions, and sign language storytelling. 

https://www.amazon.com/Be-Opened-Catholic-Church-Culture/dp/0813233399

Please explore the ICF website for many examples of Deaf Catholic culture and worship in signed languages from around the world