December 6, 2020

BANGOR---Thanks to the kindness of a parishioner, St. Paul the Apostle Parish in Bangor is now offering signed Masses for members of the deaf community each Sunday.

Donna Casavant has volunteered to sign the 8:30 a.m. Mass at St. Mary Church, located on 768 Ohio Street in Bangor. To attend the Mass in person, visit
www.signupgenius.com/go/4090c49aaa92aa4f94-attend. The Masses will also be live-streamed each week at the parish website (www.stpaulbangor.me) and the parish Facebook page (www.facebook.com/StPaulBangor). 

In addition, Fr. Kevin Hughes, S.J., parochial vicar of Our Lady of Hope Parish in Portland, offers a signed Mass on the third Sunday of each month (December 20 this month) at St. Pius X Church, located on 492 Ocean Avenue in Portland, at 9 a.m. All are welcome at the Masses, particularly members of the deaf community, to join in prayer either in person or via livestream at www.ladyofhopemaine.org.
Deaf Catholics in Maine who are unable to attend the above Masses either in person or via livestream can visit www.facebook.com/deafmass to watch a livestream of an ASL Mass each Sunday at 11:30 a.m. or watch a replay of the Mass at any time. To view weekly homilies signed by Fr. Michael Depcik, visit www.frmd.org.
“The deaf community is an important part of the parishes in which they live,” said Bishop Robert Deeley. “The diocese wants to reach out to the current and new generations of deaf Catholics to make sure that their needs are being met in terms of having children baptized, catechized, and that they feel welcome at Masses in their churches.”

For more information about opportunities for deaf Catholics in Maine, contact Deacon Bernier, director of the Office of Ministerial Services, at (207) 321-7845 or [email protected].