"No one is as deaf as the man who will not listen." -Yiddish Proverb
I'm around hearing people a lot and they sometimes tell me they can overhear confessions while waiting in line. Occasionally I see a giggle shared among those in line because they overheard some of the confession, and then they back down a little to get 'out of range'. When hearing members of my family are telling me about this -I'm thinking What? Those hearing people hear WAY too much and without even trying to listen. Hearing people can regulate volume and have a sensing of this since confessionals are designed for the hearing person in particular. This is not something that comes natural for most people with hearing loss, if at all. It is difficult for people with hearing loss and deafness, even if they can speak, to know how to regulate and modulate their voices so that others can't hear. The priest himself often has to talk louder so a person with hearing loss can understand him. This new St. Damien Confession Box or the Ubi Duo keyboard version as well offers a solution for many. I suppose passing back and forth mini iPads and Iphones with Confessional apps that you just erase afterwards could be done as well. I like to see some kind of slit or bank teller screen to allow this passing back and forth through the privacy of screens. It would be great to see an app developed for iPhones and iPads for St. Damien app or an Ubi Duo app. Maybe even a customized Confessional app designed for the deaf and hard of hearing could be in the works. There are already Catholic Confessional apps out there available and if they would include a dialogue box for the priest and penitent we would be all set! I believe that if they make the confessionals more user friendly for the deaf and hard of hearing, you would be encouraging them to frequent the confessionals.
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"My father has lost his hearing. He can hear very little with his hearing aids and that must be
spoken with a very clear voice in a higher volume than is normally used for speaking. "
(Source: http://forums.catholic.com/showthread.php?t=312819)
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Many people with hearing loss either talk too loud or too soft, as well as fluctuating between the two, and certainly find the confessional experience stressful with its strong auditory orientation which is basically designed for a hearing person. Often, a priest will talk louder, slower and clearer too for the person so they can speech read better, and then the person worries about others hearing it who are just outside waiting in line for the confessional. There is not a whole lot of privacy for the person with hearing loss.
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"Fathers, keep your voices down.
Also, while being sensitive to people who are hard of hearing {and those with severe to profound hearing loss, oral deaf and late deaf} I will often ask penitents to lower their voices.
That said, Penitents, keep your voices down."
(Source: http://wdtprs.com/blog/2011/10/a-note-to-confessors-about-confessions-and-keeping-your-voices-quiet/)
If you have a hearing loss or deafness this might be REALLY HARD to do depending on the person and to sustain it. It requires to KNOW, to regulate and modulate your own voice, and at all times which can make it additionally stressful when confessionals have an auditory framework. It requires a lot of focus to do this and distracts from trying to focus on why you are there in the first place --Confessing and dialogue. If the priest keeps his voice down, it often compromises understanding him or helping to assist in speech reading (at the face to face) with the slower, clearer and somewhat louder volume - which of course makes it easier for everyone to hear as well.
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As a deaf person and knowing that 20 percent of the population have hearing loss significant enough to impact communications according the Hearing Health Foundation, I think I know the answer to this question someone asked on a Catholic Forum:
"I think the question in this case is more like "Why do some priests talk so loud in the confessional?"
(Source: (Source: http://forums.catholic.com/showthread.php?t=760657)
(Source: (Source: http://forums.catholic.com/showthread.php?t=760657)
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A Hearing Person says:
"Usually I find if I make sure to WHISPER very close to the grille, my confessor does the same. " (source: http://wdtprs.com/blog/2011/10/a-note-to-confessors-about-confessions-and-keeping-your-voices-quiet/)
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What is the decibel of a WHISPER?: See
http://www.answers.com/Q/What_is_the_decibel_of_a_whisper. Answer: its 20 decibels.
I get it now why people talk 'loud' . They need to hear. Still, it does present privacy issues.
I get it now why people talk 'loud' . They need to hear. Still, it does present privacy issues.
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"Along these same lines no one should sit anywhere close to the confessional." (Source: http://wdtprs.com/blog/2011/10/a-note-to-confessors-about-confessions-and-keeping-your-voices-quiet/)
Ooopps, I've done this, but I'm deaf, but then again, they don't know it. But many do seat there often. I've seen that many times. They would either be doing devotional prayers as mentioned, but also penitents coming back to the pews after confessional, only to sit very close to the confessional because it is the nearest pew when they come out.
On the other hand:
"Our new Cathedral’s room is literally a room surrounded by clear glass walls, with zero option for anonymity, and you’re put on display to those in the Eucharistic Chapel. Lord help you if someone can read lips."
(Source: http://wdtprs.com/blog/2012/10/quaeritur-face-to-face-confession-fr-z-rants/)
On the other hand:
"Our new Cathedral’s room is literally a room surrounded by clear glass walls, with zero option for anonymity, and you’re put on display to those in the Eucharistic Chapel. Lord help you if someone can read lips."
(Source: http://wdtprs.com/blog/2012/10/quaeritur-face-to-face-confession-fr-z-rants/)
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" I am hearing impaired, and confession is
such a struggle. "
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deaf and hard of hearing: http://captioningthemass.blogspot.com/2014/08/the-iphone-at-confessional-catholics.html
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Confessional Privacy: http://www.catholicdoors.com/faq/qu74.htm
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A different perspective from someone on privacy at Confessionals:
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"I only wish a few of the boxes were more soundproof. I hate being put in the position where I have to sing a song in my head and try to block my ears from the inside, as it were, because whoever is before me in line–or maybe even the priest–is speaking so loudly that the whole church can hear. "
(Source: http://wdtprs.com/blog/2012/10/quaeritur-face-to-face-confession-fr-z-rants/)
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(Source: http://wdtprs.com/blog/2012/10/quaeritur-face-to-face-confession-fr-z-rants/)
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"I have very good hearing, and there a
LOT of senior citizens with poor
hearing in my neck of the woods. I
doubt many of them realize how loudly
they are speaking, but I am often
kneeling on the other side covering my
ears! "
LOT of senior citizens with poor
hearing in my neck of the woods. I
doubt many of them realize how loudly
they are speaking, but I am often
kneeling on the other side covering my
ears! "
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"We were in the chapel during Adoration and we
could hear Fr. R and the person talking. I
whispered to R & J to make sure their voices
were low (whispering) while they were in there
and I was paranoid too!"
could hear Fr. R and the person talking. I
whispered to R & J to make sure their voices
were low (whispering) while they were in there
and I was paranoid too!"
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How do hearing people hear anyways? As a deaf person sometimes its freaky!:
As a deaf (profound hearing loss) person in a hearing world I try to understand how they think. For example, sometimes they eavesdrop on conversations (I don't think they actually try on purpose, it just happens but they enjoy it sometimes (shall I say nosy) especially if they catch something interesting and then they 'tune in' ) - and they call us deaf folks paranoid once in a while? Gee one almost has to be if hearing people can hear way too much. Living with hearing people I can attest to how much they hear from way over the other side of the house and I'd say 'You heard that?' How much do hearing people hear any ways ? Obviously they have a knack for tuning in and out, modulating and regulating not only their own voices but fine tuning the reception of whether or not to pick up on other's voices or so it seems:
"I sat in a London cafe and listened to a couple of people at the next table b….ing about their colleagues." (Source: http://limpingchicken.com/2012/07/19/a-conversation-with-bella-bathurst-author/)
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Ubi Duo Keyboard at the Confessional: ubi duo keyboard
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Why Confession?: http://www.catholicscomehome.org/what-is-the-sacrament-of-confession/
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"Which way do you prefer to go to confession?
- behind a screen or grate (88%, 1,924 Votes)
- face to face (12%, 264 Votes)
Total Voters: 2,188"
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| Lord Hear Our Prayer |
LIGHT a CANDLE: http://www.lightingacandle.org
Welcome ! See http://www.catholicscomehome.org
Witnessing to Catholics: http://catholicbridge.com/catholic/are_catholics_christian.php
Witnessing to Catholics: http://catholicbridge.com/catholic/are_catholics_christian.php
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| Pray For Us All! |
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Are You Saved?
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Why Getting 'Saved' is Better in the Catholic Church:
see
http://www.evangelicaltocatholic.com/why-getting-saved-is-better-in-the-catholic-church/
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see
http://www.evangelicaltocatholic.com/why-getting-saved-is-better-in-the-catholic-church/
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Smart call and Smart watch for the hard of hearing, deaf/Deaf, hearing impaired:
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Come Pray the Rosary with others - together Online: http://www.comepraytherosary.org
(text guided version offered to follow along)
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The Coming Home Network: See http://chnetwork.org
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How can we make the Catholic church accessible to ALL the deaf and hard of hearing?:
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"Accessible meeting space allowseveryone to participate."
__________________________________________"Of all the barriers to full participation and inclusion, the barrier of unexamined attitudes is the most difficult to address," states Ginny Thornburgh, director of the American Association of People with Disabilities' Interfaith Initiative."(Source: http://www.disabilitiesandfaith.org)__________________________________________________________The purpose of this blog is to raise Diversity Awareness among those with hearing loss and deafness, and to raise awareness that many with hearing loss are being excluded from full participation at the Mass if the church does not have Captioning. Catholics with hearing loss deserve the fullness of their faith. Does your Diocese/Archdiocese have at least one Mass service in Captioning at a church that one who benefits from it can reasonably travel to in order to fully and actively participate at the Mass? Contact your Diocese/Archdiocese - find it here: http://www.usccb.org/about/bishops-and-dioceses/all-dioceses.cfm.)US Bishop Statement:
'It is essential that all forms of the liturgy be completely accessible to people with disabilities, since these forms are the essence of the spiritual tie that binds the Christian community together'
(Source: http://www.disabilityawarenesstraining.com/component/content/article/3/40)_________________________________________________________________
Is your church or Diocese/Archdiocese inclusive to all those with hearing loss and deafness by providing Real time Captioning, Sign Language and Audio Loops? If not - Diversity and Inclusion Awareness is needed in order to share the joy of the gospel by applying Universal Communication Access. It is very important to share the Word of God with everyone. Let's pray for that!Prayer of Inclusion: http://www.ncpd.org/ministries-programs/spirituality/prayers
"Be not Afraid, Open Wide the Gates" - Pope St. John Paul II (Source: http://jp2forum.blogspot.com/2013/12/be-not-afraid-resounding-from-1531-to.html)
CC-Caption Catholic
I've experimented with the iPhone at the confessional as well having the priest use the speech to text feature on it so words print out on the screen for me. It's not perfect, but it beats the anxiety of worrying about volume.
I don't like appointments and face to face. It's the only option I have along with other deaf and hard of hearing people so it is what I have to use if there are no screens that have a slit or 'bank teller' drawer to pass back and forth stuff. You don't have the privilege of choosing anonymity that hearing people can have and Canon law grants them that right. I don't have that choice option though given to hearing people, that is the choice of face to face or screens. Canon law grants penitents the right to a screen confessional (fixed grille). I guess the deaf and hard of hearing don't have that right. They don't offer screens and appropriate communication access (like the Ubi Duo keyboard or St. Damien confessional box, or a slit drawer to pass back and forth through the screen; laptops, iPhones or iPads) for the deaf and hard of hearing.
You also don't have the spontaneity that a regular scheduled confession offers at any number of various churches allowing you to just pop in with your family, instead of making cumbersome appointments via email with a lot of back and forth scheduling and verification between secretary and priest etc. There is no anonymity either.
I wish they would make more user friendly confessionals for the deaf and hard of hearing at Catholic churches. The reason they allow screens for the hearing people is to ENCOURAGE confessions. It is very discouraging for the deaf and hard of hearing. It is rather intimating as well to learn that hearing people can HEAR A LOT around those confessionals.
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It is discouraging the sacrament to the deaf and
hard of hearing when anonymity, privacy and
spontaneity just do not exist.
"An aging priest suffering hearing loss will not only speak too loudly himself, but requires penitents to speak louder as well." (Source: http://wdtprs.com/blog/2011/10/a-note-to-confessors-about-confessions-and-keeping-your-voices-quiet/)
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