There are many ways to engage with New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL) Week.

A great way to connect NZSL with prayer would be to learn the Lord's prayer in NZSL.

Watch this video (turn the subtitles on!) from the Deaf Catholic Community in Auckland to learn how to sign the Lord's Prayer.

Source

movementonline.org.nz

The Making of a NZSL School follows Andre, who began as a new entrant at the school in 2016. The film shows his, his classmates', teachers' and the wider school community's journey in learning New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL) and incorporating it into the school curriculum.

Last year Theresa's School won an award for promoting New Zealand Sign Language.

The awards acknowledged the efforts of those committed to the promotion and the progress of sign language and deaf culture in New Zealand.

St Theresa's deputy principal and new entrant teacher Deborah Norris said the pupils had been really enthusiastic about learning the language.

Norris's class of 5-year-olds spent all day signing and had presented a school assembly entirely in sign.

The school's learning hub hosts sign language classes every Monday lunchtime and holds digital resources for pupils to access whenever they like.

In the documentary, Norris says roll time and prayers are always done in sign.

Her new entrant class began in term one learning three new words in sign each week and then progressed into full sentences.

By the time Andre is in year six, his classmates should be fully bilingual.

Darryl Alexander, NZSL specialist teacher and Van Asch's resource teacher of the deaf, is impressed by how everyone in the school community has embraced the language.

Alexander says all this effort means Andre is fully immersed in the school environment.

"It's like this school has made him feel he's at home."

Principal Donna McDonald, one of a few teachers who took night classes in NZSL, is proud that everyone has embraced Andre and NZSL.

"It has enriched our lives and it continues to," she says.

"Both Andre and NZSL are part of who we are and what we do here, and we'll continue to grow it in every way possible."

Source

• Stuff
• Stuff
• Image: Stuff

Nineteen-year-old Lachlan Bartlett will benefit from the financial assistance from Cochlear to help fund his double degree of law and criminal justice at the University of Canterbury.

"Whatever your challenges are, whether it is hearing or learning difficulties, don't ever use it as an excuse."

"Consider it an opportunity to prove people who doubt you wrong.

"Realise that your deafness is a gift that will present opportunities and challenges to you that would never have happened without it. "

"It is a part of who you are. Be proud of it. Own it."

Bartlett was Head Boy at St Bede's College in Christchurch in 2015.

He was captain of the First XI football team, won a University of Canterbury Leaders Scholarship, has represented the school at the National Athletics Road Race and won Academic Gold Pockets (2013, 2014), Honours Pocket for Athletics (2014).

He also won the Year 10, 11 and 12 New Zealand Federation for Deaf Children scholarship.

"As a leader in many communities, it is crucial that I give back to those around me," he says.

"I now have a part-time job in the Learning Assistance team at St Bede's helping boys who have learning difficulties."

"It is an incredibly humbling feeling being able to help others the way you were once helped."

"As Head Boy I came to the realisation that a true leader does not stand above others but serves those who need help the most."

Having recently joined the Marist Leaders Network, a nationwide organisation that helps the Head Students and Prefects of Catholics schools in New Zealand, Lachlan is developing the skills that will one day come in handy in his chosen vocation as a lawyer.

"Being deaf, I have seen many examples in society where people have been discriminated and it would be an honour to stand and give then the support and empathy they need," he says.

"Graeme Clark helped and continues to help those who were disadvantaged and I believe that with this scholarship, I too can continue to follow, to the best of my ability, the example he has set.

Lachlan credits much of his academic, social and sporting success to the Cochlear implant he received when he was eight years old.

Source

• Supplied
• scip.co.nz

The award recognises his efforts to advance the education of youth with disabilities.

George is the Director of the San IsiDro Care Centre at Aruligo in Guadalcanal.

He has been a brother for 57 years and has spent 42 years working in the Solomon Islands.

Last year he said he wanted to make it clear that the Care Centre is for every student with special needs in Solomon Islands.

He had to make the clarification because some people thought the Centre is only for "Catholic students."

Speaking to SIBC News Brother George made it clear San IsiDro Care Centre is not just for catholic students but welcomes anyone with special needs regardless of denomination and origin.

The aim of the Care Centre is to equip students with special needs so they know how to make a living for themselves, families and community as a whole.

The San Isi Dro Care Centre began in Aruligo in 2007 and has graduated more than 40 students to date.

Source

• sibconline.com.sb
• islandsun.com.sb
• Image: infoans.org

He says deaf community chaplains are making the DVD that can be used to train priests to introduce New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL) to parts of the Mass.

The Deaf Project team overseeing the translation includes Mr Loving-Molloy, Jackie Overall, Mary Johnson, Judith Mason and Shona McGhie, as well as interpreter Felicity Crowe.

Fr Bruce Bolland has advised from time to time. They have been working on this project for the past four years. Continue reading

"The sick or disabled person, because of their fragility, limits, can become a witness of this encounter: the encounter with Jesus, which opens us to life and faith, and the encounter with others, with the community," Pope Francis said.

Continue reading

The audience is scheduled for March 29 in the Vatican's Paul VI hall.

Participants can hardly wait for the encounter.

"I am pleased that the Pope is making the whole world aware of our world by having an audience with us for the first time" said Jakob Badde of Germany, who is deaf.

"We have a great deficiency and most people do not know why and what it means to us," he said.

There has never been an officlal papal audience for the deaf, Mr Badde said.

"There have probably always been deaf at (events of) other popes on the side."

"But a Pope has never invited us on the basis of being deaf."

Mr Badde hoped that Pope Francis could help change the lives of deaf people for the better.

From the beginning of his pontificate, Pope Francis has reached out to people with disabilities.

In one of many examples, in January he met Ileana Argentin, a member of the Italian Parliament, who has spinal muscular atrophy and uses a wheelchair.

"I am Catholic and I've always believed, but Pope Francis really has made a difference for the handicapped," she said.

When, just a couple weeks after his election, images went around the world of him holding and kissing an 8-year-old boy with cerebral palsy, "the first wall, that of prejudice, fell", Argentin said.

Sources

• Catholic News Agency
• The Catholic Herald
• Image: BBC

Benedict's health is progressively deteriorating, and the 85-year-old pontiff often has problems sleeping, reports the veteran Vatican journalist.

Tosatti notes Benedict has fallen out of bed several times on recent trips abroad, and his doctor had advised him against making the overseas flight to Brazil for World Youth Day this summer.

The report was based on indiscretions from papal aides and is similar to one, reported in CathNews earlier in the week, by German journalist, Peter Seewald.

Seewald says Benedict's hearing is declining, he is going blind in one eye and is losing weight at a rather alarming rate.

The Vatican insists that no particular medical condition prompted the Pope's decision to resign, rather saying he has retired for the good of the church and because of a general decline in strength and energy.

Sources

• AFP
• CathNews
• The Star (Image)