THE CATHOLIC
DEAF ESTABLISHED IN TORONTO – 1918
Back in the year 1914, not a large
number of Catholic Deaf were in the Archdiocese of Toronto. Yet there was a large circulation of
Protestant Deaf in Toronto. A Church was
secured for them to attend their Religious Service but, this type was not for
the Catholic Deaf to attend.
A number of Catholic Deaf attended
there, and a number of Catholic Deaf got
married there.
In 1918 Mr. Frank Crough of
Peterborough, being a Catholic was guided to attend the Mass by guidance of
his Catholic Parents.
Later, she heard about a Missionary
Father by name of Father Higgins of St. Louis, MO. He hastened to come and
discussed with Rev. Mother Columbiere, and he went to see Archbishop Neil
McNeil, Fr. Higgins was granted permission to visit St. Augustine’s Seminary
where many Priesthood Students took interest in Fr.Higgins trip and suggestions
were blessed with success.
Until 1923, a Mr. Frank Radbone, being a
new convert was elected President. He did not lose any time asking Rev. Mother Columbiere
for a change in the name of the Toronto Catholic Association of the Deaf. Because he thought “Association”- looked like
a business name and offered a suggestion that a change would be would be
changed to any saint name. Rev Mother
Columbiere, without hesitation agreed with Mr. Radbone and would ask the Pastor
of St. St. Peter’s Church, to suggest a name.
The Pastor recommended the name of St.
Francis De Sales, because St. Francis De Sales was honoured as Patron Saint of
the Deaf by a Pope. . Mother Columbiere
offered the Saints’ name to Mr. Radbone. The new name of St. Francis De Sales
Catholic Deaf Society was accepted by acclamation in 1924.
In the St. Augustine Seminary, a lot of
the students volunteered to learn sign language almost each year for many years
until Father Basil Ellard was appointed as the first Chaplain to the St. Francis
De Sales Catholic Deaf Society though he still acted as a Professor at the
Seminary for some years. Finally he was asked to be a Pastor at St. Margaret
Church in Midland.
Then Rev. Father Bean was appointed to
succeed Father Ellard but later the appointment was changed to Rev. Father John
Moss after some years, he was chosen to attend the St. Augustine Seminary as a
Professor.
The Catholic Deaf had to move from
Loretto College School because of the growing number of students for the
school. The St. Francis De Sales
Catholic Deaf moved to the Catholic Extension building on bond St. in 1960.
From Bond St. the Catholic Deaf had to
move again. They finally went to Columbus Boys Club on Bellwoods Ave. in the
West end of Toronto. Father Moss and Father Bean alternated with Mass for the
Deaf.
It was largely Father Bean who got the
Catholic Deaf at Holy Name Church for their Sunday Masses. The Catholic Deaf moved to Holy Name Church
in 1968. Father Moss served the Catholic Deaf until 1969.
Priest with the Deaf Sisters
Rev. J.A. O’Sullivaan Rev
Mother Columbiere
Rev. Noon Sister
Eugene O’Reilley
Rev. Mirackle
Rev. Hopper
Rev. Corrigan
Rev. B.B. Ellard
Rev. F.J. McGoey
Bishop Lacey
Rev. V.L. McGivwey Deacons
Rev. F. Sullivan
Rev. John Moss Deacon
Paul J. Martineau
Rev. Bean Deacon
Kevin Brockerville
Rev. Brian Dwyer Deacon
Walter McNally
Rev. Guy Blair S.C.J. Deacon
George Newman
Rev. Keith Wallace
Rev. Rich Lamberti
Rev. Anthony Gonsalves
Rev. Harry Stocks C.S.C.
Rev. Arthur Segueira
Rev. Tamil Govindaraju OFM cap
Archbishops of Toronto who supported Deaf Ministry
Archbishop Neil McNeill
Cardinal McGuiggan
Archbishop Pocock
Cardinal G.E. Carter
Archbishop Thomas Collins
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Services to
the Deaf community were initiated by Rev. B Dwyer and Victoria Kargul, under
the name of “St.Francis Deaf Bureau”. Organized and encouraged development of
adult deaf organizations and children's programs.
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1973 - In
June we established an office in the basement of Holy Name Church, Danforth
Avenue, to provide full-time services to the Deaf community.
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1974 - First
public grant enabled us to hire four full-time employees. Held first summer
Sign Language Camp for children.
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1975 - In
January “Silent Voice Canada ” was incorporated, and active fundraising
began. In June we received our first Ministry of Community and Social
Services grant, and in August a grant from the City of Toronto.
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Increased
funding enabled us to initiate new service programs, such an experimental
interpreter training program in co-operation with other agencies. Funding
provided by ShareLife through Catholic Charities.
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