The Eucharist is both source and summit of Catholic life and worship.  In it the parish signifies and effects the unity of the people of God, provide spiritual nourishment for the gathered assembly and build up of the Body of Christ.  Consider reviewing Guiding Principles & Strategies for Inclusion in the Liturgy of Catholics with Disabilities published by the Federation of Diocesan Liturgical Commissions Liturgical Arts and Music Committee. 

Hearing Impairment - The Mass for the Deaf is at: Resurrection Church, 130 Como Park Blvd. (Corner of Como Park and Union), Cheektowaga, NY 14227. The signed Mass will be at 10:30 am each Sunday. Father Conrad and Sister Conchetta invites you to visit and see our new home providing Catholic Deaf services any Sunday. Please spread the word that they have moved. Father Conrad Stachowiak ministers as the Director of Ministry for Persons with Deafness. Mass interpreted in sign language every Sunday at 10:30am, holy day vigils at 7pm. Call the parish for: adult and child sacramental preparation, social events, religious education for children with deafness, sacrament of reconciliation, Marriage, wakes and funerals, home and hospital visitation, sacrament of anointing of the sick.  Vocal phone (716)683-3038  TTY (716) 681-0846  Fax (716) 583-9918

People with hearing impairments utilize various assistive listening devices to be able to hear Mass.  The parishes below have various devices to assist people at Mass.  We encourage you to phone the parish regarding what device they have and how these are to be used.

MASS BROADCAST ON THE INTERNET

Masses at St. Gregory the Great, Williamsville, NY  (go to www.stgregs.org and click on scrolling message at top for "live streaming video" of Masses, baptisms, weddings, funerals and all other events held in the church) 

• Saturday (4pm, 5:30pm)
• Sunday (8am, 9:30am, 11am, 12:30pm, 4pm)
• Weekdays (Mon. - Fri. 7am, 8am & 12 noon; Saturdays 8am only)
• Holy Days as listed in bulletin or call 688-5678

Masses at St. Lawrence, Buffalo (go to website www.stlawrencebuffalo.org and click "Live Streaming Video" on the right sidebar for Mass and other events happening in the church)

• Saturday (4:30pm, 10pm)
• Sunday (10am)
• Weekdays (Mon. - Fri. 8:30am)
• Holy Days as listed in bulletin or call 892-2471

MASS BROADCAST ON TELEVISION (Office of Communications, Diocese of Buffalo)

Daily Mass from St. Joseph Cathedral

• Noon and 6:05 pm, Cable Channel 20

• Sunday Mass with Guest Diocesan Priests
  • 7:30 am on WUTV, Fox 29
  • Consult local listings for cable channel times
• EWTN Cable Channel
  • Daily and Sunday, 8:00 am
  • With encore presentation at Noon, 7pm and Midnight 

MASS BROADCAST ON RADIO (Office of Communications, Diocese of Buffalo) 

• Holy Trinity, Dunkirk, (716) 366-2306
  • 8:30 am Sundays, WDOE 1410
• 101.7 WLOF FM - (EWTN radio)
  • Daily and Sundays 8:00 am and Noon
• St. Stanislaus, (Polish language), 12:00 pm. Sunday, AM WHLD 1270

Mental illness or Autism - Persons with mental illness or autism may find the traditional Sunday Mass setting too crowded, long or confining. An alternative could be to attend a week day or evening Mass.  A Eucharistic Service for recipients of mental health services and care givers is held the Second Friday of each month at 7pm at St. Joseph University Chapel at 3275 Main Street in Buffalo. This twenty minute service is designed for those feel more comfortable in a less confining, less populated and shorter service. For more information, contact Sister Jeremy Midura at 833-0298.

Visual Impairments - Persons with visual impairments may require large print or Braille items. This service is provided free by The Xavier Society for the Blind, a National Catholic organization that serves visually impaired and print-disabled persons in the United States and Canada. It provides free spiritual material in the form of Braille, large print, and audio tape. For more information call 1-212-473-7800.

For Priests, Deacons and Lectors with Visual Impairments - the National Catholic Partnership on Disability (NCPD) offers a large print Lectionary and Sacramentary in 24, 34, 44, 48 Black Arial Font. The volumes follow the liturgical season. Contact the NCPD at www.ncpd.org or 1-202-529-2933.

Celiac Disease -  is an inherited autoimmune condition that affects 1 out of 133 people. The disease causes the body to attack the lining of the small intestine as well as other organs. Damage is triggered by exposure to certain proteins, commonly called gluten that is found in grains. Canon law states that the host must be made of wheat and water and contain no foreign materials or impurities. Catholic with celiac can use the approved low-gluten wafers.  For more information, visit the Catholic Celiac Society at www.catholcceliacs.org or contact the Office of Worship at 847-5545 for the brochure, Information about Catholic Communion and Celiac Disease.

Share Your Talents at Mass - Laura is blind and lectors at her parish. For more information, contact her at 285-7128.  A member of the Catholic Deaf Society signed a reading at our Diocesan Respect Life mass and another person translated the signing verbally.

Celebration of First Eucharist - Parents and pastors are to see to it that children who have reached the age of reason are correctly prepared and are nourished by the Eucharist as early as possible. The criterion for reception of holy communion is that the person be able to distinguish the Body of Christ from ordinary food, even if this recognition is evidenced through manner, gesture or reverential silence rather than verbally.  Preparation and the Sacrament of First Eucharist should be done in the parish where the family is registered. Preparation can be individualized to meet the needs of the person. The Diocesan Life-long Faith Formation Office is available for consultation at 847-5514.

The Sacrament of Reconciliation - In this sacrament the Christian faithful obtain from the mercy of God pardon for their sins. At the same time they are reconciled with the Church, which they have wounded by their sins and which works for their conversion by charity, example and prayer. Only those who have the use of reason are capable of committing serious sin. As long as an individual is capable of having a sense of contrition for having committed sin, even if they cannot describe the sin precisely in words, the person may receive sacramental absolution. Those with profound mental disabilities, who cannot experience even minimal contrition, may be invited to participate in penitential services with the community to the extent of their ability.

The Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick- Through the anointing of the sick, the Church commends to the suffering and glorified Lord the faithful who are seriously ill, so they may be relieved of their suffering and to be saved. Since disability does not necessarily indicate an illness, Catholics with disabilities should receive the Sacrament of anointing when they are in danger due to sickness or old age.

Holy Orders - By divine institution, some among the Christian faithful are constituted sacred ministers through the sacrament of orders. The existence of a physical disability is not considered in and o itself as disqualifying a person from holy orders. However, candidates for ordination must possess the necessary spiritual, physical, intellectual, emotional and psychological qualities and abilities to fulfill the ministerial functions of the order they receive.

The Sacrament of Marriage - By the sacrament of marriage, Christians signify and share in the mystery of the unity and fruitful love which exists between Christ and his church. They will help each other to attain holiness in their married life and in the rearing and education of their children. The local ordinary should make the necessary provisions to ensure the inclusion of persons with disabilities in marriage preparation programs. Catholics who are deaf are to be offered the opportunity to express their matrimonial consent in sign language, if this is their primary means of communication. Pastoral care for married couples extends throughout the married couples' lives. Special care is to be taken to include parishioners with disabilities in parish programs aimed to assisting and nourishing married couples in leading holier and fuller lives within their families.

Respect Life Mass - Each year, we welcome all people with disabilities to join in our Diocesan celebration to Respect Life, the first Sunday of October. This year's mass will be celebrated on Sunday, October 4, 2009 at St. Joseph Cathedral at 50 Franklin Street in Buffalo at 10:30 am by Bishop Kmiec.  If you are unable to celebrate the Sacrament of Eucharist with your parish community due to illness or a disability, contact your parish regarding your change and ask about the ministries they can provide for you. Parishes have Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion that will come into your home and pray with you and provide the spiritual nourishment of the Body of Christ (VIEW FLYER HERE).

The National Conference of Catholic Bishops has published Guidelines for the Celebration of the Sacraments with Persons with Disabilities, 1995 which are available at the Catholic Union Store (847-8715) or at www.usccb.org publication No. 5-027