Religious ed goes quietly

The silence is, at times, deafening inside a certain religious education classroom at St. Mary's/St. Alphonsus School building in Glens Falls. That's because the lessons for those preparing to receive their First Communion through the religious education program of St. Mary's parish are primarily taught using American Sign Language.

Although catechist Kathy Smith sometimes reads quietly from a book, she relies heavily upon Andrea Ryan to interpret what she is saying for the three profoundly deaf students in her religious ed class: Elizabeth and Joshua Pidgeon, ages 7 and 9, and Mrs. Ryan's 13-year-old son, Brendan.

Also in the class is Brendan's 7-year-old sister, Aisling. Although she can hear perfectly, she is proficient in American Sign Language and understands the lessons when signed. The friendly little girl also communicates easily -- and directly -- with the three deaf children using ASL.

Lucky trio

Brendan, Elizabeth and Joshua are among the more fortunate deaf youngsters in the Albany Diocese in that they are receiving religious education classes in the company of other children.

According to Rev. James Clark, chaplain of the Catholic Deaf Ministry, the vast majority of deaf children either receive one-on-one religious education instruction -- or none at all.

"We'll have more specific information about the state of religious education for deaf children in the Diocese after our survey is completed later this year," explained Father Clark. "At the moment, however, it would appear that most deaf Catholic children are receiving their religious classes in relative isolation."

Answer to prayer

Stephanie Pidgeon, mother of Elizabeth and Joshua, says what's transpiring at St. Mary's/St. Alphonsus is the answer to a prayer.

"I had both of my children baptized when they were babies," she explains, "but didn't give much thought to preparing them to receive the other sacraments because we didn't think any parish could provide religious education classes for them."

Need for lessons

What finally prompted her to call St. Mary's/St. Alphonsus religious ed director Jo Kaczmarek was a silent and ongoing plea for spiritual nourishment and knowledge from Joshua. He had long been expressing a desire to learn more about the priesthood.

"Ever since he was only five or six, he's always said that's what he wants to be when he grows up -- a priest," Mrs. Pidgeon told The Evangelist. "That's not the only reason I started looking for religious ed classes for him, but it was definitely part of it. I also felt that, because of their deafness, my children would need a stronger faith foundation just to survive in the world."

Religious education "was something they weren't getting in public school, but I didn't feel qualified to teach them what they needed to know myself," she continued. "I really feel like the instruction they are receiving from Kathy and Andrea is an excellent building block for the future. The way my husband (Matthew) and I look at is that if you don't have God in your life, you really don't have anything."

Making the call

Mrs. Pidgeon, who was already acquainted with Mrs. Ryan, summoned the courage to call Mrs. Kaczmarek last fall after Joshua and Elizabeth's grandmother made the recommendation.

"I didn't really know what to say, so I said we'd do it. I just didn't know how!" Mrs. Kaczmarek says. She feels God used her as "a channel" that ultimately linked Mrs. Smith and the deaf children she now teaches with the interpretive help of Mrs. Ryan.

Mrs. Pidgeon said she has noticed a positive change in both of her children -- but especially Joshua -- since religious ed classes began.

"He is more aware of a lot of things in the world around him," she notes. "He has a greater sense of what is right and wrong, and frequently reminds us that Jesus is watching and so we should do the right thing."

(04-10-97) [[In-content Ad]]