The National Conference for Catechetical Leadership (NCCL) honored Eileen Colarusso and Mary O’Meara with the NCCL Technology Award at the group’s April meeting.
Ms. Colarusso, coordinator of deaf ministry for the Archdiocese of Baltimore, and Ms. O’Meara, executive director of the Center for Deaf Ministries in the Archdiocese of Washington, D.C., were honored for their work in creating a DVD titled “Liturgical Signs and Prayers, A Resource for Deaf Ministry.” The film interprets the canon of the Mass and rituals for baptism, weddings and funerals in American Sign Language.
“I was shocked when I learned we were to receive the NCCL Technology Award. But I was also excited that NCCL had recognized the work Mary and I put into this endeavor and the recognition of the need for resources in deaf ministry,” said Ms. Colarusso, who explained the most important part of her job is making sure Catholics who are deaf have access to all facets of parish life.
The money to produce the DVD was provided by a donation from Cardinal Theodore E. McCarrick, former archbishop of Washington, D.C., and a grant from the Koch Foundation.
The DVD is available through the Division of Evangelization and Catechesis.