[Faith-talk] Blind Catholics

[Vincent Fugate]

	I do my lecturing by using the proper of the Mass transcribed by the
Xavier Society of the Blind, and I get mine in Braille.  I get the First
Friday and Saturday readings, and all the readings for Sundays, and Holy
Days of Obligation.  They also put out a calendar with many of the Catholic
feast day's included, and they are now giving away the New Testament in
Braille, and large print.  They also have a Catholic library, but it does
not have a lot of things I'd want, but it's a nice start If you want books
in Braille. 
	
	I'm the second Blind Catholic in my area to do this.  I have a
friend that is vice president of my chapter for the National Federation of
the Blind in the Dayton area that Lecture every third Sunday at his Perish.

	I became an Extraordinary Minister so I could help with Adoration.
What I did was memorize the layout of my Perish, and all I needed to know to
setup and take down everything on my own without any assistance.  The only
trouble I have is remembering to turn the lights on for the sighties.

	I am not a server, but we do have blind Priests and they do
everything, which is something I am trying to find more about, until then I
think I will just do Adoration.

	I'd say that a lot of the skills I use I've gotten from being a
blind parent of two children, and I've been to some NFB conventions also.
This has helped me become independent, and more involved in my community and
church than I would have been without the NFB.  	

	I was not always blind.  I'm 35 now, and was diagnosed legally blind
when I was 17.  I have Retinitis Pigmentosis, and my vision got so bad about
six years ago I had to learn to use a cane, and it got to the point I could
not read anything.  Most of the times I am totally blind, and what I do see
is very distorted, and is like looking through a very dirty window.  I don't
even know what my kids really look like, and I don't know what any of my
friends look like.

	It was really hard at first dealing with my vision lost until I got
more involved with the National Federation of the Blind.  Before that I was
in the ACB, but their view of things was not what I needed.  Also, during
this time I was going through a change in faith.  I was raised Protestant,
which is another story in its self, but to make things short, all my
questions and needs have been met through the Catholic church and the
National Federation of the Blind.  The Church has even helped me with my
blindness in ways I don't believe could have been done in a Protestant
church, at least that's how it's worked out for me, and I'm confident this
is how God has been leading me all these years.


-----Original Message-----
From: faith-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:faith-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org]
On Behalf Of Beth
Sent: Monday, February 04, 2008 11:24 AM
To: Faith-talk, for the discussion of faith and religion
Subject: Re: [Faith-talk] Blind Catholics

I am actually a Catholic myself, but I'm not really involved in
anything except a choir and music ministry in the church.  How do you
do your extraordinary ministry duties in the church?  How do you do
your lecturing duties as well?
Beth

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