Ten years ago, April 10, 2016, I knelt before the altar and was ordained a priest. In that moment, I offered my life in service to God and to His people. I could not have fully known where that “yes” would lead me. Today, as I reflect on a decade of priesthood dedicated to the Deaf community, I see more clearly that ordination was not the end of a journey – rather, it was the beginning of a transformation I am still living.
At the time of my ordination, I imagined a ministry shaped by preaching, teaching, and guiding through words. My voice, I believed, would be my primary instrument. On the contrary, God, in His wisdom, led me into a vocation that would stretch far beyond what I had known. He led me to the Deaf community and there, everything began to change.
In those early days of my priesthood, I felt both called and unprepared. Even though I had good knowledge of both American and Italian sign languages, yet, I had to learn a new way of encountering people. I had to let go of the assumption that communication depends on sound. I had to become a student again, learning to listen with my eyes, to speak with my hands, and to be present in a deeper, more attentive way.
What a journey it has been. Within these years, I encountered moments of frustration, moments of uncertainty, moments when I felt the limits of my own ability. However, in those very moments, the grace of God at work was sufficient for me. Slowly, patiently, I began to understand that this ministry was not about my skill, but about my openness.
Over these years, the way I experienced the Gospel changed. The Word of God, so often proclaimed through sound became something visible for me. In sign language, Scripture is not simply spoken, it is expressed, shaped, and brought to life. I found myself not just preaching the Word but witnessing it.
Celebrating Mass in sign language reveals the beauty I had never fully seen before; every gesture carrying its own meaning and every movement calling for active participation. Prayer is no longer something that passed by the ears, but something I could share and deeply feel.
Most importantly, this decade has also made me become more aware of the ongoing challenges faced by the Deaf communities. Too often, they are left on the margins, their needs overlooked, their gifts underappreciated. My priesthood, therefore, has become not only a ministry of presence, but also a call to advocacy, to help build a Church that truly welcomes and includes all.
If I am honest, these ten years have humbled me. I began with the desire to give, but I received far more than I ever expected. I have been taught patience, attentiveness, and a deeper understanding of what it means to truly communicate. I have also witnessed and lived the faith that is strong, quiet, and deeply rooted in God.
Above all, I have come to know that God is not limited by human expectations. His voice is not confined to sound. He speaks in silence, in gestures, in presence, and in love.
As I look back on my priestly ordination ten years ago, I see it now with new eyes. That moment was not simply about becoming a priest, it was about being given over to a journey that would continually reshape me. A journey that would teach me how to listen, how to see, and how to serve more faithfully. This has been my decade of grace.
Be that as it may, if these years have taught me anything, it is this: to be a priest is not only to speak the Word of God, but to make it visible – to live it, to share it, and to recognize it already present in the people I am called to serve, especially the Deaf communities.
Fr. Charles Onumaegbu
Chaplain, Deaf Ministry