The Ephpheta Centre provides the chaplaincy team for the Deaf and Hearing Impaired people in the dioceses of Sydney, Broken Bay and Parramatta. The Centre provides sacramental and pastoral care, counselling, support and advocacy services. Visitation is an important part of the Centre’s work.

The name Ephpheta is a scripture quote from Mark (Mk 7:34). When Jesus healed a deaf man, He looked towards heaven and said “Ephpheta” which means “Be Open” hence the word in our logo.

Ephpheta Centre offers religious and social services for the signing-deaf, oral-deaf and hearing-impaired and those who have lost hearing through age and industrial deafness.

Signed Mass is celebrated on Sundays in different parishes throughout the three dioceses. Weddings and funerals are celebrated on request.

We offer all the sacraments of the Catholic Church to the Deaf eg: anointing of the sick, baptism, reconciliation, communion, confirmation and marriage. We continue Jesus’ work (ministry) by visiting members of the deaf community confined to their homes, nursing homes, hospitals, the lonely and also people in prison.

Click on the following link to learn more about our staff.