About Ephpheta > What We Do
The Ephpheta Centre is a Centre for deaf and hard of hearing people. Our work includes pastoral care, sacramental services, support and advocacy. Visitation is an important part of our work.
The Ephpheta Centre is a special ministry of the Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney. We are also supported by the Dioceses of Parramatta and Broken Bay.
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Our Vision
The Vision of Ephpheta is to give God’s love by following the Good News of Jesus Christ and reaching out to the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Communities.
Our Mission
Our Mission is to create opportunities for continuing faith development for the members of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Communities by faithfully carrying on the mission of Jesus Christ.
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We chose the name Ephpheta for our Centre because in St Marks Gospel (chapter 7) we read how Jesus cured the deaf man. “Jesus put his fingers into the man’s ears, spat and touched the man’s tongue. The Jesus looked up to heaven, gave a deep groan and said to the man ‘Ephpheta’ which means ‘Be open’”
We aim to live the message of Ephpheta in our work and in the values of our Centre by:
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being open and welcoming to all members of the Deaf Community and their ideas
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being open to all people – deaf, hard of hearing and hearing alike
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being open and supporting all people – Catholic and non- Catholic
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being open in the way we communicate – by making our information and materials accessible to all people.
The Ephpheta Centre provides the Catholic chaplaincy team for the deaf and hard of hearing in the dioceses of Sydney, Broken Bay and Parramatta. We provide religious and social services for the signing-deaf, oral-deaf and hard of hearing and those who have lost hearing through age and industrial deafness. We continue Jesus’ work by visiting members of our community confined to their homes, nursing homes, hospitals, the lonely and also people in prison.