The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1909-11-20
ON FINGERS !.
TO THE DEAF MUTES
Rev. Thomas Calvin, of New
York, Delivers Eloquent
Sermon With His Fingers to
the Deaf and Dumb at the
Church of St. Alophonsus
on Broadway "Holy God
We Praise Thy Name" Sill
emily Sung by All.

The Redemptorist fathers from their
church Of st. Alphonsus in West
Broadway sent word to the silent peo-
pie Of the five boroughs and all around
that Father Tom Calvin could give
them week of sermons without words.
So the deaf mutes hurried to st. AL
phonsus' last Sunday afternoon to see
Father Tom preach and enjoy the fine
smile that the priest shows above his
flying fingers.
They came from miles around, from
Jersey and Westchester and Staten Is
land. Some hearers who watched the
deaf mutes thronging into the church
entered and went to the back pews
There they sat, keeping very still, until
Father Tom had dismissed his congre-
cation.
The Redemptorist fathers themselves
did not know how deft and skilful
Father Calvin had become in the noise
less speech Of the deaf mutes. He had
practised with them a little at their
meetings in the chapter house, rehears-
ing himself, but they were not pre-
pared for the delight and appreciation
the deaf mutes showed when Father
Galvin's hands began to play up and
down with grace and certainty. The
priests were going and coming within
the church upon their usual affairs. Oc-
casfonally as they left the confessions
ais or appeared from the chapter
house they paused at the back Of the
congregation watching intently, says
writer in the Sun.
When Father Tom in his black robe
with a golden cross swinging at his
girdle stepped into the pulpit he look
ed down upon more than $50 men and
women who could not hear or speak.
Many of them had put themselves diff
fdently far back in the church, so it
was necessary for Father Tom to ask
them to move nearer the pulpit. They
kept their eyes on him constantly. He
began to play his hands and move his
lips. He shifted whole groups from
, seats at the back to seats in front. He
singled out individuals who hesitated
-bashful girls and embarrassed young
men-and brought them to the front
with gestures and a smile. Sometimes
it was an old and feeble woman who
hung back, but Father Tom had a way
with him that completely melted their
reluctance. An appealing gesture and
friendly smile did the trick.
| The service, which was as simple as
it could be made, began with a Catho-
lie hymn which was perfectly we'll
known, it seemed, to all the silent peo-
pie. Father Tom lined it out with his
brisk fingers and his lips.
Daily, daily sing to Mary,
| Sing my soul, her praises due.
Keep her feasts, her actions worship
With the hearts devotion true,
! Lost in wond'ring contemplation,
! Be her majesty confessed.
Call her Mother, call her Virgin,
Happy Mother, Virgin blest.
And as Father Tom sang swiftly with
rapid fingers and moving lips the con-
gregation followed him, word for word,
sign for sign, and the church was so
still that the swishing Of serge some
where away back in the gloom as
priest passed along an aisle struck
/ hard upon the ear. You could see how
much more adept were some of the
congregation than others IN keeping
pace with Father Tom, for some were
eesticulating a full line behind, but
struggling hard to catch up. Their eyes
were cleaning with interest and they
were smiling with pleasure.
Then Father Tom began to preach
He spent thirty minutes on the SER
mon. Now and then he grew very stern
His eye darkened and his lips tighten
ed and his gestures were slow and en-
phatic, Now and then he laughed
without noise, his eye frightened and
his fingers fairly flew.
Sometimes out Of the stiffness came
a half articulate sound as one Of the
congregation was stirred by poin
in the sermon and expressed his feel
ings as audibly as was possible. Some
times mirth ran around the church ant
you could hear just the ghost of
laugh.
1T is your soul you must be mos