Braille Bible strengthens faith of visually impaired
(January 20, 2011) Jancy Rani, a visually impaired student, always wanted to conduct
Bible readings at Mass. Her wish became true recently beyond her wildest dreams. On
January 9, the tenth grader used a Braille Bible to give the second reading at a Mass
concelebrated by 120 Latin rite bishops in Chennai. The Mass was part of a public
reception for the bishops, who met in the city for the plenary of the Conference of
Catholics Bishops of India. “It was an amazing experience to read on such a big occasion,”
Rani told UCA News on January 18. She said she and her friends love to read “our Braille
Bibles and strengthen our faith.” During the reception, Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop
Salvatore Pinocchio gave the first copies of a new inter-confessional Braille Bible
in Tamil to Rajamanickam Xavier and Regina Mary, two visually impaired teachers.
We can understand the Bible better since we can read it ourselves, Xavier said. “We
used to listen to others reading the Bible, now we can read it ourselves which gives
us spiritual satisfaction,” Mary said. The Brothers of Sacred Heart started translating
the New Testament and Psalms in Braille at a cost of 6.5 million rupees (US$144,450)
in 2006. The congregation runs the Amalarakkinni School for the Blind, which has
120 students. School director, Sacred Heart Brother Levil, said their students always
wanted to participate in the liturgy so “we felt the need for a Braille version.”
The congregation has printed 500 copies and each copy, costing 750 rupees, comprises
21 volumes and is printed on thick plastic sheets. They will soon start the work on
the Old Testament.