Check out Xavier Society for the Blind and our clients profiled in various publications and broadcasts.
Our braille client Tony from the Diocese of Orange is currently attending Mount Angel Abbey & Seminary in Oregon. He is the first blind seminarian to attend in the Seminary's 130 year history! Tony is one of our many clients who has entered religious life and is an inspiration to all. Check out this great article from the Archdiocese of Portland's diocesan newspaper by clicking here.
As many of our clients lost their vision later in life, many of the people we serve do not read braille. Father Bernard Ezaki of the Diocese of Allentown, is one of those clients. He received large print and audio materials from us to serve his parish and practice his Faith. Check out this article on him that appeared in Crux by clicking here.
New Jersey Catholic showcases Catholics from around the Archdiocese of Newark and how they practice their faith, inspiring readers with examples on how they can do the same in whatever their walk of life. Our braille client Eileen Scrivani was one of the inspiring parishioners that was profiled by the magazine in October 2019. Check out the article by clicking here.
Father Jamie Dennis celebrated our most recent St. Lucy Mass in honor of our patron saint at St. Francis Xavier Church. We were blessed to have many other clients participate as lectors and serving on the altar. Tim Harfmann, a reporter with Currents News, was there. Currents News is a nightly news program featuring local, national and international events and interviews on NET-TV, a Catholic cable TV network based in the Diocese of Brooklyn and Queens. Check it out by clicking here.
Many of our clients are located outside of the United States and use of braille materials in order to understand, develop and practice their Faith. One of these inspirational clients is Father Mikkel Trestrail of Trinidad and Tobago. Father Trestrail was recently ordained a priest, and you can read more about his ordination here. Since being ordained, he has been making waves and has also been featured in The Guardian. You can read more about him and his journey to the priesthood by clicking here. We are blessed to have him as a client!
In mid-May 2019, Malachy and our longtime braille patron Bob White stopped by the Just Love Radio Show at Sirius XM studios in midtown Manhattan. Hosted by Monsignor Kevin Sullivan, Executive Director of Catholic Charities of New York, Just Love is a popular program on The Catholic Channel, XM 129. Malachy and Bob chatted with Monsignor Sullivan about our mission and the materials we provide to patrons worldwide.
Please click here to listen to the broadcast (starts around 6:04)! If you are in the Archdiocese of New York, you may recognize Bob - since 1987 he has presented the Mass on Sundays on WFUV Fordham Radio. Like many patrons who lector, Bob uses our Propers of the Sunday Mass in braille as well as the Holy Week Triduum.
Andrea is a 17 year old high school student who receives our braille materials.She also LOVES to lector at her parish St. Leo the Great in Fairfax, VA. She claims to be introverted, but we need more convincing! Click here to read the fantastic article by George Goss of The Arlington Catholic Herald in the Diocese of Arlington and make sure to listen to the podcast she features in as well. Her enthusiasm for her Catholic Faith is very inspiring.
Our young braille client Mara was profiled in her diocesan newspaper The Leaven (Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas). Click here to read it. Mara has certainly been stealing the spotlight since our 2018 St. Lucy Mass and we couldn't be more proud! If you missed any of the other publications she has been featured in check out our January 2019 newsletter by clicking here. Also, she made a great video explaining what materials she receives from Xavier Society and how it helps her practice her Faith. Be sure to check that out as well by clicking here!
Detroit Catholic, the newspaper for the Archdiocese of Detroit, profiled our clients Mike and Frank. Both men are very active in their parishes - Mike cantors and facilitates the music program at St. Mark parish in Warren, MI and Frank has worked with the Archdiocesan Special Needs ministry. Check out this great piece by Kelly Luttinen by clicking here.
Chicago Catholic, the diocesan newspaper of the Archdiocese of Chicago, published this great piece detailing the materials we provide to clients in Chicago and beyond. There's a great quote in this article about how we want to serve more people, and it's all about getting the word out about our mission and what we do. We think this article does a pretty good job of that! Read the article by clicking here.
Executive Director Malachy Fallon appeared on Catholic TV's This is the Day show with Bishop Robert Reed to discuss our conversion to digital Talking Book format and about the other braille and audio materials available from our library. If you missed the interview or would like to watch it again click here! Thank you to all at Catholic TV, particularly Bonnie Rodgers and Bishop Reed, for helping to spread word of our mission to provide the Word of God to those who cannot see.
Our client and Advisory Group member Sharlene Kraft was profiled in The Tablet, the Diocesan newspaper of the Diocese of Brooklyn and Queens. Sharlene has been active in her parish as a lector, and is a great ambassador for Xavier Society for the Blind. She was also profiled on Currents News, and you can watch that segment here.
We serve a very inspiring order of nuns in Kenya - the Sacramentine Sisters of Don Orione! We are blessed to provide them with braille materials to assist them in prayer and their day to day lives. These Sisters are an inspiration to all with and without sight. Learn more about this order located in many countries throughout the world by clicking here.
Justin McDevitt is a braille patron of Xavier Society for the Blind, and like many of our patrons, he uses his Propers of the Sunday Mass to lector. Amazingly, his sighted daughter Maeve lectors right alongside him - she just so happens to be deaf and signs for other hearing impaired parishioners. Thanks to Joe Ruff and all at The Catholic Spirit, the diocesan newspaper of the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis, for this incredible story. Read the article by clicking here.
Florida Catholic, the diocesan newspaper serving the dioceses of Orlando, Palm Beach, Venice and the Archdiocese of Miami printed a great article on our clients in Florida and the materials they receive in order for them to learn about, develop and practice their Faith. The article also interviewed Dolores Hanley McDiarmid who is in our Advisory Group and has been instrumental in spreading word of our mission, particularly in south Florida. She has also written a book about her experience working with people living with blindness or visual impairments entitled Moved by the Spirit: A Call to Work with People Living with Blindness and Visual Impairments. We have her book available in our braille and audio libraries, please let us know if you'd like to request it. To read the Florida Catholic article click here.
Catholic Philly profiled our clients Suzanne and Bill in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia who receive our braille materials to participate in the Mass and learn about their Faith. Suzanne is a parishioner of Our Lady of Hope Parish, where she plays the piano and cantors. Bill, a member of our Advisory Group, has lectored at our most recent St. Lucy Mass and is the president and founder of Dancing Dots Braille Music Tech. Click here to read the full article.
Sister Dolores Dean is a longtime braille client and also proofreads many of our new additions in braille. A Benedictine nun, she is quite the inspiration. Read more about her in The Arlington Catholic Herald, the newspaper of the Diocese of Arlington, by clicking here.
In 2016, we were blessed to have our St. Lucy Mass celebrated for the first time by Father Jamie Dennis. He was recently ordained as a priest, and it was inspiring to have our clients and supporters together on the Feast of the patron saint of the blind. Catholic New York was also with us and featured the Mass which you can read by clicking here.
After our St. Lucy Mass in 2016, The Western Kentucky Catholic profiled Father Jamie Dennis in its January 2017 issue. Father Dennis is well known in the Diocese of Owensboro and it was a big deal for him to celebrate Mass at the Lady Chapel in St. Patrick's Cathedral in NYC. His homily on being a blind priest was also very inspiring. Click here to read more.
Shelly Gray is a member of our Advisory Group, and was profiled in her diocesan newspaper. A longtime braille patron of ours, she is also a gifted musician and plays the guitar at her parish. To learn more about Shelly check out The Archdiocese of Omaha's Catholic Voice by clicking here.
Bridget Bowers is an inspiration to those with and without sight. A convert to Catholicism, Bridget lectors at her parish St. Luke the Evangelist in Indianapolis with the help of our Propers of the Sunday Mass in braille. She is also a member of our Advisory Group, helping us select new titles in braille and audio and advising us on new initiatives. To learn more about Bridget check out the article that appeared in The Archdiocese of Indianpolis' newspaper The Criterion by clicking here.
Following our 2018 St. Lucy Mass, the Metuchen Catholic Spirit published an article written by one of our board members - Father Hank Hilton! Father Hilton is a great ambassador for our organization and his article really helped get the word out about us in the Diocese of Metuchen and beyond. Click here to read more.
Our audio client Inés was featured in the Diocese of Tucson's publication Catholic Outlook. Inés is a Spiritual Director in the Diocese of Tucson & attended SAAVI Services for the Blind. She receives our audio materials, and also is a member of our Advisory Group. To read more, check out the article by clicking here.
Robert Dittman, a braille client from Texas, is also a successful lawyer and a volunteer member of the Coast Guard Auxiliary. Above all, he is committed to his Catholic Faith. You can read more about Robert, his life, and career, by clicking here.
