A SIGNED mass for the deaf and hard of hearing at Our Lady's grotto in Lourdes will mark the first ever Society of St Vincent de Paul Week, which is being held between September 22-29.
Forty-two severely deaf people among 95 SVP pilgrims on a trip to Lourdes will attend the mass, and prayers will be said for SVP workers around the world.
Meanwhile schools and parishes throughout Britain will be remembering the work of the organisation, which was set up in 1833 to help alleviate poverty around the world.
SVP workers hope to distribute about a quarter of a million leaflets explaining their work, which involves prison visiting, setting up workshops for the unemployed, taking inner city children on holiday, and running clubs for the deaf.