Amanda Nicklis is among the catechumens who will enter the Catholic Church at Easter. 

Nicklis, who has never been baptized, lost her ability to hear as an infant. 

She began attending Mass at Hilliard St. Brendan the Navigator Church more than a year ago because sign language is offered at the 10:45 a.m. Mass a few times per month.

“She is deaf and started attending one of our Sunday Masses because we have a woman (Janet Donnell) who volunteers to sign at it,” said Father Frank Brown, parochial vicar at St. Brendan. 

Nicklis said she enjoyed having Donnell present to sign at Mass.

“The interpreter is amazing, and it helps me to understand what is ‘God’ and ‘faith,’” she said. “I can’t miss out … for the Mass every Sunday.”

Nicklis said that she came to find Catholicism as the true faith through attending Mass at St. Brendan and through her RCIA instruction.

“I want to become Catholic because the faith is pure truth,” she said. “It helps us powerfully by prayer.”

Nicklis’ father is Catholic, and her mother attended a Christian church. Nicklis said now that she is an adult, she can choose which faith she would like to be baptized into.

“At the Catholic church I could see how true the Catholic religion is, and how important Jesus is, and the Eucharist,” she said. “Now that I am grown up, I decided to become Catholic.”

Nicklis’ journey to the Catholic Church began online in August 2022 through watching a series of videos for RCIA instructions. She said that the experience did not prove to be fruitful for her.

“Well, I’m deaf, and I joined RCIA online, but it didn’t help me grow in faith,” she said.

Father Brown contacted Kathy Hodges at New Albany Church of the Resurrection. Hodges volunteers there as leader of the Deaf Ministry.

“I wasn’t sure what to do with her catechesis at first because, unfortunately, not much is provided to facilitate that,” Father Brown said. “Thankfully, though, I was able to connect with someone who not only is able to sign but actually taught RCIA, so they meet privately.”

Hodges reached out to her friend Father Michael Depcik when she heard about Nicklis’ situation. Father Depcik, OSFS, is the director of Deaf Ministry in the Archdiocese of Detroit. He is one of fewer than a dozen deaf priests worldwide.

“I met Father Mike Depcik at the (Church of the Resurrection) deaf conference last year,” Hodges said. “Because of Amanda’s work schedule, she was unable to participate in RCIA classes. I contacted Father Depcik and asked, ‘What is your suggestion?’ It is best to come from a deaf person.”

Father Depcik arranged for Nicklis to take one-on-one RCIA instruction remotely from Daniel Gibb, a deaf instructor and member of St. John’s Deaf Center, part of the Archdiocese of Detroit’s Catholic Deaf Community. 

Gibb uses PowerPoints for RCIA instructions, DVDs produced by the National Catholic Office for the Deaf and some material provided by Father Depcik. He also teaches RCIA classes for the deaf on Sundays at St. John’s Deaf Center in Detroit.

“Father Mike has RCIA provided on Zoom to teach me and grow in faith,” she said. “(There is) so much learning about the Catholic (faith). That’s something I don’t know about. I am really motivated to learn more about the Catholic (faith), plus sign language for Catholic words.”

Nicklis said learning about Catholicism via Zoom has been a great experience for her this time. She said that she “loves” the RCIA instruction with Gibb, and it has given her great “satisfaction.”

“I am just fascinated by the preaching,” she said. “It has made such an emphasis on me. I love learning the Gospels and knowing that I can trust in Jesus. I cannot wait to become Catholic.”

Nicklis has met weekly with Gibb for RCIA class since October 2022. Hodges said she is also present on the Zoom calls to provide support.

“Because of Amanda’s situation, we were creative in this way,” Hodges said. “It is an enriched environment where she can learn about the Catholic faith.”

Nicklis said that she has learned information and miraculous stories that have strengthened her faith.

“I have realized the wonderful truth that the saints do not detract from God’s glory or compete with Him for honor, but rather they magnify his grace and increase his glory,” she said. “Also, I read an article about the scapular. A man in the war wore the scapular … all men died, but the man who used the scapular is alive. Long story, but how amazing.”

Nicklis said that she is looking forward to receiving the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist come Easter.

“I can get the Eucharist after RCIA is completed and continue attending Mass every Sunday, which is very important for our God.”

Nicklis can read and write. She answered questions from The Catholic Times regarding her conversion story by email and in a Zoom call with Hodges there to interpret. Her quotations in this story are taken from those emails and Hodges’ interpretation.