The Visually Impaired in the Church Community

Abstract

The visually impaired person is created in the image of God, as is the person with normal vision. The impairment does not infringe on the dignity of the impaired. The impaired person is a fully-fledged subject, enjoying all the rights that relate to his/her belonging to the Church and society. The visually impaired are incorporated into the Church through Baptism. They undertake their Christian and personal vocation in the Church. The impairment makes the vocation of an impaired person unique. It is one of its kind and can me more difficult than that of a person with normal vision. The visually impaired are also called to participate in apostolic action – in the form they are fit for. Their apostolic activity mostly consists in giving the testimony of their Christian life, their acceptance of the suffering and devoting it to Christian causes, and in their prayer. The Church community offers them spiritual, psychological and material support.