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in 1979, which would mean he would gradually lose his sight. He was completely blind by 2001, using finger signing to communicate. He moved to London in 2000, where he studied braille and worked with the organization
Deafblind UK as their Pastoral Support Development Coordinator. He also qualified as
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As a young man he planned to become a rabbi, but after a difficult spiritual journey, converted to
Catholicism in 1965. From 1962 to 1965 he studied accounting and became a certified bookkeeper. He decided to become a priest when he noticed fellow deaf people at Mass who could not understand what the
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He worked to have schools, community centers, and homes built for deaf people around the world. In 1988 he traveled to Hong Kong and Macau, spending twelve years in Macau and setting up multiple services for deaf people there, including a center for deaf children and the Macau Deaf
Association. He
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His new parish would consist of the deaf people throughout South Africa, using eight indigenous sign languages. He entered the
Redemptorist order in 1975. Axelrod was dismayed to find black deaf children in South Africa, some as old as 15, who were unable to read, write or sign as a result of
158:, known for his work with deaf and deafblind people. He has ministered to the deaf and deafblind around the world, including in South Africa, China and the United Kingdom. In 2014 he became the first deafblind person to become an Officer of the
237:
Gallaudet
College awarded Axelrod the Edward Minor Gallaudet Award in 1982 for his work in promoting "the well-being of deaf people of the world." Axelrod received an honorary doctorate from Gallaudet University in 2001.
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staff would not let him board a flight alone because of his deafblindness, even though
Axelrod had traveled independently for many decades; Comair later offered to provide a guide to travel with Axelrod for free.
201:, he established multiple multiracial institutions, including a school for deaf children in Soweto, a hostel for deaf homeless people in Pretoria, and an employment center in Cape Town.
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discriminatory education policies. Axelrod also encouraged the adoption of one universal sign language in South Africa to promote opportunities for black deaf South
Africans. Defying
174:. He was born profoundly deaf to hearing parents who were Orthodox Jewish. His grandfather was a rabbi, and his parents spoke Yiddish, with little knowledge of English.
457:
486:
772:
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225:, which describes his difficult childhood, his spiritual journey, and his pastoral ministry. A book of his paintings was published in 2020, titled
245:(OBE) "for services to the development of deaf blind services in Hong Kong". Axelrod was the first deafblind person to have received that honor.
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in
Pretoria, South Africa, and was ordained in Johannesburg in November 1970. At the time, he was the second born-deaf person to be initiated.
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priest was saying. From 1965 to 1966 he traveled to the U.S., studying philosophy at
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Gallaudet
University Library Guide to Deaf Biographies and Index to Deaf Periodicals
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would travel on missions in the U.S., Malta, and
Australia, among other locations.
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458:"Is South Africa's 'fake' sign language interpreter a legacy of apartheid?"
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Cyril Axelrod was born as Sheftil ben Avram Abba on 24 February 1942 in
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a massage therapist. In 2013 he made the news in South Africa when
431:"Father Cyril Axelrod, CSsR. Deaf-blind Redemptorist Missionary"
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He attended St. Vincent's School for the Deaf in Johannesburg.
590:"Speaking a language the deaf can hear and the blind can see"
279:"Father Cyril Axelrod: New Ways of Communicating God's Love"
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402:The Tablet: the International Catholic News Weekly
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398:"Jewish-born deaf-blind priest awarded an OBE"
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221:Axelrod published an autobiography in 2005,
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713:Converts to Roman Catholicism from Judaism
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243:Officer of the Order of the British Empire
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539:"Deaf, blind priest grounded by airline"
189:. Axelrod trained for the priesthood at
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655:(Supplement). 15 June 2013. p. 25.
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487:"A Ministry Among the 'Most Abandoned'"
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277:Simmermacher, Gunther (9 March 2021).
122:Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer
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738:South African Roman Catholic priests
621:"Father Cyril Axelrod was made OBE"
456:Dewey, Caitlin (11 December 2013).
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768:South African expatriates in China
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564:"Comair to fly deaf, blind priest"
88:St John Vianney Seminary, Pretoria
14:
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435:Redemptorist Conference of Europe
310:Siedlecka, Jo (6 December 2018).
512:"OBE honours a prince among men"
625:Deafblind Information Australia
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537:Maditla, Neo (12 August 2013).
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485:Berger, Leslie (10 July 1982).
312:"Profile: Father Cyril Axelrod"
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187:Catholic University of America
84:Catholic University of America
1:
404:. 3 July 2013. Archived from
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241:In 2014, he was appointed an
147:(born 24 February 1942) is a
342:"A History of Deafblindness"
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7:
778:Gallaudet University alumni
208:Axelrod was diagnosed with
160:Order of the British Empire
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723:South African blind people
172:Johannesburg, South Africa
743:South African deaf people
316:Independent Catholic News
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191:St. John Vianney Seminary
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753:Clergy from Johannesburg
227:Light in silent darkness
670:Axelrod, Cyril (2005).
728:Deaf religious workers
678:. UK: Douglas McLean.
674:And the Journey Begins
378:. Gallaudet University
223:And the Journey Begins
135:Cyril Bernhard Axelrod
51:Sheftil ben Avram Abba
102:Roman Catholic Church
117:Congregations served
16:South African priest
763:South African Jews
652:The London Gazette
543:Independent Online
518:. 21 November 2013
516:Independent Online
346:Deafblind Scotland
283:The Southern Cross
156:Redemptorist Order
627:. 24 January 2014
183:Gallaudet College
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80:Gallaudet College
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718:Deafblind people
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596:. 9 April 2016
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63:(age 82)
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31:Cyril Axelrod
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733:Blind clergy
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629:. Retrieved
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68:Johannesburg
26:The Reverend
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703:1942 births
647:"No. 60534"
631:23 December
600:23 December
574:23 December
548:23 December
522:23 December
496:23 December
467:23 December
441:23 December
412:23 December
382:23 December
351:23 December
321:23 December
288:23 December
697:Categories
685:0946252556
249:References
57:1942-02-24
199:apartheid
166:Biography
149:deafblind
108:Ordained
154:of the
133:Father
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568:News24
233:Honors
215:Comair
98:Church
680:ISBN
633:2021
602:2021
576:2021
550:2021
524:2021
498:2021
469:2021
443:2021
414:2021
384:2021
353:2021
323:2021
290:2021
185:and
145:CSsR
47:Born
40:CSsR
140:OBE
36:OBE
699::
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