Deaf Catholics applaud Vatican’s sign language service on YouTube channel This is a screen shot of Pope Francis' general audience April 21, 2021, from the Vatican American Sign Language YouTube site. The service started March 31, 2021. (CNS screen grab/Vatican News via YouTube) By Jo Ann Zuñiga • Catholic News Service • Posted April 29, 2021 HOUSTON (CNS) — When the Easter livestream of Pope Francis’ general audience and the Angelus was broadcast for the first time in American Sign Language on the Vatican’s YouTube channel, the deaf Catholic ministry group in Texas took particular notice. Redemptorist Father Len Broniak, chaplain and program director of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston’s deaf ministry, called it a “great step forward for open access to the pope’s messages. I’m glad awareness is growing.”