Xavier society director helps blind read about faith

Every so often in her travels — locally or on vacation — Kathleen Lynch, director of the Xavier Society for the Blind, notices a blind lector at Mass reading from a Braille lectionary book.

Kathleen Lynch

“I know that it’s one of ours,” she said with a smile. Because of the efforts of the Xavier Society, a national Catholic press and lending library, people “are able to participate in their faith who wouldn’t otherwise be able to.
“We serve 10,000 people in the U.S., Canada, and a few other countries,” providing reading material in the Catholic tradition in the form of Braille, large print books, and audio recordings, explained Lynch, a parishioner of St. James Church in Seaford.

“Our biggest items are the stories of and books about the saints, and the Bible,” Lynch noted. The Manhattan-based society also provides a bimonthly collection of the best articles in Catholic publications, materials for daily and Sunday Mass Scripture readings, liturgical and prayer books, and catechetical texts for sacramental preparation.
With their motto, “That those without sight may see,” Lynch said, “we are the only agency providing this kind of service.” Other agencies don’t provide material of a religious nature. The society was founded in 1900 by a group of Catholic laywomen assisted by a Jesuit priest, Father Joseph Stadelman. via licatholic.org

The Xavier Society currently uses audio cassettes, but plan to use digital recordings and are upgrading a web site. They also offer a 800 phone line. They charge no fees for their services.

You can reach them at

Phone: (212) 473-7800 or (800) 637-9193 or FAX: (212) 473-7801

Mail address: Xavier Society for the Blind, 154 East 23rd Street, New York, NY 10010

[image description: A photo of Kathleen Lynch is shown.]