Author: Carolb56

Living in Hope – online reflection

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The second of the Doorways of Hope series of 3 online reflections is Living in Hope, on Wednesday 14th March, 7:00pm to 8:00pm.

Paula Shanks and Monseigneur Donal Lucey will explore how living in the flow of life offers invitations to a deeper sense of hope. 

This is part of the invitation to be ‘Pilgrims of Hope’, looking at ways of noticing the nature and presence of hope, what it means to live this hope and how we can share hope with others in our ordinary, daily lives. 

Please do join us for Living in Hope on Tuesday 18th March, just email growing.old.gracefully@dioceseofleeds.org.uk.

Easter Prayers 2025

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Resurrection light

Risen Christ, when darkness overwhelms us
may your dawn beckon.

When fear paralyses us 
may your touch release us.

When grief torments us 
may your peace enfold us.

When memories haunt us 
may your presence heal us.

When justice fails us 
may your anger ignite us.

When apathy stagnates us 
may your challenge renew us.

When courage leaves us 
may your spirit inspire us.

When despair grips us 
may your hope restore us. 

And when death threatens us 
may your resurrection light lead us.

Amen.

Annabel Shilson-Thomas/CAFOD

Risen Jesus

We thank you for your greeting,
‘Peace be with you’.
The shalom of God, deep lasting peace,
Peace that brings inner calm;
that keeps a person steady in the storm;
that faces the persecutor without fear
and proclaims the good news with courage and joy.
This is the peace that reconciles
sister to brother, black to white,
rich and poor, young and old;
but not peace that is quiet
in the face of oppression and justice
This is peace with God,
the peace that passes understanding.

John Johansen- Berg (based in John 20.19-29 Philippians 4-7)

Triumphant Jesus

“They took the body of Jesus and bound it in linen cloths with the spices.”

John 19.40

You raised Lazarus from dead, saying
“Unbind him, let him go free.”
You too were bound and laid to rest
in a cold tomb, freshened by myrrh and aloes.
Unbind us so that we may also go free.

In sorrow we left you as the dead Jesus
and in wonder you returned to us as the Risen Christ.
Untied from the strips of linen,
you offered us a new-found freedom.
Raise us from the coldness of the tomb in which we are trapped.

With this freedom we are empowered to make choices
about our lifestyle and attitudes,
But our human frailty prevents us from being courageous
by taking those first vital steps.
Release us from the self-imposed exile of our prejudices.

Amen.

Tony Singleton/CAFOD

Eastertide Reflection: Hope by Pippa Bonner

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This is Pope Francis’ Jubilee Year of Hope. We are encouraged to be Pilgrims of Hope amidst the traumatic global events of war, climate change, political swings and poverty and injustice that currently confront us. 

Currently we are all concerned about the war in Ukraine, in the Middle East and elsewhere. We do not know the eventual outcome, but I believe we must have hope and pray.

Hope, we know, is more than optimism and being positive, important as those states of mind are, and easier for some than others.  Hope comes from deep faith that ultimately “All will be well”, as Julian of Norwich believed and shared from her mystical experiences. 

Recently I was with a 90 year old woman who was deeply asleep. She awoke and immediately said with a smile, “All will be well.”  She is bed bound and, to the onlooker, now apparently leads a very restricted, limited life. What an amazing proclamation to have made when she awoke! I experienced this as an example of mature, graced hope and a great reminder to me and others. We must never underestimate older people..!

Easter is the pinnacle of hope for Christians, who believe that Jesus was resurrected from death following his crucifixion.

We are redeemed and part of God’s eternal plan. After the terrible pain and anguish of Holy Week, Christ, has risen from the dead and is full of transformed life. He appears a number of times to his followers before Pentecost fifty days later when they receive the Holy Spirit and are given the gifts and strength to carry on Jesus’ work of spreading the Word and transforming peoples’ lives. We are encouraged in 2025 to carry on His work, using our Spirit-given gifts and experience to live and share the Word, with each other, now and every day. This can be in small, quiet ways as well as more publicly. We can pray for each other.

When I was asked to write a Reflection for Easter and Pentecost time it was January. This time frame is not unusual. I immediately agreed to write it. Usually I write something quite quickly.  But not this time. Why? 

I have realised now the delay was to do with me and life events. I was going through a challenging time. I was recovering from planned surgery that I had waited for a long time and also coping with a recent house move. I knew these were the reasons for my writing something: but also why I had to sit with the changes in my life and ‘the now’ of January before thinking ahead to the opening up and hope of the Easter Message.

This was the reason for my delay…the liturgical journey after Jesus’ birth in Christmastide is to travel with him through his daily life of teachings, signs and miracles, and then Lent, through his wilderness experience, his experience of rejection, suffering and crucifixion towards Resurrection. Although I make this liturgical journey every year, this time it has been different.

I have had to learn to walk again. I have felt pain and had the temporary experience of not driving, and needing to rely more on others’ help and kindness.  I have had to let go of the family home with three sets of stairs and the stress of selling it These are experiences shared by many older people. I have had the support of family and friends and my situation is temporary, but it has not been easy. However, I also constantly feel grateful I do not live in the rubble of Gaza or Mariupol, or as a refugee on a long journey from war, drought or persecution.

I realise that the Pope’s Jubilee Year of Hope is here at the right time for me – and I suggest for all of us – as it emphasises the importance of hope and kindness. Pope Francis talked on a Radio 4 Today Programme, Thought for the Day, at the beginning of the Jubilee Year of Hope in December 2024.  Several times he emphasised the importance of hope with kindness. He said  “I hope that during this Jubilee we can practise kindness as a form of love to connect with others.” I think in our daily lives, trying to live as Pilgrims of Hope kindness can be part of the Jubilee “glue” in our family, parish and community that particularly older people can offer. It can be contagious and can “stick”!

Life is full of hope and challenge, ups and downs. Over the years my morning prayer has morphed into offering everything that happens during daily life that is good and bad, the hopeless and hopeful:

“Today I offer You the good and the bad, the happy and the sad, the boring and the mad”. 

It encompasses everything. It seems to me that God makes use of our negative experiences and challenges as well as the positives and blessings we are given.

There is hope…May we all at Eastertide work together with hope and kindness and offer our Gifts to each other at Pentecost as we try to be Pilgrims of Hope and Kindness.

Pippa Bonner

Easter 2025

Video and summary sheet of Glimpses of Hope online reflection

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On Tuesday 18th March 2025, we held the first in the Doorways of Hope series of online reflections led by Paula Shanks and Mgr. Donal Lucey & Paula Shanks, as part of the Pilgrims of Hope Jubilee year.

The reflection explores the theme of ‘Springtime’ to explore how we can awaken to the invitation to be renewed in hope, a hope rooted in God who chooses to be with us in how things are, where we are.

You can watch the whole session on YouTube here.

There is a one page summary produced by Paula here.

Christians on Ageing – AGM and Spring Conference

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Christians on Ageing are hosting their annual general meeting and spring conference at the Bar Convent in York on 30th of April 2025. Christians on Ageing is a Christian voice for older people and works for a society in which older people are heard, supported and valued..

The day will be focusing on celebrating the gifts and potential of later life and helping churches and others to develop activities which contribute to facilitating other peoples spiritual growth.

The keynote speaker will be Reverend Dr. Chris Swift, recently appointed as Director of the Leeds Church Institute and previously Director of Chaplaincy and Spirituality at Methodist Homes.

It is a free event open to anyone interested in later life and older people ministry.

To book a place please use this link: 

https://buytickets.at/christiancouncilonageing/1532201

Glimpses of Hope – online event

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The first of the Doorways of Hope series of online events is is Glimpses of Hope, on Tuesday 18th March, 2:30pm to 3:30pm,

Paula Shanks and Monseigneur Donal Lucey &will explore the the theme of ‘Springtime’ to explore how we can awaken to the invitation to be renewed in hope. A hope rooted in God who chooses to be with us in how things are, where we are.  

Over the course of the three hour long talks and reflections, Paula and Mgr. Lucey will explore the invitation to be ‘Pilgrims of Hope’ and will offer ways of noticing the nature and presence of hope, what it means to live this hope and how we can share hope with others in our ordinary, daily lives. 

Please do join us for Glimpses of Hope on Tuesday 18th March, just email growing.old.gracefully@dioceseofleeds.org.uk.

Dementia Friends – free online training sessions

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Growing Old Grace-fully, together with Age Friendly Leeds, are hosting two online sessions to support people to become Dementia Friends.

This online training is aimed at all those who want to make their communities and parishes more dementia friendly, for the families and friends of people living with dementia and anyone with caring duties. It also works for anyone who simply wants to understand dementia and learn better how to support and communicate with people living with it.

The two stand alone sessions are as follows:

  • Monday 10th March 2:30 – 3:30 pm 
  • Tuesday 29th April, 7:00 – 8:00pm. 

The two sessions are the same. Each one is open to all, but places are limited so please book one of the slots by emailing growing.old.gracefully@dioceseofleeds.org.uk

Become a Dementia Friend

Dementia Friends is an Alzheimer’s Society initiative, see www.dementiafriends.org.uk.

It helps by raising awareness and understanding, so that people living with dementia can continue to live in the way they want. Too many people affected by dementia feel that society fails to understand the condition they live with.

A Dementia Friend is somebody that learns about dementia so they can help their community, workplace or family be more dementia friendly. 

You can become a Dementia Friend by attending either of the two training sessions, do book today.

Online Resources

We have many online resources to support parishes be dementia friendly and these are found here:

www.growingoldgracefully.org.uk/dementia

In October we held an online session Spiritually Accompanying People with Dementia led by Rev. Dr. Joseph Cortis, co-author of Journeying Together: accompanying people living with dementia. The video and a summary of the session is available online here:

www.growingoldgracefully.org.uk/video-and-resources-from-spiritually-accompanying-people-with-dementia-online-session

Growing Old Grace-fully

It’s All Right by Sister Kate Holmstrom

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It’s All Right is written by Sister Kate Holmstrom, a Holy Child Sister, resident at a care home in Harrogate.

Sister Kate has contributed a number of items to Growing Old Grace-fully.

It’s All Right

Thanks, Lord, my heartfelt thanks, and great relief
To hear you say: “But it’s All Right, you know!”
All right –you’re growing old. Forgetful, muddled, dim
(Embarrassing, frustrating though it is),
All right to need, and take, more time, more space, perhaps,
To admit: “I don’t cope well. I can’t keep up”.
You went there first, our good and sorrowful Lord.
You touched the depth, in dark Gethsemane,
Were crowned with pain and meek humility,
Carried the cross, the sharp sin of the world
So no-one, now, need think herself bereft.
You give to us, you give to me, your freedom:
Permission to be helpless, tired and weak.
You would not have us envious of others
When they are brave or bright or persevering.
You rock us in your reassuring arms,
Accepting us the way you made us: small,
And loving us that way. For you to grow in us,
We must be empty, leaving space for you.
And then you’ll say: “That’s right! What you thought wrong,
Amiss and lacking, is my chance. All right!”

                                                               Katharine Holmstrom

2025 Jubilee Year

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The 2025 Jubilee Year ‘Pilgrims of Hope’ is now underway.

The Jubilee Year began with the opening of the Holy Door in St Peter’s Basilica in Rome, on Christmas Eve Tuesday and runs to the Feast of Epiphany 2026.

The Jubilee Year in the Diocese of Leeds began with Bishop Marcus celebrating Mass in the Cathedral at 11am on Sunday 29 December 2024.

The theme the Holy Father has chosen for this year of special graces is ‘Pilgrims of Hope’ and he invites the whole People of God – clergy and laity – to celebrate God’s Gift of Grace through their expressions of Deep Faith, Lively Hope and Active Charity.

Since Pope Boniface VIII instituted the first Jubilee on 22 February 1300, the Catholic Church has declared these Holy Years to be special times of joy, celebration, forgiveness and reconciliation: with one another, with all of creation and with God. In order to prepare for the Jubilee, a Year of Prayer and Preparation will begin in Advent 2023, with special focus on the Lord’s Prayer, taught to us by Our Lord Jesus Christ Himself.

The Jubilee of Families, Children, Grandparents and the Elderly is from 30 May 2025 – 1 June 2025.

The official Jubilee website is here and the Jubilee section of the Diocese of Leeds website is here. In both cases, there is more information and resources.

Jubilee Prayer

Father in heaven,

may the faith you have given us

in your son, Jesus Christ, our brother,

and the flame of charity enkindled

in our hearts by the Holy Spirit,

reawaken in us the blessed hope

for the coming of your Kingdom.

May your grace transform us

into tireless cultivators of the seeds of the Gospel.

May those seeds transform from within both humanity and the whole cosmos

in the sure expectation

of a new heaven and a new earth,

when, with the powers of Evil vanquished,

your glory will shine eternally.

May the grace of the Jubilee

reawaken in us, Pilgrims of Hope,

a yearning for the treasures of heaven.

May that same grace spread

the joy and peace of our Redeemer

throughout the earth.

To you our God, eternally blessed,

be glory and praise for ever.

Amen.

Video from Finding Hope in Community and Parish Life

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Growing Old Grace-fully has been hosting a series of six online events in 2024, on a variety of different themes exploring later life. The sixth and final of these events was Finding Hope in Community and Parish Life, which was on Tuesday 19th November 2024.

The session had three presentations from people who have found hope in parish life or a Christian community group – Susan Clarkson, Maureen Crossley and Carol Burns – and prayers and reflections.

The video of this session is available to watch on YouTube here.