‘The Tears of Things’ – A Prayer inspired by the 8th Station of the Cross

A poignant poem/prayer written and kindly shared by Sr Kate Holmstrom SHCJ.

Art by Theophile Lybaert

“Weep not for me, but for your children.”
We are the women of Jerusalem.
We were standing by the Way of the Cross.
But we weep both for you, dear Lord,
And for our children.
We weep for all the sorrows of the world.

Photo by Kat J on Unsplash

‘We are the women of Ukraine.
We weep for our husbands who embraced us so tenderly,
Bidding us goodbye
as they stayed on to fight,
While we cowered in dark basements
Or struggled to escape to freedom,
Facing an unknown, frightening future,
Encouraging our little ones,
traumatised and fearful.’

‘We weep for our lost, premature babies
As others weep for their own, miscarried children
Or for themselves when they chose to abort
In a tragic miscarriage of judgement and despair.’

‘We are the women of Russia.
Our sons and sweethearts did not go willingly (fed by lies and false promises)
To bomb and kill people just like themselves, ourselves.
We grieve for them all
– whether living or dead.
We cry out in desperation …
but to what avail?’
‘We are the women of Afghanistan
Stripped of our future and condemned to silence.’

Art by Christos Magganas

‘We are the women of starving countries
Depriving ourselves of a morsel of bread to feed another.’

‘We are the women, old, cold or sick,
Haunted by nightmares of bills and debt.’


‘We are the women raped, beaten, abused
As we shudder and whimper, powerless and vanquished.’

‘You too wept,
Jesus of the tender heart,
Were overcome by the sorrow
at the death of Lazarus
And the destruction of Jerusalem, foretold.’  

‘Yes, Lord, still we weep for you
And we weep for all the children of misfortune.  
Mother of Sorrows – in our affliction we turn to you.
Tortured Lord – in your mercy, hear our prayers.’

Crying Women by Mikuláš Galanda

Happy Easter! – some resources for you

We hope you will enjoy a meaningful and joyous time this Easter, perhaps more able to join with your local community in person than the last two years. Here are some additional resources online for your enrichment.

Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

Leeds Cathedral at Easter

You can join in with the Masses and services at the Cathedral online or in person.
You can see what is coming up on this link:
Leeds Cathedral upcoming livestreams Youtube
Or see past livestreams on this link:
Leeds Cathedral past livestreams

Bishop’s Conference website resources

See THIS PAGE for articles on the Art of Holy Week, video reflections on the Stations of the Cross and more.

Ignatian Spirituality

Listen to audio reflections as online retreats for Lent and Easter HERE.

‘Over the Hill or Embracing the View?’ A series of events on Perspectives on Later Life

Later Life – what is your perspective?

Is it a decline or an ascent, a blessing or a burden, or a mixture of both? How do we face and embrace both the challenges and the joys in the context of our ongoing spiritual journey? How do we support those around us to do the same?

We would love to see you
at any or all of our partnership events on Later Life.
Click on the links below to book your place:

1. ‘Over the Hill or Embracing the View? Perspectives on Later Life’.


Tuesday 26th April 12 noon at Wheeler Hall, Leeds (next to St Anne’s Cathedral).
Enjoy a lovely lunch followed by a panel of speakers and time for questions and discussion. (In partnership with Leeds Church Institute).


2.Jubilee Tea Party and Celebrating Later Life! (The Briery, Ilkley)


Sunday 12th June 3.00pm at The Briery Retreat Centre, Ilkley
The Briery kitchen will cook up a lovely spread for a tea party celebrating our Queen, and we will reflect on the joys and opportunities of later life for us all. There is a suggested offering of £10 per head. Please ring 01943 607287 to book and pay. (In partnership with The Briery Retreat Centre).


3. Jubilee Tea Party and Celebrating Later Life! (Wheeler Hall)’


Thursday 16th June 2.30pm at Wheeler Hall, Leeds.
Join us for a tea party celebrating our Queen and reflecting on the joys and opportunities of later life for us all. A Donations Box will be available on the day. (In partnership with Leeds Church Institute).

4. Losses and Later Lifehow do we face changes in our later years.


Tuesday 12th July 2.30pm Online (Tbc)
A discussion event reflecting on how we face and make sense of changes and diminishment in our later years.
(In partnership with Leeds Church Institute).


The State of Ageing 2022 – important report from The Centre for Ageing Better

‘The State of Ageing in England is getting worse’

The Centre for Ageing Better has pulled together extensive data in this recent important report. They have made the information very easy to access with the summary and all sections presented online with lots of graphs and explanation – see HERE.

Here are some headline findings from an article on their website.

‘Today there are almost 11 million people aged 65 and over – 19% of the total population. In 10 years’ time, this will have increased to almost 13 million people or 22% of the population.’

‘As our comprehensive review of national data on ageing makes clear, a financially secure and healthy later life is becoming increasingly unlikely for millions of people.’

‘And, with the population ageing rapidly, the number of people at risk is growing at an alarming rate. The latest data shows a sharp increase in pensioner poverty meaning that almost 1 in 5, some 2 million people of pension age, are now living in poverty.’

‘We have also seen a reduction in our life expectancy (of 0.3 years for women and 0.4 years for men). Meanwhile, the number of years we can expect to spend in good health, without a disabling illness, continues to decline; this is now  62.4 years for men and 60.9 years for women.’

The State of Ageing 2022 has five chapters: Health, Homes, Work, Communities and a chapter setting out the context in which we are ageing. It looks at data from a wide range of sources such as the English Housing Survey, the GP Patient survey, the Health Survey for England and the Community Life Survey, as well as a host of official statistics from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) and government sources such as the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities and the Department for Work and Pensions.’

‘Ultimately it shows that the experience of being older in England is getting considerably worse for many.’ 

‘While we make recommendations for action under each chapter, our overall recommendation is that government appoints an Older People’s Commissioner for England to protect and promote the rights of older people and to help make England a better place to grow old in. In line with the existing Older People’s Commissioners in Wales and Northern Ireland, this role would champion the needs of older people, particularly those at greatest risk, and safeguard all our journeys into later life.’

A Prayer for Peace in Ukraine: Господи помилуй, Lord have Mercy

When we are lost for words, prayers and laments like this one by Rev Jon Swales can help us express our heart’s desire to our Almighty God.

Father of Creation,
God of Peace,

The world has changed,
And so have our hearts,
As we face disappointment, 
disorientation and distress
Not knowing what will happen next.

Lord have mercy,

Christ have mercy.

Putin and the Masters of War
Have opened the door to the beasts of war,
And it may overwhelm us.
Who is like the beast?
Who can fight against it?

Yet our grief, anxiety and fear
is nothing compared to that faced
by ordinary people living in Ukraine.

So we pray for,
The brave and the scared,
The soldier and civilian,
The elderly and the newborn,

Lord have mercy,

Christ have mercy. 

And so we pray for,
Those who have decided to fight,
Those who have decided to flee,
Those who resist but choose not to kill.

Lord have mercy.

Christ have mercy.

And so we pray for 
Those who this day will be wounded,
Those who this day will die,
Those who this day will mourn. 

Lord have mercy,

Christ have mercy

Father of Compassion,
God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,

We look to you,
In a world at war,
For hope, healing and help,
For grace, goodness and guidance,
For the cessation of war and the flourishing of peace.

Lord have mercy,

Christ have mercy. 

Father of Peace,
God of Hope, 

After crucifixion,
Your Son was laid silent in the grave,
And then you spoke and he was raised to life.

Violence does not win,
It will not have the last word,
Death does not win,
It will not have the last word.

In the reconciliation of all things,
War will be no more.
In the reconciliation of all things,
All tears will be wiped away.
In the reconciliation of all things,
There will be a tree for the healing of the nations. 

Lord have mercy,

Christ have mercy.

Hospody pomyluy, Господи помилуй

Christ have mercy. 

Amen

To listen to this prayer being read by Rev Jon Swales, please click on the link below:

Lament and Hope: Prayers for Peace and Justice: A Prayer for Peace in Ukraine

You can find more laments, prayers and poems on the same podcast site, some are about the climate change disaster, some were in response to Covid, and there are more about the Ukraine as well.

Rev Jon Swales is Lighthouse Mission Priest (C of E) at Lighthouse West Yorkshire, which is is a fresh expression of church and registered Leeds-based charity which reaches out to those who are battered and bruised by the storms of life.

Pastoral Worker for Older people – seed funding to start a role in 2 parishes

With many people living longer and the current demographic of our churches, you are probably finding that the needs of older people in your parish are increasing.

Many parishioners go out of their way to help others as much as they can, and SVP and other groups are an essential support to many older people. These informal and formal networks of love and inclusion work well in many situations. However, with the increased need, the effects of the pandemic, and the fact that some of those volunteering are themselves feeling vulnerable, resources are stretched and some older people are at risk of slipping through the net or becoming disconnected.

Walking with Older People in their Journey through Later Life

In response to this need, Growing Old Grace-fully approached funders with an idea for a Pastoral Worker/Lay Chaplain for Older People role, to see if it could be trialled in some parishes in the Diocese of Leeds.

The Ladies of the Grail caught the vision for this demonstration project and generously awarded some seed funding to be used in our Diocese.

What would a Pastoral Worker/Lay Chaplain do?

In partnership with the Parish Priest and Eucharistic Ministers, and working closely with relevant parish groups such as the SVP, a Lay Chaplain’s role would be to be an important point of contact for older people in the parish (as well as their families and carers) particularly in terms of their spiritual and emotional life, but with a whole-life approach.

They would use a person-centred listening approach with warmth, compassion, humour and mutual respect, enabling older people to:

  • be strengthened on their journey
  • be more connected and included in parish life
  • have their contributions valued
  • access support for practical needs.

We have seed funding to help 2 parishes set up and test this model with someone fulfilling this role a few hours a week.

We are now seeking expressions of interest from parishes in the Diocese and have recently sent information about this to all priests through the Ad Clerum.

If you are interested in this idea and feel your parish could benefit from this scheme, we would encourage you to speak with your priest and others in the parish to explore the possibilities, and then contact us (see below).

READ MORE DETAILS HERE

If you have any queries, please do contact our Development Officer Rhoda Wu on growing.old.gracefully@dioceseofleeds.org.uk, she will be happy to help.

The Synodal Process – a response from Growing Old Grace-fully

As well as being involved in each of our parishes, the trustees of Growing Old Grace-fully wanted to highlight the voice and needs of older people in this listening process.

A group of the board members got together and drew up a response on the relevant topics in the framework, this is what we submitted:

Growing Old Grace-fully – response to the Synod listening exercise in the Diocese of Leeds

Growing Old Grace-fully is an independent charity based in the Diocese of Leeds and have been working in the diocese for over 10 years.

Our aim is to:

To enhance the spiritual, emotional, and physical wellbeing of older people across the Catholic Diocese of Leeds through raising awareness, inspiring and supporting responsive action in parishes.

We are making a separate submission based on our substantial experience of listening to older people in our parishes.

Introduction:
The term ‘older people’ covers a very wide age range and several life stages: in our society, younger older people (60+) may enjoy (depending on their life chances) 20 years or so of active life with good health, when they will volunteer in their community including the parish, provide childcare for grandchildren and may be supporting older relatives and friends, at the same time. For many, this will be followed by a period of declining health when support from family or agencies is needed before death.

Longer life is a great blessing for individuals and families and for wider society but the later stages of life present challenges to the individual, to those who love them and to wider society, as health declines and the need for support and care increases.  Life expectancy is increasing in most countries in the world and different issues arise depending on the relative proportions in the population of younger and older people.

Longer life expectancy – a sign of our time – needs to be pondered to discern what God is saying to us and how we should respond. A theme of Growing Old Grace-fully’s work is the vocation of later life: ‘Called to be Old’.

(Another feature of our time is the decrease in the number of priests and religious in the local church, many of whom are themselves older people. How can we ensure that they continue to be included, supported and able to contribute their wisdom and experience?)

Who are our journey companions and who is marginalised?

Older people often have a wide network of friends in the parish whom they have known over many years and take for granted that these people are their companions in life and in faith. There may not be explicit faith sharing unless people belong to a group which prays, reflects and acts together but there is an implicit bond.

As friends die and perhaps the composition of the parish changes, older people are likely to feel more isolated. If they become housebound, they are likely to lack companions on their faith journey especially if their family members have lost connection with Church.

If people go into a care home, they may become completely cut off from their worshipping community and from the support of the sacraments.

We need (formal and informal) ways to follow up people who ‘disappear’ to find out if they wish to stay in touch with the parish and what support they would like. Quaker meetings appoint members to roles of responsibility – overseers – for a given term: 2 periods of 3 years. Their ‘task is building a community in which all members find acceptance, loving care and opportunities for service.’  Other denominations have ‘pastoral stewards’ and of course often in parishes the SVP can play this role.

We have developed a specific model to formally ensure a more systematic approach to ensuring that our older people are still included in parish life.

A Lay Chaplaincy for Older People in parishes and/or deaneries would fulfill this role. The chaplain will be there to provide a listening presence, companionship, and one-to-one pastoral support for older people in a parish. Their person-centred approach will help them deliver support with warmth, compassion, humour, mutual respect, strength, and hope, aiming to inspire and provide stimulation. More specifically, working closely with relevant parish groups such as the SVP and supported by the Parish Priest, the Lay Chaplain’s role will be to help get to know older people in the parish and particularly those who have mobility issues or other conditions that make them at risk of being isolated.  The Chaplain will be the first port of call for ministering to older people in the parish, particularly at times when sustained spiritual support is most needed.  They will be able to inform the priest when and if sacramental care is needed.  If appropriate and possible, the Chaplain will aim to build a group of volunteers to help to support the work. (we have a small amount of funding to pilot this model).

NOTE: Read more about this model HERE

Listening and speaking out, how might the RC church listen to lay people, women and minorities and those who are not respected?

This question is framed in a way that reveals an underlying assumption that lay folk are not ‘church’.  We believe that ‘we’ are the Church.

Housebound older people and those in care homes are a marginalised group without a voice. Older people have expressed concern that church concentrates on young people and ignores the needs of older members.

In 2018 we asked some of our supporters about their experience of parish life, this reinforced our concern that there is too much reliance on informal connections and that older and other vulnerable people slip through the net and become marginalised.

They also said that church stands out as a place where generations mix at Mass, but there’s less evidence of more structured opportunities for support/learning.

Programmes addressing the spirituality of ageing or taking ageing seriously are not available.

There are not enough structured programmes to help support people in bereavement, or anything specific that helps people cope with the varied losses that can come with long life.

Listening and speaking out are interdependent: people speak out when they are listened to; otherwise they won’t bother. Intergenerational structures are needed through which people can express their needs, share their insights, listen to the experience of others, and discern how they can contribute and work together for the common good of church and world. (see later response)

Older people have a wisdom, experience and skills that they can share, whether developed from their working life or through being part of the parish community.  We hope that their experience of listening, dialogue, creating and celebrating liturgies, experiencing lay leadership and years of co-responsibility in different ways in their parishes and dioceses, and navigating change in the past will be valued as we journey through the synod process.

Celebrating

The closure of churches in the early part of the pandemic opened opportunities for us to experience liturgies celebrated across the world as well as locally, provided that we are digitally enabled. Some older people who have participated in on-line liturgies would like them to continue; this would be a boon for housebound people as well as those who still do not feel confident about returning to a crowded church.

However, we recognise that most people want to be part of a community that is physically present to each other, for the social interaction as well as celebrating Mass together.

We also need to be aware that some older people are not digitally confident and may feel excluded by too much reliance on online participation

(Some) Older people have also expressed a wish for occasional community celebrations of the Sacrament of the Sick and Reconciliation.

Co-responsibility in mission

The experience of Growing Old Gracefully is that as well as those older people who need additional support, many older people are active in their parishes, taking on a range of tasks and running parish groups. They and others may also be active in and/or leading local action: supporting asylum seekers and refugees, homeless people, food banks, isolated older people, looking after vulnerable neighbours, contributing their time, energy and skills (and money) to charities caring for the vulnerable and to campaigns for justice such as development in the global South, combating the climate crisis and many other good causes. They may see these actions as being part of being good citizens; they may know that their involvement springs from their faith and love of neighbour and is part of the Church’s mission. This involvement needs to be recognised and affirmed.

Dialogue between the generations

Pope Francis’ message for World Peace Day 2022, outlined three paths for building lasting peace. One was the “dialogue between generations as the basis for the realisation of shared projects.”

He noted dialogue demands trust between people who need to listen to one another, share different views, reach agreement and walk together. This he says is especially important between generations: “between the keepers of memory – the elderly – and those who move history forward – the young.”

The Pope’s words can apply to international, national and local groups. Within dioceses and parishes who are rebuilding activity after periods of Covid lockdown, different generations are working and praying together, listening to each other and moving forward together. Inter-generational working is key for our religious organisations and churches as we journey through Covid, towards the Synod and beyond.

Some examples of intergenerational dialogue include

  • the older person mentoring younger people in ways of serving their parish. The list can be endless but includes parish ministries, liturgy, prayer groups, and other parish groups and activities. Many older people have experience of lay leadership and co-responsibility with the clergy and are often willing to encourage others to gain confidence and experience as “they pass on the baton.”. 
  • One older parishioner has become friendly with a mother who has spirited young children. She affirms the mother, sits with the family at Mass and helps the mother take them up for a Blessing at Communion. She also lights up the room at parish coffee time. This example will be replicated elsewhere.
  •  Some older people are prayer sponsors, take an interest in younger people and model strength, determination, and humour.
  • Other older parishioners accept help from younger people, accept lifts home and older people also offer lifts to those younger than themselves! At a parish exhibition of photos and reminiscences from past wars older people participated with reminiscences from previous generations about war experiences and helped younger people to hear about the effects of war on local people.

This contribution is based on our work of listening and responding as older people with other older people in the diocese over the last 10 years and we hope that it highlights the gifts that older people bring to the Church and to the needs of the most marginalised.

Some prayers and ideas shared at our Discussion Event on 4th November

About 20 of us met on Zoom on a cold evening with fireworks going off in the background! We had a good time together sharing issues and ideas around starting up and continuing activities and support for older people in our parishes at this strange time of transition.

Sister Bernadette from the Sisters of Mercy led us first in LAMENT remembering the difficult times we have come through and still have to navigate:

“As we gather this evening, we are conscious that we have lived and are living through a pandemic. This is something many of us may have never imagined.”

“The flow of life has changed, our way of life has been affected, and the crisis seems unending. Life has been difficult in so many ways and each person here tonight will be aware of that in some way, as an individual, a family, a colleague in a workplace or as a member of a Parish.”

“Our one constant through this journey of the pandemic has been our God, our companion, our comforter, our hope, our strength, our guide. The God who at times was close or who may have seemed far away.”

After a Lockdown poem, we moved on to expressing HOPE and STRENGTH as we move forward, with the words of Isaiah and prayers of commitment and faith:

We are not people of fear:
We are people of courage.
We are not people who protect our own safety:
We are people who protect our neighbours’ safety.
We are not people of greed:
We are people of generosity.
We are your people God, giving and loving,
Wherever we are,
Whatever it costs,
For as long as it takes
Wherever you call us.

We then broke into 3 DISCUSSION GROUPS on the following themes:

  1. Restarting or starting groups and activities
  2. Online or ‘in person’ or both?
  3. Supporting the vulnerable and reconnecting with the disconnected

GROUP 1: RESTARTING OR STARTING ACTIVITIES

With help from Hillary Wadsworth from Time to Shine, some of the themes discussed here were:

GROUP 2: ONLINE OR IN PERSON OR BOTH?

Rachel Beedle from Catholic Care who works with their older people’s groups facilitated this group – their main points were:

GROUP 3: SUPPORTING THE VULNERABLE AND RECONNECTING

Mo Crossley from Huddersfield facilitated this group, enabling input from SVP and others, resulting in a good discussion with the following main points:

Feedback showed that attendees enjoyed both the reflections/prayers and the discussions, and we hope it was helpful to all to come together and share ideas and concerns.

We are now starting to plan for some events/content in the Spring on the theme of ‘Finding our Calling in Later Life’ – watch this space (as they say!).

‘Our common home’ continues to be a focus in the run up to COP26

MATT WRITTLE © copyright Matt Writtle 2021.

Contrary to some popular opinions, many of our ‘older parishioners’ are passionate about the care of our planet and very active in the Diocese and beyond. One example is David Jackson who is a Laudato Si’ Animator, a role you can read about HERE.

As we finish the Season of Creation and look towards the COP26 UN Climate Change Conference, an article on the website of the Diocese of Salford reminds us of our ongoing journey in the care of creation. The article was written by the ‘Laudato Si’ Centre’ which started at Wardley Hall in 2019.

‘As the Season of Creation draws to a close, our planet’s fight for recovery and revival continues and people across the diocese are called to play their part in ecological conversion.’

‘Over the past few weeks, Christians around the world have united in prayer, reflection, and action in response to a crisis that is damaging our communities and common home almost beyond repair.’

‘With political powers from around the world convening in Glasgow in just a few weeks’ time, the ‘environment’ is set to be the buzzword of the season, but Pope Francis warns that this cannot just be a fad, and concrete action must be taken.’

‘Speaking on Earth Day in April 2021, he said: “Both the global catastrophes, Covid and climate change, prove that we do not have time to wait.’

“Time urges us, and as Covid-19 demonstrated, we do have the tools to face the loss. We have the instruments. This is the moment to act. We are at the edge.”

‘Although there is a lot of work to do, we are confident that together we can build a better future.

Together we can answer the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor.’

Read the full article on this link: Season of Creation – What are our next steps?.

Actions in our own Diocese

Catholics supported the Climate Emergency Walk to Bradford 17th September

David and Molly Somerville coordinated a Catholic presence at this important event – they wrote about it beforehand in an article for Leeds Justice and Peace Commission -you can read it HERE

Leeds Justice and Peace Events and Actions

Visit the Leeds Justice and Peace Commission Website for many articles, links and events on this subject, which is a major focus for the Commission.

In particular, visit the recent article on ‘Conflict and Climate Change Liturgy’, which gives links for what you can do now – there you can download a Climate Emergency Declaration and Parish Action Leaflet provided by Vince Borg from St John Mary Vianney parish in N Leeds.

In the run up to COP26 ONE THING WE CAN ALL DO is SIGN THIS PETITION being promoted by the Laudato Si movement (formerly known as the Global Catholic Climate Movement).

Some More Resources

Visit the Environment Case Studies page to find information and links to Guardians of Creation, Journey to 2030, Live Simply, and more.

Green Christian unites Christians in campaigns and local action/events – see HERE and HERE.

There are local groups including one in Leeds, Paul Magnall is the local contact on  leeds@greenchristian.org.uk

These are only a few of the groups and organisations seeking to be active in the care of ‘our common home’, and there are many more in your area. Why not see what you can join in with near you.

Compiled by Rhoda Wu, 5th October 2021

‘It’s All Right’ – a poem from Sr Kate Holmstrom

Artwork By Elizabeth Wang T-01396-OL-V1 copyright © Radiant Light 2006, www.radiantlight.org.uk

Thanks, Lord,
my heartfelt thanks, and great relief
To hear you say:
“But it’s All Right, you know!”
Alright – you’re growing old,
Forgetful, muddled, dim
(Embarrassing, frustrating though it is)
Alright 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 depths in dark Gethsemane,
Were crowned with pain and meek humility,
Carried the tears, 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!”

A Poem by Sister Kate Holmstrom,
a Sister of the Holy Child Jesus.

By Elizabeth Wang T-00302-OL copyright © Radiant Light 2006, www.radiantlight.org.uk

By Elizabeth Wang T-01088-OL copyright © Radiant Light 2006, www.radiantlight.org.uk