The following is an excerpt from the general audience of Pope Francis, 11th March 2015: The first important thing to stress about old age is this: it is true that society tends to discard us, but the Lord definitely does not. The Lord never discards us. He calls us to… Continue reading
Could you help the Centre for Ageing Better‘s research by joining a focus group, interview or case study over the next few months? If you take part, you will receive £10 to £50 depending on your time input. Research is being carried out on behalf of the Centre for… Continue reading
Thank you to all who joined the Dementia Friends session at St Aelred’s parish in Harrogate, including people from the adjoining parish of St Robert’s. England were playing Belgium so I don’t think there were any football fans there but there are 11 more official ‘Dementia Friends’ in our… Continue reading
Please pray for the family and friends of Fr Michael McCarthy, Parish Priest of St Joseph the Worker at Sherburn-in-Elmet and the Immaculate Conception at Scarthingwell, who died at St Gemma’s Hospice in Leeds on the evening of 10th July 2018. Fr Michael was a poet as well as… Continue reading
My mum, who is 86, was with me this weekend. She shared this prayer with me that she always carries with her. It made us both laugh, as we recognised some aspects of ourselves in it. I hope it makes you smile too. Lord, thou knowest better than I know… Continue reading
As we age, or as our health deteriorates, we can make plans for what treatments we would wish to avoid or where we would like to be cared for. In a recent edition of The Tablet (26th May 2018), a palliative medicine pioneer explains that it’s often a surprise to… Continue reading
Together for the Common Good have spotlighted a Channel 4 TV programme entitled ‘Old People’s Home for Four Year Olds’ which explored how bringing those born in the early 1930s with those born in 2013 together benefited not only the residents, but also the children who came to visit them. … Continue reading
I was made so welcome at two different parishes in Dewsbury Deanery this month. I enjoyed my visit to the Happy Memories Group at St Paulinus Church Hall, Dewsbury last Thursday. This group is run by volunteers and run activity groups for people with a dementia type illness and their… Continue reading
This week (14th-20th May 2018) is Dying Matters Week. Dying Matters is a coalition of individual and organisational members across England and Wales, which aims to help people talk more openly about dying, death and bereavement, and to make plans for the end of life. This week offers the opportunity… Continue reading
“When you grow old you will stretch out your hands, and somebody else will put a belt round you and take you where you would rather not go.” John 21:18 This true story told by Fr Paul O’Reilly SJ about one of his fellow Jesuits who had a stroke and… Continue reading
