Category: Growing Old Grace-fully

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.

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

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.

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.

Online Event – Finding Hope in Community and Parish Life

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Growing Old Grace-fully‘s 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 is on Finding Hope in Community and Parish Life on Tuesday 19th November. This afternoon session will start at 2.30pm and finish at 3.30pm.

This final session of the series evokes the hopefulness of Advent, which is just around the corner and also looks forward to the Jubilee Year of Pilgrims of Hope in 2025 as announced by Pope Francis.

The session will involve some examples of people who have found hope in parish life or a Christian community group; a chance to share in smaller groups people’s stories of hope and joy; and prayers and reflections.

To attend, reserve a free ticket on Eventbrite here.  

A Zoom link will be circulated to all ticket holders in advance of the event.

Video and resources from ‘Spiritually Accompanying People with Dementia’ online session

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On Tuesday 22nd October, we held the 5th Growing Old Grace-fully online session of 2024, Spiritually Accompanying People with Dementia led by Rev. Dr. Joseph Cortis, co-author of Journeying Together: accompanying people living with dementia. Deacon Joe has a background in adult and mental health nursing which includes a long period as an educational manager, academic and senior lecturer at the University of Leeds. He is a Trustee of Growing Old Grace-fully and a Deacon of the Diocese of Leeds.

The session explored ways to provide spiritual support to individuals living with dementia as well as our own spiritual journey with them as a loved one. It includes prayers and reflections, as well as ideas as to accompany and support someone living with dementia from a spiritual perspective.

It was a very powerful session and we thank Deacon Joe for leading it.

You can watch the whole session on YouTube here.

There is a one page summary of the session, produced by Deacon Joe, that you can download here.

Further Resources

For those who would like to read it, the book, by Rev. Dr. Joe Cortis & Dr. Pia Matthews can be ordered here.

In addition, in 2019 Deacon Joe led a Dementia Awareness workshop, which can be found on the Caritas Leeds website here.

This page also links to several useful resources and links, regarding dementia.

Online event – Spiritually Accompanying People Living With Dementia

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Growing Old Grace-fully‘s 5th online event of 2024 is Spiritually Accompanying People Living With Dementia on Tuesday 22nd October, 7:00-8:00pm.  This is part of the series of online events How to be more Later Life Friendly in our parishes.

The Zoom event, looking at the theological significance of dementia, is led by Rev. Dr. Joseph Cortis, co-author of Journeying Together: accompanying people living with dementia. Deacon Joe has a background in adult and mental health nursing which includes a long period as an educational manager, academic and senior lecturer at the University of Leeds. He is a Trustee of Growing Old Grace-fully.

Whether you are a spouse, family member, friend or caregiver, this event is designed to explore ways to provide spiritual support to individuals living with dementia as well as our own spiritual journey with them as a loved one.

The session will include prayers and reflections, as well as ideas as to accompany and support someone living with dementia from a spiritual perspective.

To attend, reserve a free ticket on Eventbrite here.  

A Zoom link will be circulated to all ticket holders in advance of the event.

For those who would like to read it, the book, by Rev. Dr. Joe Cortis & Dr. Pia Matthews can be ordered here.

Video and resources from ‘Hope in Later Life’ online session

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Image by FreePik

On Thursday 26th September, we held the 4th Growing Old Grace-fully online session of 2024, Hope in Later Life led by Paula Shanks and Father Donal Lucey.

It was a very powerful reflection and we thank Paula and Fr Donal for leading it.

You can watch the whole session on YouTube here.

There is a one page summary produced by Paula here.

Silver Sunday – 6th October 2024

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Silver Sunday is a national day in the UK celebrating older people, organised by held Age UK. It is held on the first Sunday in October and this year it will be Sunday 6th October. In the UK, it is also national Grandparents’ Day on the first Sunday in October, so a double celebration related to later life and older people and the contribution they make to society.

As part of the Silver Sunday celebrations, organisations put on special events that welcome older people – particularly those who may be lonely or isolated. Age UK lists official events on its website here.

Growing Old Grace-fully supports Silver Sunday (and Grandparents’ Day) and sees the first Sunday in October as an important opportunity to celebrate later life and to do so in our parishes and communities.

Silver Sunday and Grandparents’ Day gives every parish the opportunity to dedicate a Mass or Masses to older people, to include something in the parish bulletin and to perhaps include a bidding prayer. Some parishes organise events after Mass or in the afternoon. Grandchildren could also be invited to attend Mass with their grandparents.

Do speak to your parish priest about doing something to commemorate Silver Sunday and UK Grandparents’ Day.

Here is a prayer for Silver Sunday and Grandparents’ Day:

Prayer for Silver Sunday and UK Grandparents’ Day

Heavenly Father,

On this special day, as we celebrate Silver Sunday and Grandparents’ Day, we ask your blessings upon all older members of our parish, our community and our society. We thank you for the blessing of later life and for all the wisdom, knowledge and love given and received. 

On a day to celebrate all older people and later life, we pray that we and all of our community and wider society will continue to honour and cherish older people and to celebrate their hugely important contribution over many years to family life, the Church, their local community, society and the wider world. 

We also pray for organisations like Age UK, the organisers of Silver Sunday and thank them for the opportunity to celebrate older people in the UK and their huge importance to our nation and our society. We also pray for all Age UK volunteers and all volunteers of all charities, pressure groups and third sector organisations focused on older people and later life, many of whom are older people themselves. 

On UK Grandparents’ Day, bless all grandparents who have shaped our families with their faith, patience, and care. May they continue to be a source of strength, love, and wisdom for generations to come.

We pray for those who feel lonely, isolated or forgotten in later life. Lord, fill their hearts with peace and remind them of their great dignity and value. Open the hearts of people of all ages to seek to include, engage and cherish older people in their parishes and their communities, including those who don’t have regular contact with families and friends.  

Through the intercession of St Anthony of Padua, Patron Saint of Older People, St. Jeanne Jurgan, a patron saint of older people and older destitute people, and Saints Joachim and Anne, the grandparents of Jesus, we ask for your blessings and grace upon all older people, today and always.

We ask this in the name of Your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.

Amen.