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 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:
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.
The fourth of Growing Old Grace-fully‘s 2024 online sessions is Hope in Later Life on Thursday 26 September, 2:30pm with Fr Donal Lucey and Paula Shanks.
The session, with reflections and music, will be led by Father Donal and Paula.
Fr. Donal is a retired Catholic priest of the Leeds Diocese, he was latterly parish priest in Garforth and in Harrogate and is the Chaplain to Faith and Light. Paula has a background in teaching and is trained in Ignatian spiritual accompaniment.
To reserve your place, please book a free ticket on Eventbrite here.
The session will start at 2:30pm and finish at 3:30pm, a Zoom link will be circulated to all attendees.
The next two online sessions will be on these dates:
The third of Growing Old Grace-fully‘s 2024 online sessions was Learning From Each Other, hearing about great work already happening in the Diocese of Leeds.
The session heard from the following people, who we warmly thank for their time and input.
Each presentation is available online here:
* Maureen Connolly from Immaculate Heart Parish, Huddersfield spoke about activity happening at Immaculate Heart of Mary parish, Huddersfield. Her presentation is here.
* Breda Theakston from the Elizabeth Prout Bereavement Centre, talked about the work of the centre and how they offer bereavement support and how to access it, her presentation is here.
* Andrew Winfield from the St Vincent de Paul Society (SVP) at St John Vianney Parish, Leeds gave an account of the monthly Celebrating Later Life event at Immaculate Heart Church in Moortown, his presentation is here.
Please do access these resources and feel free to share them.
Growing Old Grace-fully
Pope Francis established a World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly which took place for the first time on Sunday 25 July 2021.
In 2024, the celebration is this this Sunday, 28 July – the Sunday closest to the Feast of Saints Joachim and Anne, Grandparents of Jesus.
The theme chosen by Pope Francis for this year’s celebration is:
“Do not cast me off in my old age” (cf. Psalm 71:9).
As the Pope says, we should cherish the elderly and recognise that there’s no retirement age from the work of proclaiming the Gospel and handing down traditions to grandchildren.
Here you can read the full message from the Holy Father.
Also here are prayers and links from the Bishop’s Conference of England and Wales to help you celebrate the day.
If you are a grandparent and are able to attend Mass, you could invite your grandchildren to attend with you.
The Catholic Grandparents Association has been at the forefront in campaigning for a greater recognition of Grandparents for their role and vocation in passing on their faith to the next generation. They have also produced resources that you might wish to use.
We pray for grandparents; keep them and make them courageous, wise and caring.
We pray for the elderly who feel isolated at this time, so that they know they are never alone, as you continue to be with them.
We pray for all who are ill, that they may experience your healing power and grace.We pray for those who have died, that they are taken into your loving care and into their eternal resting home.
Let us say the prayer that Jesus taught us and what we heard in our Gospel: Our Father, Who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name; Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
Amen.
| The third of Growing Old Grace-fully‘s 2024 online sessions is Learning From Each Other: Sharing Experience from Parishes on Thursday 18th July, 7:00-8:00pm. This session is about hearing examples of great work already happening, with contributions from: * Maureen Connolly from Immaculate Heart Parish, Huddersfield * Breda Theakston from the Elizabeth Prout Centre, talking about Bereavement support * Andrew Winfield from St John Vianney Parish, Leeds There will also be breakout groups to share other experiences and ideas as to how to enhance the spiritual life of older people in your own parish community and lives. The session will start and finish with prayer and reflection led by Rev. Joe Cortis, who is a Growing Old Grace-fully trustee. The session will start at 7pm and at 8pm, a Zoom link will be circulated to all attendees and the waiting room will be open from 6:55pm. To reserve your place, please book a free ticket on Eventbrite here. |
This is a one page summary, produced by Paula Shanks, of the Growing Old Grace-fully online session Spirituality in Later Life: Praying Beyond Words, which was on Tuesday 14th May, 7:00-8:00pm with Fr Donal Lucey and Paula Shanks. Paula has a background in teaching and is trained in Ignatian spiritual accompaniment.
Please download the PDF here.
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
How wonderful, Lord Jesus, you came back
You suffered death but conquered it
You laid in the tomb but on the third day
You rose again
O joyful day, Lord Jesus, when you returned
You are the resurrection, our hope and our life
O glorious and victorious Redeemer
Help us not to be afraid of death
For we must pass through it to see you face to face
And on the last day we will rise again
For you said so
Let us rejoice and praise you
Our Blessed and triumphant Lord
On this happy, joyful feast.
Amen.
Diana Ng-Sutherland/CAFOD
It has been a long-standing tradition that especially during Lent, we are encouraged to meditate on and pray the Stations of the Cross. Indeed Stations of the Cross are a prominent feature of any Catholic Church globally.
The Passion and Death of Our Lord needs to be seen equal to the importance of the Resurrection, which is the principal belief of Christianity.
Hence it is appropriate to reflect upon the events, recorded in the Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles in the period from the Resurrection of the Lord until Pentecost (the birthday of the Church). This whole period of 50 days is known as Eastertide.
The devotions of Holy Week are directed to the Resurrection which is, as St. Paul says, the basis of our Faith. If we are united with our Lord in his Passion and death, we share in His Resurrection. If we are with Him in his Holocaust on Calvary, we accompany Him in His glory. (St. Josemaria Escriva)
Father we praise you with joy when Christ became our Paschal Sacrifice. By dying He destroyed our Death; by rising He restored our Life.
Please see details below with the appropriate scripture reading, hence you will need access to the New Testament.
V: We adore you Lord and praise you.
R: Because by your death and resurrection you give life to the world.
Spend a short period reflecting on the reading.
Pray: Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be to the Father.
V: Jesus, the Lord is Risen R: Alleluia, Alleluia.
First Station: Jesus rises from the dead. (Matthew 28:1-7)
Second Station: The Disciplines find the empty tomb. (John 20:1-9)
Third Station: The Risen Lord appears to Mary Magdalen. (John 20:11-18)
Fourth Station: The Risen Lord appears to two disciples on the Road to Emmaus. (Luke 24:13-19,25-27)
Fifth Station: The Risen Lord reveals himself at the breaking of bread. (Luke 24:28-35)
Sixth Station: The Risen Lord appears to his disciples: (Luke:24:36-43)
Seventh Station: The Risen Lord gives the power to forgive sins. (John:20:19-23)
Eight Station: The Risen Lord confirms the faith of Thomas. (John 20:24-29)
Ninth Station: The Risen Lord meets his disciples on the shore of Galilee. (John 21:1-9,13)
Tenth Station: The Risen Lord confers primacy on Peter. (John 21:15-17)
Eleventh Station: The Risen Lord entrusts to his disciples His mission to the world. (Matthew 28:16-20)
Twelfth Station: The Risen Lord ascends to the Father. (Acts: 1:6-11)
Thirteenth Station: Waiting for the Holy Spirit with Mary the Mother of Jesus. (Acts 1:12-14)
Fourteenth Station: The Risen Lord sends the Holy Spirit to the disciples. (Acts 2:1-6)
Father around your throne the Saints, our brothers and sisters, sing your praise forever. Their glory fills us with joy and their communion with us in the Church gives us inspiration and strength as we hasten on our pilgrimage of faith, eager to meet them.
Amen.
Rev. Dr. Joseph D Cortis
March 2024
These beautiful modern Stations of the Cross were sculpted by Ken Thompson for St. Mel’s Cathedral in Longford, County Longford in Ireland, to replace the wooden ones burned in a fire at Christmas 2009.
The Cathedral was badly damaged but the beautiful new sculptures are part of the resurrected Cathedral. (It is the local home Cathedral of Fr. Jim Leavy known to many of us in the Leeds Diocese).
You may notice that in the 13th Station that the inscription is “Indeed this Man was the Son of God”. (Mk. 15:39.)
And if you look at the foot of the Cross, the Devil, depicted from one old tradition as a mouse, is rushing headlong into the trap!
Christ has overcome evil.
In the 14th Station Jesus lies on what is portrayed as an altar, as the Eucharist.
Looking out of the door the Cross is growing green shoots: Life…The inscription: “Why seek you the living among the dead?” was the question the angel put to the women rushing to the Tomb.
The angel proclaims “Gloria”!
The word NIKA above the entrance to the Tomb means VICTORY and the Tomb is no longer dark but full of light.
When Fr. Jim Leavy showed me a book of these amazing sculptures they made an impression on me. The Lenten Practice of making the Stations of the Cross transitions to the Resurrection. Instead of having a 15th Station of the Resurrection, which increasingly occurs in modern Stations, we are visually made aware of Christ’s Resurrection in signs and scripture. Christ rises from the dead, the Cross is transformed to a source of life and we are given the Eucharist.
As an older person who has lived through many Lents and Easters, like many of us, I am aware of the cyclical nature of life and death, death and life. There are many struggles, pain and disappointments but also hope, happiness and life.
After the dark comes the dawn…After Lent comes Easter…
Pippa Bonner, March 2024
