Tag: prayer

Holding Hope – online reflection

  By , , , ,

The third and final of the Doorways of Hope series of online reflections is Holding Hope, on Thursday 17th July, 7:00pm to 8:00pm.

Paula Shanks and Monsignor Donal Lucey will invite you to notice spaces where hope is held out for us in everyday life and the ways in which we do this for others.

This is part of the invitation to be ‘Pilgrims of Hope’ – the theme of the Jubilee Year 2025 – 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 Holding Hope on Thursday 17th July, just email growing.old.gracefully@dioceseofleeds.org.uk.

Video and summary sheet from Living in Hope online reflection

  By , , , ,

On Wednesday 14th May 2025, we held the second in the Doorways of Hope series of online reflections, Living in Hope, led by Paula Shanks and Mgr. Donal Lucey & Paula Shanks, as part of the Pilgrims of Hope Jubilee year.

Living in Hope explores how living in the flow of life offers invitations to a deeper sense of hope..

You can watch the whole session on YouTube here.

There is a one page summary produced by Paula here.

Jubilee of Families, Children, Grandparents and the Elderly – prayer for older people

  By , , , , ,

This weekend is Jubilee of Families, Children, Grandparents and the Elderly, part of the ‘Pilgrims of Hope’ Jubilee Year 2025 in the Catholic Church. 

This is the weekend of the Jubilee Year to celebrate and pray for older people (including grandparents) as well as families and children.

This Jubilee event is a celebration of the family – including older people – and a time to prayer that so our world today can become a family-friendly world.

As part of this Pope Francis, the Pope who announced this Jubilee, spoke of older people as the “firm foundation” of the future and that we must be not afraid of becoming old and we should instead see the value in later life and greater age.

He said: “Because to say “old” does not mean “to be discarded”, as a degraded culture of waste sometimes leads us to think. Saying “old” instead means saying experience, wisdom, knowledge, discernment, thoughtfulness, listening, slowness…Values of which we are in great need!”You can download the service/prayer booklet for the Jubilee here

There is a link to resources and prayers about this Jubilee produced by the US Conference of Catholic Bishops here. 

Here is a suggested prayer for older people this weekend which you might to say.

Prayer for all older people for Jubilee Year 2025

Heavenly Father,
source of all life and wisdom,
we thank You for the gift of later life and older age
and for all older people, 
as the Pilgrims of Hope who have walked longest
on this beautiful planet you have given us.

Bless all older people all over this troubled world,
the long lives lived and the many lives touched
the families, friends, the memories
the faith handed down,
and we pray for the strength with which to bear life’s burdens and challenges.

May the long standing witness of older people remind us of this Jubilee Pilgrimage, 
and inspire other people’s own journeys of hope.
Grant all older people peace,
companionship and enduring hope. 

May all people, communities and societies cherish, respect and value older people and later life and may we all walk together – Pilgrims of Hope of all ages – toward the light of Your Kingdom, united in love, guided by hope.

Through Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Growing Old Grace-fully

30th May 2025

Living in Hope – online reflection

  By , , , ,

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.

Glimpses of Hope – online event

  By , , , ,

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.

It’s All Right by Sister Kate Holmstrom

  By ,

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

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

  By , , , ,

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

  By , , , , ,

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

  By , , ,
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.

World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly – Sunday 28th July

  By , , , , ,

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.

Prayer for Grandparents’ Day

(Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales)

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.