Tag: reflection

Doorways of Hope – online reflections

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Doorways of Hope is a series of three hour long online reflections, hosted by Growing Old Grace-fully.

In the three reflections, Paula Shanks and Mgr. Donal Lucey explore the invitation to be ‘Pilgrims of Hope’, the theme of the 2025 Jubilee Year of the Catholic Church.

In the three reflections, they explore and offer ways of noticing the nature & presence of hope, what it means to live this hope & how we can share hope with others in our ordinary, daily lives. You can access the three sessions here, the videos on our YouTube channel and a one page summary for each one, produced by Paula. Just click on the image or heading.

Doorways of Hope Part 1: Glimpses of Hope

Paula Shanks & Mgr. Donal Lucey 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.

Doorways of Hope Part 2: Living in Hope

Paula Shanks and Mgr. Donal Lucey explore how living in the flow of life offers invitations to a deeper sense of hope.

 

Doorways of Hope Part 3: Holding Hope

Paula Shanks and Mgr. Donal Lucey explore how to notice spaces where hope is held out for us in everyday life and the ways in which we do this for others.

We thank Paula and Fr. Donal for leading this powerful series of reflections.

Pilgrims of Hope: Journeying as Older People – event

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Growing Old Grace-fully is hosting a half day event offering a chance to reflect on our own journey into later life, as Pilgrims of Hope. This reflects the theme of the Catholic Church’s 2025 Jubilee Year, the theme of which is Pilgrims of Hope.

Our aim in gathering together in person is to continue to explore the reflections and conversations so beautifully expressed by Paula Shanks and Mgr Donal Lucey in the “Doorways of Hope” online series. Video recordings of the Doorways of Hope events can be viewed here.

The event will reflect on our own life’s journey, whatever age we are, and explore finding the God of where we are now in our own life.

It will also include suggestions for practical ways of finding and nurturing hope; for example, through meditations on gospel passages, poems and art and also through ways of practising gratitude.

The event will end with a shared lunch over which we can continue the conversations from the day.

If you would like to attend, please book a place on EventBrite here.

From the Jubilee Prayer

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

Taken from The Jubilee Prayer, Pope Francis

Holding Hope – online reflection

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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

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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.

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.

Video and summary sheet of Glimpses of Hope online reflection

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On Tuesday 18th March 2025, we held the first in the Doorways of Hope series of online reflections led by Paula Shanks and Mgr. Donal Lucey & Paula Shanks, as part of the Pilgrims of Hope Jubilee year.

The reflection explores 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.

You can watch the whole session on YouTube here.

There is a one page summary produced by Paula here.

It’s All Right by Sister Kate Holmstrom

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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

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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.