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.
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.
On Thursday 26th September, we held the 4th Growing Old Grace-fully online session of 2024,Hope in Later Lifeled by Paula Shanks and Father Donal Lucey.
It was a very powerful reflection and we thank Paula and Fr Donal for leading it.
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.
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.
Gracefully is written by Sister Kate Holmstrom, a Holy Child Sister, resident at a care home in Harrogate, who has just turned 85 years old.
Sister Kate has contributed a number of pieces to Growing Old Grace-fully.
Sister Kate introduces Gracefully as follows:
“Many sights, gestures or even sounds may be perceived as graceful. They resonate, perhaps, with an inner grace inhabiting a person – an open, positive attitude attuned to what is good, true, righteous, beautiful. Blessed are the poor in spirit, for they are ready to welcome countless riches and enjoy life!”
Gracefully
Growing old gracefully. With grace. Ageing: a grace. Graceful rhymes with grateful, And gracefully sounds like: graciously. Little girls dancing, gymnasts leaping and bounding, Flying, seemingly without effort, defying gravity. Why do graceful movements, or the clear song of a blackbird Strike an almost physical chord of beauty within us? A smile is a grace, irradiating a tired face And gracing the recipient.
How is it that an ageing body can seem clumsy, ungainly Even painful, to the one who inhabits it? Yet the soul within can be stirring, growing, soaring forward Borne up by the Spirit, the very breath of her Creator. Hail Mary, full of grace, pray for us as we are now, In this moment, (this Moment) That the hour of our death may be grace-filled, That final, gracious grace.
This is the reflection, written by Pippa Bonner, from the Growing Old Grace-fully online session Reconciling With Our Paston Wednesday 12th June 2024, which led by Pippa Bonner and Cath Mahoney.
Pippa Bonner is a parishioner at St Aelred’s, Harrogate, a widow, mother and grandmother, with a background in social work, then running a hospice bereavement service and currently working in pastoral care with older people. Pippa is also a Trustee of Growing Old Grace-fully.
Growing Old Grace-fully is hosting six online sessions in 2024.
The second is Reconciling With Our Past is on Wednesday 12th June, 2:30-3:30pm led by Pippa Bonner and Cath Mahoney.
Cath Mahoney is parishioner of Mother of Unfailing Help, mother and grandmother, with a background in community development, a former Growing Old Grace-fully worker and now a trustee.
Pippa Bonner is a parishioner at St Aelred’s Harrogate, a widow, mother and grandmother, with a background in social work, then running a hospice bereavement service and currently working in pastoral care with older people. Pippa is also a Trustee of Growing Old Grace-fully.
Cath and Pippa will lead the session, which will involve breakout groups.
The session will start at 2:30pm and finish at 3:30pm, a Zoom link will be circulated to all attendees in advance and the waiting room will be open from 2:25pm.
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.
Growing Old Grace-fully is hosting six online sessions in 2024.
The first is Spirituality in Later Life: Praying Beyond Words, on Tuesday 14th May, 7:00-8:00pm with Fr Donal Lucey and Paula Shanks.
The session, with reflections and music, is being led by Father Donal Lucey and Paula Shanks. 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.
The session will start at 7pm and finish at 8pm.
To reserve your place, please book a free ticket on Eventbrite here.
Please do also share this with anyone you think may be interested in this session and the work of Growing Old Grace-fully.
The next two online sessions will be on these dates:
Wednesday 12th June – 2:30-3:30pm Thursday 18th July – 7:00-8:00pm
Best wishes, Carol Burns On behalf of the Trustees of Growing Old Grace-fully
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.
Structure
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)
Opening Prayer:
Father we praise you with joy when Christ became our Paschal Sacrifice. By dying He destroyed our Death; by rising He restored our Life.
Title of the Station:
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.
Scripture Reading:
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.
Titles of Each Station and relevant scripture reading:
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)
Closing prayer After the 14th Station:
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.
If you would like to discuss how Growing Old Grace-fully might help support older people in your parish then please visit our contact page here and get in touch.
