May 20, 2018 - "Older Couples & Adults"

Cardinal Wuerl promulgated a Pastoral Plan to implement Pope Francis’ post-synodal apostolic exhortation, Amoris Laetitia (AL), on Sunday March 4, 2018.  The fourth section of the Pastoral Plan stresses the importance of parish life.
 
Today I want to present some thoughts for accompanying older couples and adults that are presented in this section of the pastoral plan.
 
In his apostolic exhortation Evangelii Gaudium (The Joy of the Gospel), Pope Francis writes:  “It [the parish] is a community of communities, a sanctuary where the thirsty come to drink in the midst of their journey” (28).  For many single adults and older couples, the parish can feel like a very young, family-centric experience.  Parishes have an opportunity to help people experience the fruitfulness of intergenerational relationships and the beauty of the life of the parish family that is diverse in age, experience, and culture.
 
From many older couples and adults we learn of the special role they play in this intergenerational community which includes:
 
· Sharing their time and gifts to enrich the whole parish family by serving regularly in the parish community;
· Finding other families in the parish to befriend and make space for friendships across generations;
· Including single people in the events and life of your own family;
· Praying regularly for your children or loved ones and offering Mass intentions on significant moments in their lives;
· Continuing to grow deeper in your faith by practices like attending daily Mass, joining an annual retreat, learning a contemplative style of prayer, or belonging to a small faith community or prayer group; and
· Ensuring that you have made aware your desires in regards to health care, end of life, funeral planning and possessions.
 
Finally, a number of people have asked me to publish on the parish website the seven points found in the proclamation of the Gospel in the early Church.  I mentioned these in my homily for the Ascension of the Lord.  Jeff Cavins, an American Catholic evangelist, author, and Biblical scholar, did a very good presentation recently on these seven points in his weekly commentary on the Sunday readings.  Let me give you the link so that you can watch his presentation at your convenience:  https://tinyurl.com/y727e8zb.
 
Until next week.
Fr. John