I love this article, and I agree with 99.9% of this reflection. However, I would like to add that the Church does not serve the elderly well at least my parish could do better. Most activities are in the evening. The elderly who still drive cannot drive at night or evening early evening, as the elderly cannot drive when dark or semi dark. Even day time programs are can be too early. It takes us awhile to get ready for the day. We have to take our meds on schedule not whenever. But the biggest problem is transportation. Many no longer drive, so just cannot get there. I live in senior housing next door to a Baptist Church. I see younger drivers get out of cars with several senior or disabled folks in them. The disabled have very similar needs as the elderly.
I think the problem is partly due to the fact that Catholics use to large families who largely stayed put and took care of family needs.Now families are small, scattered to the four winds and those still nearby often do not attend Church anymore. We Catholics are so used to families taking care of each other, we don't notice this is not so anymore. We don't notice the needy.
The answer is two pronged. First as this reflection suggest we all need to open our eyes and heart and 'see' how we can help. I mean really help, and not just smile and say have a nice day! Second there needs to be in each parish a dedicated commitee or better ministry whose sole purpose is to find and help the needy. My parish is great at helping those finacially needy. I applaud my parish! But there are just as many who need other kinds of help!
Yes, I agree. THe whole issue does boil down to fragmented and smaller families. Families used to stay together and not only care for elders, but multi-generation families helped draw people in and created a deeper sense of community. Where I live, there are very few Catholics who are actually local to the area - not surprising as it was essentially illegal to be Catholic in NC until just before the Civil War - then Union troops burned the only Catholic Church int he state. It was really only after industrialization that we began to have small parishes in the larger cities due to yankees moving south. Now, it is mostly retirees from the north and young military families. But, for some reason our retirees want to do everything early in the morning - like the KOC may have an annual pancake breakfast at 6 -7AM followed by picking up trash on the roadsides on a weekday morning. THey do a Friday fish fry during Lent, but it is basically just take-out plates. But, $25 for basically a senior sized portion of frozen fish didn't impress me much. At least the Hispanic parish has community potlucks, but I don't speak Spanish, and to say the least I wasn't welcomed into their tight community. Oh well. As Saint Peter said, "Lord, where would we go? Only you have the words of eternal life."
Great article Judson, and so many things to address. You know I was at a Jewish Temple not too long ago, and i was pulled aside for having my cell phone on and in hand. I was texting in the entry of the church or what some may call the narthax. The person said to me this is a holy place, and we do not allow cell phones on. Well on this point I had to agree, and ever since that day I usually just leave my phone in the car at Mass. This is one thing I think the Catholic church should be better at, and yes it is a Holy place but you know it seems the church is all too concerned with not "offending" anyone.
Yes, one thing Jeus and the Apostles did not hesitate to do was to offend people.... heck, he no sooner said "call no man a fool" then he was calling people fools! OF course His words in that regard are open to interpretation.,
My license plate reads POTLUX for a reason. :D There was talk of having one after church one of these days…:
“But, wherever you are, keep an eye out for opportunities to speak to strangers.” Excellent reminder. Thank you!
Very well said. Thank you.
I love this article, and I agree with 99.9% of this reflection. However, I would like to add that the Church does not serve the elderly well at least my parish could do better. Most activities are in the evening. The elderly who still drive cannot drive at night or evening early evening, as the elderly cannot drive when dark or semi dark. Even day time programs are can be too early. It takes us awhile to get ready for the day. We have to take our meds on schedule not whenever. But the biggest problem is transportation. Many no longer drive, so just cannot get there. I live in senior housing next door to a Baptist Church. I see younger drivers get out of cars with several senior or disabled folks in them. The disabled have very similar needs as the elderly.
I think the problem is partly due to the fact that Catholics use to large families who largely stayed put and took care of family needs.Now families are small, scattered to the four winds and those still nearby often do not attend Church anymore. We Catholics are so used to families taking care of each other, we don't notice this is not so anymore. We don't notice the needy.
The answer is two pronged. First as this reflection suggest we all need to open our eyes and heart and 'see' how we can help. I mean really help, and not just smile and say have a nice day! Second there needs to be in each parish a dedicated commitee or better ministry whose sole purpose is to find and help the needy. My parish is great at helping those finacially needy. I applaud my parish! But there are just as many who need other kinds of help!
Yes, I agree. THe whole issue does boil down to fragmented and smaller families. Families used to stay together and not only care for elders, but multi-generation families helped draw people in and created a deeper sense of community. Where I live, there are very few Catholics who are actually local to the area - not surprising as it was essentially illegal to be Catholic in NC until just before the Civil War - then Union troops burned the only Catholic Church int he state. It was really only after industrialization that we began to have small parishes in the larger cities due to yankees moving south. Now, it is mostly retirees from the north and young military families. But, for some reason our retirees want to do everything early in the morning - like the KOC may have an annual pancake breakfast at 6 -7AM followed by picking up trash on the roadsides on a weekday morning. THey do a Friday fish fry during Lent, but it is basically just take-out plates. But, $25 for basically a senior sized portion of frozen fish didn't impress me much. At least the Hispanic parish has community potlucks, but I don't speak Spanish, and to say the least I wasn't welcomed into their tight community. Oh well. As Saint Peter said, "Lord, where would we go? Only you have the words of eternal life."
Great article Judson, and so many things to address. You know I was at a Jewish Temple not too long ago, and i was pulled aside for having my cell phone on and in hand. I was texting in the entry of the church or what some may call the narthax. The person said to me this is a holy place, and we do not allow cell phones on. Well on this point I had to agree, and ever since that day I usually just leave my phone in the car at Mass. This is one thing I think the Catholic church should be better at, and yes it is a Holy place but you know it seems the church is all too concerned with not "offending" anyone.
Yes, one thing Jeus and the Apostles did not hesitate to do was to offend people.... heck, he no sooner said "call no man a fool" then he was calling people fools! OF course His words in that regard are open to interpretation.,