Laudato Si

July 16.  As they sat together the elderly women discussed Confession.  “I know Pope Francis says we should go to confession often. I find it quite hard.  What sins do we oldies really have to repent about as we keep on hearing in these readings these…

July 15. Joseph Jackson was the conscience of the luncheon group.   Admittedly he was a bit younger than some who found it easier to do the praying but they realised that at times there was more they could do especially in the area of climate change and ecology which…

July 13. Sheila was already 83 and had been caring for her husband now 94 for more than 5 years after he had become bed-ridden.  They had been married for more than 60 years and there had been good and also not so good times.  At this stage in their lives…

July 12. “You know us oldies still have something to offer and hope it will accepted.   I am happy to do some mentoring to the unemployed youth to try to teach them some useful skills.” “We women can teach sewing and knitting and the men can teach carpentry or other…

July 11. It was nice in the group to have a few men, some of them grandfathers.  Andrew was in an unusual position.   His wife and daughter had been killed in a car accident some years ago.  “I chose to become father and mother to the little boy who survived.  There…

July 7. 14th Sunday of the Year B.     Granny Beatrice had been a strong Justice and Peace member in her parish for many years and had taken on the environmental awareness portfolio in recent years.   She had studied Pope Francis’ Laudato…

4 July.   Reading the signs of the times is an important but challenging skill that the group of elderly and grandparents often discussed.   “If evil is allowed to triumph over good as we see in countries ravaged by war it should not just be a question of numbers when…

July 2. The Biblical students in the group explained how the prophet Amos is one of the prophets of justice. “He was a simple shepherd but when the need arose he was called by God to warn the people that their transgressions of abusing the poor and living immoral…