Rationale: In parish communities, we are called to celebrate the wonders of God’s creation in our midst. The parish’s weekend liturgy is a time for the full parish to give thanks in public community for the gifts with which God has blessed us. One group who is “gift” in our parishes are those older members, both present and past, who have given themselves to the many facets of life — in family, in community, in parish. They represent the gifts of wisdom through life experience lived in faith, hope through hard times lived in fortitude, and generosity of loving and giving even in sacrifice.

We urge you, if you are not already doing so, to designate a weekend annually at which your parish ELDERS are honored by the whole community at one or all weekend liturgies.

Below are some ideas for incorporating such celebrations and blessing into a liturgy of your choosing or one that fits your parish calendar. These suggestions are meant to be 'jumping off points' for your own creativity. Please make the celebration fit your unique parish community.

Setting
Regular weekend liturgy/liturgies followed by a reception in the parish hall. (Elders we’ve talked with recommend holding it during daylight hours.)
Elders are welcomed and ushered to front pews. They may be given some symbol that represents their giftedness—perhaps a medallion, a flower, or other appropriate symbol to show their honored status.

Special preparations
A symbol placed in a prominent place by the altar can call attention to the gifts of wisdom, fortitude, and generosity—to remind us of those in our lives who have modeled these virtues. (Invite a group of older parishioners, perhaps an already established group, to recommend an idea for the Celebration symbol.)
Make sure your church’s sound system and lighting accommodate the needs of those who might have impaired hearing or sight. Use large print and have the temperature well regulated.
Offer transportation arrangements that assure that all elderly parishioners have the opportunity to be present if they wish. Plan so that handicapped access and help are available for those who might need it.

Promotion and invitations
Decide who will be honored (usually those over a certain age) and how you will name them, e.g., “elders,” “treasures,” “diamonds,” (This may be a sensitive issue so you might want to get input from some of your elder leaders.)
Begin advertising the event, date, and time well in advance—perhaps 6-8 weeks ahead—as a parish celebration honoring its elders. Consider asking families and friends of elders who used to be active parishioners but no longer attend because of a move or an inability to get to church for the elders’ names and addresses so they can be invited.
Invite each elder in your parish (and those otherwise identified if you requested them) with a personal mailed invitation. You might enclose in the invitation one or two “please be my guest and share this celebration with me” cards for the elders to send to a friend or relative not part of the parish. Be sure to enclose mailing envelopes.

Liturgy ideas
For the entrance, use a traditional hymn known by all, especially the elders, e.g., How Great Thou Art, A Mighty Fortress, All Glory, Laud and Honor. Willing elders could be part of the entrance procession.

For the scripture readings and other parts of the Liturgy, consider inviting elders to participate in special ways according to their gifts and preparation, e.g., as lectors or extraordinary ministers of the Eucharist. (Prepare them ahead.)

Focus the homily on

Gifts of wisdom, example, fortitude, service, generosity—all given by our Creator to be used and shared

The parish’s gratitude for the elders who came before us and those who are among us now

A reflection on the ways different ethnic traditions honor their elders

Prayers of the faithful can include prayer for some of the following intentions as well as prayer for the whole church (Choose those most appropriate for your parish.)

Thanksgiving for the gifts of our elders in our own and our parish’s life

For those who retired from work, became grandparents and great-grandparents, were widowed, or had other family or living changes this past year

For the gifts of courage and faith as their lives and health will continue to change, often not be their choice

For those who were with us last year and are not here this year (name them)

For those who have become caregivers as well as those who must now be cared for in new ways

For your own parish ministries that focus on the needs of the elderly

If appropriate, invite spontaneous prayers from the congregation for the elders in their lives who are not present today

At the Blessing after Communion, the celebrant and/or the whole parish, with hands extended, prays a blessing over the honored elders (from Book of Blessing, 1989, one of the prayers of blessing numbers 2004 through 2008, or one of the prayers over people for general use, number 2051, or the attached Blessing of Elders.) If the whole parish is invited to participate in the blessing, have prayer cards printed and distributed beforehand.

For the Closing Procession, use a rousing, well-known hymn, e.g., Holy God We Praise Thy Name or Now Thank We All Our God as the parish forms an honor guard as elders process out behind the Cross. (If there are too many people, have children or young families form the honor guard.)

Note: We recommend that you do NOT include a specific anointing or healing service during this liturgy, as this is a time to celebrate elders as they are. Do plan a healing service at another time.

Reception
Might be coffee and goodies or a potluck meal. (Note: pilot parishes found this to be very important.) Recommendation: arrange tables so elders have a place of honor among family and friends rather than separated at an honoree’s table. Have parishioners alerted to fill in, especially around elders who have few family or friends present.

Consider some kind of short program or activity. Children might sing some songs from “grandpa’s time.” You might have elders draw from a treasure chest with numbers that correspond to a prize, e.g., grocery or store gift certificates, a meal at an area restaurant, cleaning service, etc.

Note: We recommend that you do not do awards. The goal is to make all your elders feel special but not to be measured by their performance. You can best determine what will work to that end in your parish.

Other Ideas
Several weeks before the Celebration, invite parishioners—elders included—to anonymously write on a provided form those gifts they are aware that an elder has shared—large or small—with parish, family, or community. Place the collected forms in a binder to be brought up in the entrance procession and place it before the altar or in another appropriate place.

And a few more things to keep in mind
Invite, but don’t pressure, your parish elders to participate. The first year might find some of them reluctant to take part because it is new or different and they don’t know what to expect. If you have a group of elders, formal or informal, who might participate as a group, this may give others the encouragement they need to be a part of it, if not this year, then perhaps next year.

Choose the time for your Celebration to fit comfortably into your parish’s calendar of events. Keep in mind that late spring and summer months generally provide weather in which frail elders are more able and willing to come out.

The month of May is designated “Older Americans Month.” Free materials with ideas for church-based activities and a poster can be ordered from the U.S. Administration on Aging, 330 Independence Avenue SW, Washington D.C. 20201 or http://www.aoa.gov/press/oam/oam.asp.

Most of all, make this a celebration that invites all parishioners to reflection on appreciation for God’s gift of aging.

Attached is a survey that we ask you to complete and return after you have used the guide. Return the survey to Mary Eileen Andreasen, Aging and Disabilities Ministries, 3218 N. 60th St., Omaha 68104.

This planning guide was produced by the 'Celebrating Our Elder' taskforce with help from Catholic Charities Parish Resource Program. Taskforce members included Beppie Aube, St. Mary, Bellevue; Sr. Lee Agnes Hodapp, John Paul II Center, Petersburg; Jackie Devaney, St. Thomas More; Don Kemp, Florence Christensen, Sr. AnnMarie Petrylka, and Roberta Bianchi, St. Bernard; Donna McCullough, Our Lady of Lourdes; and Bernadine Kuhfahl and Sharon Herschlag, St. Pius X. Thanks to the taskforce and parishes that piloted this guide to make it credible.

Questions, concerns, comments? Contact Mary Eileen Andreasen, Aging and Disabilities Ministries, 3218 N. 60th St., Omaha 68104; 402-551-2255; meandreasen@archomaha.org.

 

+Blessing of Elders

Age is a gift that should be received from God with gratitude. Older people have the opportunity to share the riches of their experience and of their Christian lives. This day/night, we thank them in a special way for their commitment to the faith.

(Everyone 60 years old and above, please stand.)

We join you now in thanking God and in asking him to keep your hopes high and to strengthen your trust in him.

(All stand and raise hands of blessing over our elders.)

All-powerful and ever-living God,
In whom we live and move and have our being
We thank You and praise You for giving
These members of our parish long years
Lived in faith and in doing good.

Grant that they may have the loving support
Of their friends and relatives,
That in good health they may be cheerful
And in poor health, not lose hope.

Sustained by the help of Your blessing,
Let them spend their years giving praise to Your name.

We ask this through Christ our Lord. AMEN

May the Lord Jesus Christ be with you to protect you. AMEN.

May the Lord go before you to lead you
And follow after you to give you strength. AMEN.

May the Lord Jesus Christ bless you with His peace. AMEN.

+Final Blessing

Feedback Survey
After parish use of Celebrating Our Elders Guide

Parish____________________________________________________________________
City______________________________________________________________________
Date of Celebration___________________________ Number of elders involved_________

1. Rate the parts of the guide you used in planning where
H=Helpful, U=Not helpful, B=We had better ideas.
a. Setting _____
b. Special preparations _____
c. Promotion and Invitations
d. Liturgy Ideas
Entrance _____
Holily focus _____
Prayers of the faithful _____
Blessing after Communion _____
Closing Procession _____
e. Reception _____
f. Other ideas _____ (Please share your ideas below and on the back.)
2. Would you recommend having this parish celebration next Year? If not, why?

Survey completed by:
Name ______________________________________________________________________
Address____________________________________________________________________
Phone_____________________________ E-mail___________________________________
Date______________________________

Return form to
Mary Eileen Andreasen
Aging and Disabilities Ministries
3218 N. 60th St.
Omaha 68104