Susann Ozuk, Divinity Student & IPS Staff, Authors Article for eCatechist

Catechetical Ministry with the Elderly

My interest lies in working with the elderly population. I explored how one works in adult catechetical ministry with an older population. “Young old” is a term that is now being applied to people between the ages of 65-75, with a “fourth age” referring to the oldest old, (those over 75.) What gifts and challenges would such an age group give to catechesis, and how can we access them? If the parish is indeed the center where Christian community is formed, how can a parish setting contribute to the catechetical ministry of these age cohorts?

The National Directory of Catechesis (2005) projects that by 2030 about 70 million Americans (20% of population) will be 75 years or older. My reading of the catechetical documents reveals a focus on working in tandem with the elderly. We need to join with them in building multi-faceted approaches that foster spiritualities full of hope.

Fr. Berard Marthlar outlines the scope of adult catechesis:

1) helps adults evaluate sociological and cultural changes in society in the light of faith;

2) helps them address religious and moral questions of today’s world, and find ways to live in that world;

3) assists adults in developing “rational foundations” that move them beyond fundamentalism;

4) encourages them to take responsibility for the church’s mission and to give Christian witness in society.

Pope John Paul II’s Letter to the Elderly (1999) provides helpful program design insights and ideas for including and honoring the elderly by “welcoming them, helping them and making good use of their qualities.” John Paul stresses the need to respect and love the elderly, helping them understand their vital roles in society.

Expanding that agenda, the U. S. Catholic Bishops pastoral message, Growing Older within the Faith Community (Blessings of Age, 1999) looks at pastoral care with the aging and states the need to anchor the aging experience firmly within a community of faith. We help “older persons” stay connected to the community by:

1) affirming their dignity, as older people are providers, not just recipients of pastoral care;

2) inviting older persons to identify their pastoral needs and decide how they are met;

3) remembering that pastoral approaches need to be diverse and inclusive;

4) focusing on mutual support and friendship that connect elders with one another and the rest of the faith community;

5) advocating and assisting development of community resources for older persons.

The Catholic Church sees catechesis in service to discipleship, assisting decisions and commitments in light of the Gospel and the Reign of God. In the richness of their lives, older persons have much to give to Church and society. This population particularly can help all of us transform the big and little events of our lives into lessons of wisdom.

C) 2010 by Susann Ozuk, MAPS, who is enrolled in the Master of Divinity program at Loyola University Chicago IPS. She is a administrative staff member of the Institute of Pastoral Studies.