Oblate News

The ‘Joy of Love’ and thoughts from Pope Francis on the sick and elderly – a Lourdes Perspective

June 3rd: “Where there is no honour for the elderly, there is no future for the young.”

Recently I had the privilege of attending a seminar given by Fr Frank Morrissey, OMI, accompanied by Bishop Bob Bourgon, Bishop of Hearst and Moosonee, Canada. Fr Frank is Professor Emeritus, Faculty of Canon Law at the Saint Paul University in Ottawa. To read that might suggest a seminar that was deeply academic but this would be untrue for the truth is that Fr Frank is about taking what can seem complex, and simplifying it, but without losing its depth.

While the Pope’s recent Exhortation has no reference to Lourdes, in Chapter Five, he refers to the place of the elderly in society. Fr Frank sheds more light on the significance of the Pope’s writing and ties it in with other things that Francis has said and written. And what an insight it provides.

As pilgrims, we travel to Lourdes each year, many of us to help and assist, and many, eager to visit the shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes and who need our assistance to travel there and achieve that goal of spending time with Our Lady. As Fr Frank says, “The recognition of the dignity and value of each person – even those whom society considers to be ‘less useful’ – underlies Pope Francis’ entire thought on the issue.”

As a helper, it is, perhaps, all too easy to place my attention on ‘helping’ and seeing that as a lot of ‘doing.’ Equally, for the pilgrim who stays with us in the Accueil, perhaps sometimes, and with the ever-present sentiment of society in general never far away, it can be all too easy to look only at the need for help to get somewhere or even, sadly, to feel a burden that requires the physical effort of others to make up for what I cannot do for myself. In Pope Francis’ words, we are both very much mistaken!

It is hard to separate age and health completely; it is a fact of life that, with advancing age there often come health challenges. And Pope Francis links these two. With regard to the elderly, the Pope has made a profound statement, “Where there is no honour for the elderly, there is no future for the young.” Read it again – because if we believe that, then we need to rethink how society often sees the elderly. Pope Francis asks us therefore to profit from their experience and wisdom. So is there a vocation for the elderly? Pope Francis would say an emphatic yes to that question! He writes:

“In a special way, old age is a time of grace, in which the Lord [1] renews his call to us; he calls us to [2] safeguard and [3] transmit the faith, he calls us to [4] pray, especially to [5] intercede, he calls us to [6] be close to those in need … The elderly, grandparents, have the ability to [7] understand the most difficult of situations: a great ability! And [8] when they pray for these situations, their prayer is strong; it is powerful!”

So if, for the elderly and sick, there is a vocation, then how to do I “profit from their experience and wisdom.” Pope Francis answers that question too – by listening. “Listening means accepting the other unconditionally, giving him or her space in one’s own heart … this listening conveys affection and understanding, declares that the other is appreciated and that his or her presence are taken into consideration.”

• Gerry Bennett