Fr Leonard E Dollentas
Pope Francis has established the World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly, to take place annually on the fourth Sunday of July, close to the feast of the grandparents of Jesus, Sts. Anne and Joachim.
This year the celebration will fall on Sunday, July 25, 2021, with the theme ‘I am with you always’ (Mt 28:20).
In this celebration, Pope Francis urged the faithful to acknowledge the suffering, loneliness, and fear many older people have experienced during the worst of the pandemic. The Pope also reminded older Catholics that, like him, they still have a vocation to share the Faith and care for others.
However, in celebrating this day with our grandparents and the elderly, let us not forget our retired, elderly and sick priests, who have given lives of dedicated service to their communities and the church.
LIFE OF RETIRED PRIESTS
Retired and elderly priests see their retirement from active life as their new calling to the ministry of prayer.
In some religious communities, retired priests still gather for a day for recreation to build up their fraternity, sometimes with activities as simple as having a drink or a snack or watching ball games together.
That they are called “old” and “retired” does not mean they do no active ministry. Elderly priests still do some limited ministry. Some, even though they cannot be pastors or parochial vicars anymore, can still go out to hear confessions, to say Mass or to be active in some way.
This is the inspiring part of their lives, even though these priests do not have as much work as they did when they were younger. These men are still living the priestly life, because priestly life is not defined simply by work. It is defined by living the gospel, by prayer and works of holiness, fraternity, and being active with one another so that even if they are sick or weak or whatever it might be, they are still living the priestly life.
LEGACY OF ELDERLY PRIESTS
The younger priests of today (that includes me), priests who will eventually live the life of the now retired and old priests, should learn the legacy of the old priests.
Retired old priests were living a completely fulfilled and encouraging life. I say with all honesty that the elderly and retired old priests truly are the treasure of every diocese.
They have paved the rugged roads to minister to the people, built churches and schools, attended to the poor and needy, and passed on the faith. Their lives of sacrifice have truly been inspiring. I love being around them to hear their stories, to see what they have done so I can learn from them. It really gives me encouragement in my priestly life, not only to see what they have accomplished but to see what I might become one day. Honestly, I don’t really know where I will be in my 60’s,70’s, or – with the grace of God – even in my 80’s. Maybe I will be in a room alone, where people would not bother me anymore for the scheduled Masses, no more sick calls, no more lengthy meetings, no more talks, no more scrupulous and demanding parishioners – only plenty of time in prayers. When that time comes, no matter how sick or infirm I become, no matter how many things I can no longer do that I once was able to do, I will always be consoled that I am a priest of God and happy to serve others. I may not have the companionship or legacy of a married life with kids and grandkids, but I do know one thing: this life will never be one that I walked alone. For that I am forever grateful and would be happy to live the life of the elderly priests…someday.
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