On September 23rd, 2023, more than 200 people attended this daylong open house-style event called “The Church as an Expert in Humanity.”
The event took place at St. Mary’s Cathedral, the Cathedral Hall, and the Catholic Pastoral Centre in Calgary, Alberta.
The morning featured a Ministry Hall of Exhibits with 18 table displays of ministries throughout the diocese doing the best work on suffering, death, grief, and caregiving. In the afternoon, there were three-panel presentations.
The first panel involved Catholics of diverse cultural backgrounds speaking about hospitality and accompaniment in their respective traditions. It included a Filipino diaconal candidate, a Ukrainian laywoman working with refugees, an elderly Indigenous woman who is a community leader, and an Iraqi Catholic priest.
The second was called “Tell Me About the Hour of Death” where participants heard from two doctors, a priest, and a longtime pastoral care worker.
The third panel focused on papal documents pertaining to death, hope, and eternal life. A Polish Dominican sister who has worked extensively with the elderly spoke about John Paul II’s “Letter to the Elderly.”
Later, an evening program was held in Calgary’s Catholic Cathedral and included seven short testimonies by different speakers that “were narratively framed as echoes of the Seven Last Words of Christ.” Among the speakers were a privately sponsored Middle Eastern Christian refugee, a L’Arche core member who has a disability, and a young father whose daughter only lived for 38 minutes.
Afterward, Calgary’s Bishop William McGrattan gave some catechesis on the Anima Christi prayer, with a special emphasis on the line, “In Your wounds, hide me.”
On May 25th, participants engaged in discussion on Viktor Frankl’s life and thought while enjoying some exquisite Viennese cakes.
The number one kind of suffering that Canadians say leads them to request euthanasia is “a loss of ability to engage in meaningful life activities.” But, do we ever really lose the capacity for meaningful activities? To explore this question, Viktor Frankl is a huge help.
This inspiring ‘Mass of a Lifetime’ at a Calgary retirement home gave seniors a special Sunday Mass experience.
Check out this article, “‘Mass of a Lifetime’ reminds elderly ‘their community has not forgotten them.’”Watch this 2-minute highlights video:
“Wherever anything makes Christ known, there nothing can be beautiful enough.”
– Dietrich von Hildebrand
Special thanks to: Fr. Nathan Siray, Evanston Summit Retirement Residence, St. John Choir Schola, Ascension Catholic Parish, Seeds of the Word, and several volunteers who helped make this event possible.
These workshops especially empower older adults to take seriously the responsibility to make a different in the lives of others. Through a mix of dynamic, stimulating, and thought-provoking activities, participants gain inspiration for how to lead meaningful lives until the last breath!
So far, these workshops have been offered in Vancouver, Calgary, Ottawa, and Whitehorse. You can invite me to your community to facilitate one!
What People Are Saying:
— Workshop Participant