Ageing gracefully
When energies fail, our desire remains constant, for it is the face of Christ that we seek to manifest in all its compassion and love.
IBVM Constitutions Vol ii 2.14
Many of our sisters are retired or in the frail aged stage of life. They have moved from the classroom to volunteering in pastoral work, archival preservation, prison chaplaincy, Vincent de Paul support, or participation in senior citizens events. They have then moved to less arduous roles bringing Communion to housebound people or ensuring that our home base is a welcoming and caring environment to return to.
The move to frail health or nursing care is not the end of their mission. Many active sisters and friends will attest to the hope and joy these women contribute to us and to those who care for them, as they face the demands of letting go and diminishment with courage.
Teilhard de Chardin’s prayer in diminishment captures something of the faith that believes that right down to the last moment of our lives, when we can no longer work, God continues to work in us, shaping us ever more to receive the fullness of life and love with God
Grant that I may willingly consent to this last phase of communion in the course of which I shall possess You by diminishing in You.
After having perceived You as He who is a greater myself; grant, when my hour comes, that I may recognise You under the species of each alien or hostile force that seems bent upon destroying or supplanting me.
When the signs of age begin to mark my body (and still more when they touch my mind), when the ill that is to diminish me or carry me off strikes from without or is born within me;
When the painful moment comes in which I suddenly awaken to the fact that I am ill or growing old;
and above all at that last moment when I feel I am losing hold of myself and am absolutely passive Within the hands of the great unknown forces that have formed me;
In all these dark moments, O God, grant that I may understand that it is You (provided only my faith is strong enough) who is painfully parting the fibres of my being in order to penetrate to the very marrow of my substance and bear me away within yourself.
Living an active retirement, by Eileen Riley ibvm
In the early days of my religious life, I taught in diocesan schools run by the Loreto Sisters and was principal of All Saints College, Portland, for some years. For most of my career I taught religious education, art and English in Loreto secondary schools and occupied the roles of head of the art department and year coordinator.
On my retirement I moved to Cranebrook, NSW, where I ran free craft groups for women in the parish, the housing commission area and the community centre. I also assisted with liturgy in the parish and was the spiritual assistant of the St Vincent de Paul parish group. I was a member of a Penrith Christian Life Community prayer group and established another group in Corpus Christi parish. I was also involved in teaching adults to read.
In my later retirement in Ballarat I play Scrabble with women in two local retirement homes and visit our sisters who are in care. I act as guide to a Christian Life community group and am sacristan in our convent and responsible for the maintenance of the house. I am grateful to have the opportunity to engage in these occupations and derive much benefit from those with whom I communicate.
Read about our retired sisters and their volunteer work with St Vincent de Paul.
A brief snapshot on my current role and biggest challenge... Marie Kelly ibvm
My current role involves going to Vision Australia, playing bowls there and at the Senior Citizens, growing orchids and being a member of “Friends of the Botanical Gardens”. I am inspired by the staff and volunteers at Vision Australia and do what I do because I enjoy being involved with people and places. I love working with orchids and my greatest indulgence is listening to books, papers and periodicals on tape. The book I am currently listening to is "The Zookeeper's Wife". The biggest challenge in my life has been to cope with my blindness.
Photo:
Mary O’Brien ibvm and Eileen Riley ibvm
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