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ISSUE 2007 November - December |
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6
/ 2007
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| >> The value of life with different faith perspectives | |
| >> Where are we after one year for the HIV children | |
| >> Suratthani Diocese organizes a day of elderly gathering | |
| The Elderly join their efforts in planning the 2008 | |
| The Catholic Committee for the Elderly within the Catholic Commission for Health Pastoral Care organized its annual 2007 ordinary meeting under the theme: "Progress, long-term advancement by the elderly genius" on 26-28 November 2007 presided over by H.E. Philip Banjong Chaiyara, president of the Episcopal Department for Social Works at the Baan Phu Waan Pastoral Training Center with 86 participants consisting of spiritual directors, coordinators, elderly core leaders and male/female religious working on this project. | |
| The Catholic Church gives special importance to the pastoral care for the elderly as stated in the 2000-2010 Pastoral Planning under article 2.2.5 which promotes grouping of the elderly so that they will have friends and carry out activities which will be beneficial both physically and spiritually. It is also to show their value both of past and at present. Not least is to keep them informed how to take care of their own health and to live happily in the society. | |
| Pictures | |
| Several dioceses are currently very active and the elderly groups have been recognized by the Church and the government sector. Still there are other dioceses which are moving too slowly. Because of this, the Committee for the Elderly deemed it appropriate to organize its annual meeting so that each and every diocese will continue and collaborate together for the efficient pastoral care of the elderly. | |
| Rev. Viroj Nandhajinda, president of the elderly subcommittee, speaks of the purpose of this seminar thus: 1. To allow representatives of the elderly to come together to meet and share their experiences, and 2.To let the representatives draw up a plan of activities at the diocesan level. | |
| The elderly subcommittee organizes a forum for the spiritual directors, coordinators and core leaders to be informed about the desire of the Church regarding the elderly and informs them to put their heads together to plan activities for the year 2008. The participants are helped and guided by 2 guest speakers, namely: Rev. Pibul Visitnondachai and Rev. Ratanasak Kitsakul. The planning in sum is as follows: | |
| Activity Planning at the Diocesan Level | |
| 1 | Establishment of the elderly group at the diocesan level. |
| 2 | Campaign to expand groups at the parish level. |
| 3 | Organize seminar of the elderly at the diocesan level |
| 4 | Organize meeting of the committee members. |
| 5 | Organize the Sacrament of Anointment at the diocesan level. |
| Activity Planning at the Parish Level | |
| 1 | .Establishment of the elderly group |
| 2 | .Meeting of the group committee members |
| 3 | Activities on the "Day of the Elderly" at the parish level |
| 4 | Physical checking |
| 5 | Service of the Holy Sacraments |
| 6 | Participation in the Eucharistic celebration. |
| 7 | .Make pilgrimages together. |
| 8 | .Annual spiritual renewal. |
| The summit aim of this planning is to make the elderly groups strong and enable them to run their own group management, i.e. "Elderly activities by and for the Elderly". The spiritual directors and coordinators will further follow-up the plan and activities with their respective diocesan bishops. | |
| During the seminar H.E. Banjong gave the participants a thought to ponder thus: "When we talk about an elderly our idea immediately goes to someone who retires from work, someone who forgets things easily, someone who is easily offended on a small matter, someone who is silent and sad because he or she cannot work as before. So, it is not strange that an elderly needs love, warmth, understanding and kind words from others, and at the same time, the elderly himself should realize if he also does the same to people around him, especially the people of his age. | |
| As a matter of fact an elderly is to be respected for his longevity, valuable experience and benefits that he has contributed to the society. The best model of us is His Majesty the King who is so outstanding in the eyes of the world plus so many other elderly persons who, in the footstep of His Majesty, have served society. | |
| The Church herself considers it necessary to tell the general public to maintain the correct attitude toward the elderly. This is deliberated through the Pastoral Planning of the Church in Thailand by making the society aware that the elderly is full of experiences that can help society both in the present and also in the past. They are not useless as many people would think. Pope John Paul II says: "The elderly helps us to see their intellectual expertise, because their insight is able to interpret the signs and point the right ways to their children. Hence, in denying the elderly is paramount to denying the past which is the foundation of the present". | |
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Update
March 2011