“... we should not be thinking it’s the end of the road for us. Instead, we should be learning something new, sharing our talents, volunteering, writing our life story, and staying connected to family and friends.”
Sister Marie Therese Sherwood (seated at center) with parishioners from St. Matthias who attended the 2023 Senior Day program at St. Francis Center for Renewal.
The Gift of Years
Retreat Program for seniors Reveals so much life left to be lived
On May 13, Sister Marie Therese Sherwood and ten members of the Senior Ministry at The Catholic Community of St. Matthias in Somerset, N.J., carpooled to St. Francis Center for Renewal in Bethlehem, Pa., to attend Senior Day 2023: Celebrating the Gift of Years. Sister Marguerite Stewart welcomed the ladies from St. Matthias, as well as other retreat participants, and led the group in prayer. Her keynote presentation focused on the challenges and blessings that come with aging.
Afterward, retreatants were given time for personal reflection, including on how the spiritual journey of aging emphasizes being, rather than doing. Participants discussed how this shift requires letting go — both physically and spiritually — of fears and regrets. Group sharing was followed by a delicious lunch, which nourished all in body and spirit and provided opportunities to meet other participants and enjoy each other’s company.
At the conclusion of the senior retreat, Sister Marie Therese invited the St. Matthias group
to share their personal experiences of the day. A few of their reflections are below:
A GRATEFUL SENIOR
“The commonality of shared experience, guided by Sister Marguerite’s powerful reflections, made this retreat a gem for us who are gifted with years! The letting go and acceptance of our new-found realities become bearable knowing God is ever present.”
MARGE RICHARDS
“It was so nice to have the opportunity to be with so many lovely ladies, and Sister Marguerite gave a wonderful presentation. What I took away from the day was the importance of focusing on the many blessings of this stage of life, rather than focusing on the challenges. There is so much richness in being a ‘senior,’ but it often gets overlooked. With God’s help, there is much more life to be lived.”
peggy joyce
“It was a lovely day; so great to be with friends from St. Matthias. The speaker was inspiring, reminding us to appreciate the present moment.”
jody martielli
“It was a day to learn how to accept and appreciate our years and how blessed we are to have them.”
PEARL SCOTT
“There was time for prayer, quiet reflection and sharing. There was also the opportunity to make new friends. The topics presented by Sister Marguerite that meant a lot to me include blessings, gratitude, self-love, living life to the fullest, relationships, history, and curiosity. Sister did a wonderful job discussing these topics and many others. I agree with Sister Marguerite that seniors are very wise, and we should share our wisdom with younger people. Among other things, she said we should not be thinking it’s the end of the road for us. Instead, we should be learning something new, sharing our talents, volunteering, writing our life story, and staying connected to family and friends. I look forward to attending the next senior retreat. In the meantime, I will continue to live my life to the fullest.”