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January 24, 2017Leadership at the Archdiocese of New Orleans is hoping their latest publication will make it easier for area senior citizens to navigate and understand resources available to them through the local Catholic Church. The new NOLACatholic Senior Resource Guide highlights the many ministries focused on serving the elderly in the archdiocese from food and housing to medical care and the many resources in between.
"The goal of publishing this booklet was to make it easier for our area's elderly to understand what is available to them through the local Catholic Church," said Sarah McDonald archdiocesan Director of Communications. "We have so much to offer through our ministries and services but never have we put all of the resources in one place with contact information and simple descriptions of services. We hope this guide helps our elders and their families as they plan for the future."
The archdiocese printed 30,000 booklets that have almost all been distributed to parishes and ministries to give out to those they minister to regularly. The guide is also available online at http://nolacatholic.org/media/561/download.
In a letter introducing the guide, New Orleans Archbishop Gregory M. Aymond wrote, "As the Catholic Church we are privileged to serve the people of God. It is a humble honor to be of service to you, our sisters and brothers, who have shared so much of yourselves as spouses, parents, grandparents, friends, coworkers and neighbors. It is my hope that the NOLACatholic Senior Resource Guide will be of assistance to you and your families in finding the ministries that may help you live more comfortably and securely in your years of 'retirement'."
The booklet has already been put to ministerial use at St. Pius X Parish in New Orleans through their Faith and Families Program.
“People were grateful to have something at their fingertips to help them as they left the event,” said Kate Coyne of St. Pius X. “The guide offers many options throughout the archdiocese that can serve our loved ones as they approach the later years of life.”
Resources featured in the booklet include: Catholic Charities Food for Seniors/Food for Families Program, Catholic Charities PACE Program, The Catholic Foundation, Chateau de Notre Dame, Christopher Homes, New Orleans Catholic Cemeteries, Notre Dame Hospice, Second Harvest Food Bank, St. Anthony’s Gardens, and Wynhoven Healthcare Center.
The booklet also features a listing of contact numbers to ministries that might be of interest to senior citizens but overall have a broader outreach such as the Archdiocese of New Orleans Retreat Center, the Archdiocesan Spirituality Center and the Old Ursuline Convent Museum. The guide even directs users to their Catholic Church Parishes for additional resources and opportunities for socializing.
“We truly tried to make this a complete resource for seniors looking for both assistance and opportunities,” said McDonald. “We heard through the synod listening sessions that this was a real need in the community, and we hope this is a step towards fulfilling it.”
