OLD MEN FORGET
TONY BEX SJ IS ON LEAVE FROM ZIMBABWE AND WHILST HE WAS AT THE JESUIT MISSIONS OFFICE HE PENNED THESE THOUGHTS
As I am on leave I have time to reflect, in my old age, on how even an 80-year old can be useful. Not just for cuffing up old stamps with a team of devot ed ladies at Jesuit Missions - which brings in a great deal of money to help the Missions - but in other ways too.
‘OLD MEN FORGET” is the title of an autobiography by Duff Cooper, a former Minister in the British Go vernment - I also found the origin of the quotation is in Shakespeare somewhere. My point is that, however forgetful we may become, there is still a helpful ministry for us which is not too taxing. Over the past twelve months I have given three eight-day retreats to one or two sisters, although I did give one to ten Mary Ward Sisters in formation last August. I have been able to give a few days of recollection to young people and adults as well as a talk here and there to groups: one to a young man from the southern tip of the Sudan who was at the Seminary on a Communications Course; a monthly morning to assembl ed novices from the Little Children of Our Bless ed Lady, Franciscans Mary Ward & Little Company of Mary Sisters on various subjects including a weekend on the ‘Desert Experience' and, this one almost defeat ed me - ‘The Spirituality of Time' until I found a helpful copy of the Way Magazine supplement on the subject; besides the almost weekly sermons to the girls at St Dominic's School, Chishawasha, or the Seminarians.
It all began in 1999 with a workshop from Fr Joseph Tetlow, our spirituality man in Rome, who also gave us a retreat. I bought his ring-binder ‘Christ in the World' retreat, which he kindly told us we could use for photocopying and ‘the ball began to roll.' I was able, with its help, to compose an eight day retreat (two talks each day with homily for the Mass and either a Holy Hour or a guid ed ‘sharing' session each evening), which I found easily adaptable before - as P G Woodhouse would say - ‘the old creative energy began to wane'. After that I could even cope with the novices, and what a joy it was to see them happy, loving, and relax ed with one another - a good omen for the future, You might think a ‘set' retreat compos ed for a diocesan clergy retreat in 2000 would soon become ‘old hat' - far from it! I find it to be easily adaptable to any audience. I do not write on the blank side of the paper and can even read my own writing months later - which most people cannot! A change here and there: a new anecdote or experience; sometimes a new talk altogether - as when I change a talk about priesthood for diocesan priests to one on ‘Community Life' for sisters. You can add and subtract,
So life can begin at 80! ‘BE NOT AFRAID', and to use the modern expression (you see I can still learn from the bright young people) ‘GO FOR IT'! Strangely, while I panic before the occasions when I am requir ed to give a retreat or talk, over photocopying Fr Tetlow's material or mixing up pages - a real sign of old age - once I come to sit down exhaust ed , I relax and ‘get on their wavelength' to whomsoever I am speaking.
I restrict myself to two or three retreatants, as well as the monthly visit to the novices, I find I can cope. We don't have to die at 70 and be buri ed at 90! I recommend those of you who have no urgent commitments, like myself, to engage in this valuable ministry of further ed ucation, without taking on too much, too often.
As I am on leave I have time to reflect, in my old age, on how even an 80-year old can be useful. Not just for cuffing up old stamps with a team of devot ed ladies at Jesuit Missions - which brings in a great deal of money to help the Missions - but in other ways too.
‘OLD MEN FORGET” is the title of an autobiography by Duff Cooper, a former Minister in the British Go vernment - I also found the origin of the quotation is in Shakespeare somewhere. My point is that, however forgetful we may become, there is still a helpful ministry for us which is not too taxing. Over the past twelve months I have given three eight-day retreats to one or two sisters, although I did give one to ten Mary Ward Sisters in formation last August. I have been able to give a few days of recollection to young people and adults as well as a talk here and there to groups: one to a young man from the southern tip of the Sudan who was at the Seminary on a Communications Course; a monthly morning to assembl ed novices from the Little Children of Our Bless ed Lady, Franciscans Mary Ward & Little Company of Mary Sisters on various subjects including a weekend on the ‘Desert Experience' and, this one almost defeat ed me - ‘The Spirituality of Time' until I found a helpful copy of the Way Magazine supplement on the subject; besides the almost weekly sermons to the girls at St Dominic's School, Chishawasha, or the Seminarians.
It all began in 1999 with a workshop from Fr Joseph Tetlow, our spirituality man in Rome, who also gave us a retreat. I bought his ring-binder ‘Christ in the World' retreat, which he kindly told us we could use for photocopying and ‘the ball began to roll.' I was able, with its help, to compose an eight day retreat (two talks each day with homily for the Mass and either a Holy Hour or a guid ed ‘sharing' session each evening), which I found easily adaptable before - as P G Woodhouse would say - ‘the old creative energy began to wane'. After that I could even cope with the novices, and what a joy it was to see them happy, loving, and relax ed with one another - a good omen for the future, You might think a ‘set' retreat compos ed for a diocesan clergy retreat in 2000 would soon become ‘old hat' - far from it! I find it to be easily adaptable to any audience. I do not write on the blank side of the paper and can even read my own writing months later - which most people cannot! A change here and there: a new anecdote or experience; sometimes a new talk altogether - as when I change a talk about priesthood for diocesan priests to one on ‘Community Life' for sisters. You can add and subtract,
So life can begin at 80! ‘BE NOT AFRAID', and to use the modern expression (you see I can still learn from the bright young people) ‘GO FOR IT'! Strangely, while I panic before the occasions when I am requir ed to give a retreat or talk, over photocopying Fr Tetlow's material or mixing up pages - a real sign of old age - once I come to sit down exhaust ed , I relax and ‘get on their wavelength' to whomsoever I am speaking.
I restrict myself to two or three retreatants, as well as the monthly visit to the novices, I find I can cope. We don't have to die at 70 and be buri ed at 90! I recommend those of you who have no urgent commitments, like myself, to engage in this valuable ministry of further ed ucation, without taking on too much, too often.