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International Day of Older Persons – 1 October

The theme of the International Day of Older Persons 2017 is:

“Stepping into the Future: Tapping the Talents, Contributions and Participation of Older Persons in Society.”

This year’s day is about enabling and expanding the contributions of older people in their families, communities and societies at large. It focuses on the pathways that support full and effective participation in old age, in accordance with old persons’ basic rights, needs and preferences.

This year’s theme underscores the link between tapping the talents and contributions of older persons and achieving the implementation of the 2030 Agenda and the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing, which is currently undergoing its third review and appraisal process.

Between 2015 and 2030, the target date for the Sustainable Development Goals, the number of older persons worldwide is set to increase by 56 per cent — from 901 million to more than 1.4 billion. By 2030, the number of people aged 60 and above will exceed that of young people aged 15 to 24.

Stepping into the future with pledges that no one will be left behind, it is starkly evident that the need to tap into the often overlooked and under-appreciated contributions of older persons is not only essential to older persons’ well-being, but also imperative for sustainable development processes.

The 2017 theme will explore effective means of promoting and strengthening the participation of older persons in various aspects of social, cultural, economic and civic and political life.

Source: Texte: UN  Image: alwaysonhealthcare.com

23rd Sunday of Year A

We know and we believe that the word of God in Scripture tells us about him and his will for our lives.
His message comes to us, ‘clothed’ if I may say, in all kinds of ways reaching us as light and guidance, strength and comfort.

The prophets and the Psalms, the gospels texts and the epistles – all of them are meant for our instruction, says Paul (Rom.15:4).
But, personally, I must confess that I am rather partial to texts which offer us promises, yes, promises from God himself.

The last verses of today’s gospel (23rd Sunday, Year A – Mt.18:15-20) give us exactly that: a two-fold promise from Jesus himself.
Words that are powerful and, yes, really promising!
This is what he says:

« I tell you solemnly once again, if two of you on earth agree to ask anything at all,
it will be granted to you by my Father in heaven.
For where two or three meet in my name, I shall be there with them.”

Some will say: “Wonderful!”
Others will think: “It did not work out for me!” meaning that they asked, and asked, with relatives and friends, and they simply did not get what they were asking for…
And many would endorse this statement and the experience it describes.

Perhaps most of us have made this experience – that of praying with our whole heart, convinced that God hears our prayers but, in the end, what we were hoping for did not materialize.
Did our praying bring about anything? We wonder.
We think to ourselves: If it did, it was surely not what we had asked for.

Perhaps this is because we have yet to identify our real needs… which can be quite different from our wishes and…yes, our whims…
God, who knows us better than we know ourselves, knows also what is best for us, even if we find it very difficult to admit to that.

Today may be a good occasion to make some kind of inventory – the inventory of all that we have received from God recently and see if some of those blessings were not – in disguise – what we were most in need of at the time…

Source: Image: justice-and-peace.org.uk

International Angelman Day – 15 February

People with Angelman Sydrome have the same basic wants, needs, hopes and dreams as anyone else – a need to feel loved, valued and included, and to experience caring and understanding relationships with family, friends, peers, teachers and their community. An exceptional gift that those with Angelman syndrome usually offer, is affection, joy and unconditional love. All they ask for, is that others take the time to get to know them as an individual, and respect the challenges they face.

Angelman Syndrome (AS) is a neuro-genetic disorder of Chromosome 15 that results in intellectual and developmental delay. It affects about 1 in 20,000 people. Individuals with Angelman Syndrome may speak only a few words. Many have mobility issues and may be wheelchair users. Most suffer with seizures and all require life-long 24/7 care. People with Angelman Syndrome are known for their wonderful smiles & warm personalities. M

The condition is named Angelman Syndrome, after Dr Harry Angelman. In 1965, he was the first person to make an observational diagnosis of 3 children who displayed very similar characteristics.

Source: Text & Image: IAD