Senior Living

Senior Living

March 18, 2016

catholicnewsherald.com charlottediocese.org

S U P P L E M E N T to T H E C A T H O L I C N E W S H E R A L D

Taking the next step INSIDE: Getting ready for retirement takes financial, spiritual preparation,

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Opportunities for giving, getting involved in the Diocese of Charlotte, Scam alert: Don’t let this happen to you,

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Traveling to other countries gives retirees new perspective, Making end-of-life decisions,

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Catholic funeral planning guide,

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catholicnewsherald.com | March 18, 2016 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

DIOCESE OF CHARLOTTE

Opportunities for giving Everything we have, everything we are, and everything we will become is a gift from Almighty God. As stewards of those gifts, we are called to return a portion of our time, talent and treasure in gratitude for God’s great bounty. The Diocese of Charlotte – with its parishes, offices, agencies, schools and outreach ministries – has many ways for you to give back in gratitude for what God has blessed you with:

Donate online Secure donations can be made online via credit card or direct debit at www.charlottediocese.org/donations for: Campus Ministry Diocesan Support Appeal (DSA) Eucharistic Congress Forward in Faith, Hope & Love (FFHL) MACS Education Foundation Seminarian Education Triad Area Catholic Schools Education Foundation

Donate by mail Donations in any amount may be made via mail directly to the Diocese of Charlotte, or to any of the ministries mentioned above. Checks should be made payable to the particular program (as mentioned above), except for Campus Ministry and Seminarian Education, both of which should be made payable to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Charlotte. Please designate in the memo section of your check where your gift should be directed. Please send donations to: Diocese of Charlotte Attn: Finance Office 1123 South Church St. Charlotte, NC 28203-4003

Securities (stocks, bonds, mutual funds) Gifts of stock may be made via electronic transfer or by physical certificate. The Diocese of Charlotte maintains a brokerage account with Wells Fargo Advisors for the

purpose of processing electronic transfers to the Diocese for the benefit of the diocese or any of its parishes, schools or agencies. Refer to the Stock Donations section at www.charlottediocese.org/donations for detail guidance on initiating a transfer of stock.

Planned giving and endowments Many people choose to contribute to the future of the Church in western North Carolina through planned gifts, including real estate, retirement account plans, life insurance policies, charitable gift annuities, charitable remainder trusts, and gifts made through a will or living trust.

The Foundation of the Diocese of Charlotte provides a way for people and organizations to provide longterm financial stability for the diocese and its parishes, schools, ministries and agencies. Through these endowments, the foundation provides a means to generate income to help sustain the long-term strength and viability of Catholic institutions in western North Carolina.

Making a gift in your will To leave a bequest to the Church in your will, use the following language: n For a parish, Catholic school or Catholic agency, the listing should be: “Peter J. Jugis, Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Charlotte, or his Successors in Office for the (name and city of parish, school or agency).” n For the diocese, the listing should be: “Peter J. Jugis, Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Charlotte, or his Successors in Office.” n For the Diocese of Charlotte Foundation, the listing should be: “Foundation of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Charlotte to be (added to or establish the (name) endowment fund.”

For details about any of these opportunities, contact Judy Smith, diocesan director of planned giving, at 704370-3320 or jmsmith@charlottediocese.org.

Catholic Charities Diocese of Charlotte Donate online

Food donations

To donate to Catholic Charities Diocese of Charlotte, go online to www.ccdoc.org/donate.

Catholic Charities Diocese of Charlotte’s food pantries in Charlotte, Winston-Salem and Asheville rely heavily on donated food and non-food items for weekly distribution to clients. Items regularly requested by clients are: canned fruit, juice, tea and coffee, rice, spaghetti sauce, spaghetti noodles, and tuna. Non-food items, such as toiletries, diapers, laundry detergent and paper products are also needed. For food pantry locations and drop-off times, go online to www.ccdoc.org/donate/donategrocery-items.

Donate by mail Donations in any amount may be made via mail directly to Catholic Charities Diocese of Charlotte. Checks should be made payable to Catholic Charities Diocese of Charlotte.

Please include your address, daytime telephone number, and parish, as well as the name of your employer if it matches gifts. Please send donations to: Catholic Charities Diocese of Charlotte Attn: Administration 1123 South Church St. Charlotte, NC 28203-4003

Vehicle donations Catholic Charities Diocese of Charlotte also has opportunities for you to donate your car, truck, RV, boat, motorcycle, or other vehicle. For details, go online to www.ccdoc.org/donate/donate-cars-vehicles, or call (tollfree) 855-930-GIVE or 855-930-4483 to speak with Catholic Charities’ partner, Charitable Auto Resources.

Furniture and household item donations (Charlotte area only) Refugees often arrive in this country with few material possessions. Their initial needs are many. Catholic Charities depends on donations of gently used furniture and household items to prepare a comfortable, welcoming home for newly arriving refugee families in the Charlotte area. Donated items must be clean and in good repair.

Call 704-370-3283 or email skbuck@charlottediocese.org with any questions or to arrange a pick-up.

Getting ready for retirement takes financial, spiritual preparation Carol Zimmermann Catholic News Service

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The seemingly carefree days of retirement with no set schedules, commutes or bosses do not just magically arrive at one’s doorstep upon reaching a certain age.

The new routine with its perks – no demands, no early risings – and downfalls – no paychecks and built-in social networks – requires a fair amount of advance preparation to determine one’s financial needs and roughly plan how one will use all the newfound extra time.

It also takes some thought about how one will prepare mentally and spiritually for this transition.

Fortunately there is no shortage of advice out there for anyone planning to retire – whether it be decades from now or is even right around the corner. Books, online sites and even phone apps offer tips on how to get ready for, and embrace, this new stage of life.

Most retirement advice starts with the jumping-off point of how to financially prepare for life after work without receiving one’s usual paycheck. There are a range of tools and calculators available to determine monthly and yearly costs of retirement and how to best prepare for this.

The U.S. Department of Labor offers multiple resources about best ways to save and plan for the future. Its website – www.dol.gov/ebsa/ publications/savingsfitness.html – gives advice for those newly saving, longtime savers, women and the self-employed or those contributing to an employer-based retirement plan.

Above all, this site stresses, and repeats, that people have to save for their retirement and if they haven’t done so already they should start immediately.

The online material from the Labor Department points out that average Americans spend 20 years in retirement and yet “fewer than half of Americans have calculated how much they need to save for retirement” and in 2012, 30 percent of private industry workers with access to a defined contribution plan did not participate in it.

It adds that experts estimate that people need at least 70 percent of their pre-retirement income and lower earners need 90 percent or more to maintain a similar standard of living when they retire.

The site advises people to contribute to employers’ retirement saving plans, find about pension plans, do some basic investing and never touch retirement savings. It also urges people to put money into an individual retirement account and to look into Social Security benefits.

Catholic Financial Life, an organization based in Milwaukee, which provides life insurance, annuities and financial advice, through its local chapters across the country, similarly advises retirement planners not to delay saving for retirement either through an employee-based program or an individual tax-deferred savings account.

But just having funds for retirement is not the only consideration.

Those in the know say it’s also important to mentally prepare for life without a preset daily routine.

Above all, retirees should be careful not to fall into the trap of watching too much television, warns Bob Lowry, who retired in 2001 from radio work and writes about retired life in his blog “Satisfying Retirement.” Lowry gives advice on simplifying life, places to go, things to do and how to keep up with mortgage payments.

Richard Johnson, a Catholic psychological clinician and counselor who has been writing and teaching about retirement for more than 30 years, also stressed the importance of limiting TV use to fill time.

He said research shows that retirees spend twice as much time watching television as do working people – about four hours a day.

Part of this stems from a lack of preparation for this life transition, he said, noting that Catholic parishes in particular should be helping older members adjust to life after work in the same way they focus on youths and young families.

He noted that about 4,000 Catholics retire every day in the United States and that the group is in desperate need of adult faith formation since for so many years they have identified themselves with their working roles and often find it hard to describe, or even figure out, their new roles.

“We in the church need to see retirement, and aging in general, not as a joke,” he told Catholic News Service, noting that when people joke about something it usually means they are afraid of it.

Johnson, who has devoted much of his life to helping people adjust to retirement said this state of life is a “phenomenal opportunity” for the church to address which could have ripple effects.

For example, given the right tools and perspective, he said retired Catholics could be having different conversations with their adult children and grandchildren about the faith instead of just bemoaning that younger family members no longer go to church.

As he sees it, retirees have a unique opportunity to “let go and surrender,” which is a very spiritual process.

March 18, 2016 | catholicnewsherald.com catholic news heraldI

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Senior mentors share knowledge, faith and build friendships Carol Zimmermann Catholic News Service

WASHINGTON, D.C. — As a whole, older Americans have the time to volunteer and want to do it, particularly if it involves sharing their wisdom by mentoring.

What holds them back, according to an AARP study, is that they are often not asked to help.

According to the organization’s 2008 study on giving, most Americans aged 4479 reported doing some type of volunteer work in the previous year and 41 percent, representing 45 million people, said they were likely to increase the time they spent volunteering during the next five years.

They said they tend to get involved out of a desire to help people in need. Their service is primarily through faith-based or religious groups and most often involves mentoring or tutoring young people or helping the elderly live independently.

Of this same group, 68 percent of nonvolunteers said they had not been asked to help which supports previous research showing that when people are asked to help more than eight in 10 Americans will do so.

Sister Sharon Stecker, a School Sister of Notre Dame, who directs a tutoring program in Milwaukee called Rising Stars, said half of the group’s volunteers are retirees who hear about the program through church bulletin announcements, posts at local senior centers and word of mouth.

“I find they really enjoy doing it and feel they are doing something to help,” she told

Catholic News Service. “It’s a special outlet for them and often they say they get as much or more out of it as the children do.”

The program’s volunteers, who range in age from 18-80, help students who are falling behind in school.

Sister Stecker, a former teacher in Catholic schools and religious and adult education programs, not only coordinates Rising Stars but also tutors some of the middle school students through it. At 67, she also falls into the retiree age group, but since she devotes 25-30 hours a week to the program, she is hardly retired. She also is hardly near retirement age in this business, since the program’s former director retired last year at age 80.

The sister views the tutoring program as a ministry that continues the education mission of her order and is pleased that the volunteers can have “a nice rapport with the children,” especially those who might not have a good self-image.

“When a 5- or 6-year-old says, ‘I’m dumb,’ it can be hard for them to move on. We help them feel good about themselves,” she added.

Senior mentors are not always called on to teach basic school subjects; they also might be called on to teach about church tradition and beliefs.

At Our Lady of Good Counsel Parish in Plymouth, Michigan, for example, Darlene and Ed Rinke, a retired couple, said it was only natural for them to want to help others entering the church.

In 2014, the couple helped instruct more than 50 people in the parish’s Rite of

Want to get involved?

There are many ways to donate your time and talent to Catholic Charities across the Diocese of Charlotte, in either its Asheville, Charlotte, Murphy or Winston-Salem office. Each Catholic Charities location has unique needs and opportunities for those interested in volunteering. Learn more about each online at www.ccdoc.org/ volunteer.

Christian Initiation of Adults program.

Ed Rinke said their group involves both catechumens – who are not baptized – as well as candidates and Catholic candidates, who are baptized but may not have been raised in the Church or received first Eucharist or confirmation.

From guiding the RCIA participants in learning about the seven sacraments, to understanding who Jesus is, to helping them develop a relationship with Jesus, the Rinkes say they have grown to appreciate Catholicism more.

“Just hearing everyone’s stories,” said Darlene Rinke. “When you see how they’re

struggling and desiring this, and when you see them meet Jesus, it makes your faith grow stronger.”

Her husband agreed: “Their stories of how they came into wanting to know more about the Catholic faith has always been a pleasant surprise.”

He also said it piques the couple’s interest in the Catholic faith “because sometimes there are questions posed to us that we may not have the answers to.”

“It really is a faith-stimulating activity,” he added.

— Contributing to this report was Elizabeth Wong Barnstead in Detroit

“Everything we ne of our faith was r

—Joe and Helen Drozd, Pen nnybyrn resid dents

This beautiful community captures thee heart and soul of the Catholic faith.

“We looked at a number of communities,” says Heleen Drozd, “and caame to see Pennybyyrn because it was Catholic. As soon as we arrived we realiized it was where we wanted to be.””

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“W ffeell thi “We this iis holy hol h l ground,” gro nd d ” says sa s H Helen Helen. l “We were also looking for a continuum of care,” notedd Joe, “because my mother had been living with us, and she needed a higher level of care.” Pennybbyrn allowed the three of them to move to the community together. “Joe’s mom had probably the best three years of her life here,” says Helen.

Pennybyrn’s location is ideal for the couple. They apprreciate the amenities, and love the ambiance and beauty of the 71-acre campus, with its well-kept groounds and winding paths. “I attend swimming classes, and Joe uses the fitness center,” says Helen. “T There are concerts and activities all the time, andd at ddi dinnertime i we hhave our choice h i off venues, with i h a friendly f i dl wait i staff ff andd an expansive i menu.””

“We chose to move to Pennybyrn because it simply felt unlike any other community we visited,” says Helen.

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catholicnewsherald.com | March 18, 2016 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

Scam alert: Don’t let this happen to you Winston Pierre Catholic News Service

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Scams targeting the elderly are not only prevalent but they often go unreported.

These scams are devastating to the victims and can often leave them more vulnerable and with little time to recoup their losses.

In 2011, the Federal Trade Commission estimated that some 25.6 million adults were victims of financial scams and some have been victims more than once. Nearly 50 percent of those who said they had been scammed were older than 50 and reported $1.6 billion in losses, with a median payment of $400 per complaint.

And the number of those scammed is likely higher since many victims do not report it or talk about it for fear of being ridiculed, or being judged as not being smart.

“The scammers target everybody, but they’re more likely to get older people to respond because they answer the phone and they are not used to being tricked,” said Abigail Kuzma, director of consumer protection for the Indiana Attorney General’s office.

Ken Stewart, a trained volunteer, who does community outreach in Chicago on how to avoid being scammed, said there are three key ways to escape this crime.

“Protect. Detect. Report,” Stewart stressed in an interview with the Catholic News Service. “Never give your personal information, Medicare and Medicaid numbers to people you do not know.”

He also stressed that law enforcement officials say they will never call people to make such kind of requests.

He also advises people not to carry their wallets or identification cards such as Social Security, Medicare or Medicaid unless they are going to the hospital, pointing out that once someone’s wallet is stolen their “information is compromised.”

Learn more and get help At www.consumeraffairs.com/resources: Find out more about national scams, product recalls, class-action lawsuits, identity theft and much more At www.ncdoj.gov: Learn about the latest scams, safety alerts, consumer tips, and how to get help if you’re a victim in North Carolina

Stewart, who volunteers with the Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago’s Senior Services, said scammers most often use the telephone to get in touch with consumers, accounting for 40 percent

of all contacts, and email is used next, at 33 percent, according to a 2013 study.

“Older people are targeted for a variety of scams because it’s a low-risk crime that is often not reported,” said Don Blandin,

chief executive of the Investor Protection Trust, an investor education organization based in Washington. “It’s a great embarrassment, especially when people feel some cognitive loss and they don’t want to be seen as vulnerable.”

Scammers tend to appeal to elders’ sense of civic duties or to appeal to their emotions to trick them. In some cases, the scammers offer elder financial or medical advantage; sometimes they threaten them with fines or bad news regarding their loves one.

Another fraud – where people pose as law enforcement, government employees or relatives – also has been escalating and ranks as the fourth most common fraud across the country.

“Detect is the second important word that we talk about in our outreach,” said Stewart. “We encourage everyone to always read their Medicare and Medicaid summary notice, which people receive every three months.” “It is a way to be aware of everything,” he added. “If there is a service you do not remember receiving, call your healthcare provider immediately.”

He said this habit will save people from fraudulent charges, which could prevent someone from receiving health care services when they need it.

For example, Stewart said an equipment company charged Medicare for a wheelchair on behalf of someone in Illinois who never received such equipment. Later, when the person was really in need of a wheelchair, Medicare refused to pay for it because they said that they already paid for one.

Stewart said that problem was solved, but it took some time to get to the bottom of it.

“You do not want to be in a situation like this,” he said.

“Reporting is very important,” he emphasized. “This is the third component in our outreach. We encourage consumers to do so.”

Seniors plug into new forms of technology Julia Willis Catholic News Service

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Although stereotypically labeled as late subscribers to new forms of technology, many older adults have become interested in adapting to an increasingly digital world.

According to a 2014 Pew Research Center report, six in 10 seniors now go online and 47 percent say that they have a high-speed broadband connection at home. In addition, 77 percent of older adults currently have a cellphone.

While many seniors are making technological strides, the study also demonstrates that Internet and cell phone use greatly depend on a person’s current financial status, educational attainment and age.

Some 68 percent of Americans in their early 70s go online regularly, but Internet use falls to 47 percent among 75-79 year olds.

In addition, affluent and well-educated seniors are more likely to use technological tools. Ninety percent of seniors with an annual household income of $75,000 or more go online regularly and 87 percent of seniors with a college degree enjoy surfing the Web. In contrast, only 39 percent of seniors earning less than $30,000 annually go online and 40 percent of seniors who have not attended college use the Internet.

Although older adults face a number

of hurdles as they try to adapt to new technologies, Catholic seniors seem particularly interested in keeping up with the tweets of Pope Francis and maintaining contact with distant relatives through texting.

Catholic Community Services of Southern Arizona maintains independent living senior housing sites that have become home to a very tech-savvy group of older adults. According to site staff, most seniors are now using cellphones and an estimated 40 percent of residents currently use email, Internet and texting.

While some seniors allow technical tools to become an integral part of their daily lives, many choose to avoid the Internet and cellphones because they are fearful they will not be able to use them on their own. These types of fears fueled Catholic Charities of Hawaii to develop a beginner’s iPad class to help seniors learn how to use the product.

Dianne Lim, program coordinator at Catholic Charities’ Lanakila Senior Center in Honolulu, said the class came about because “some of the more ‘tech savvy’ seniors at the senior center expressed an interest in learning more about what an iPad has to offer and a couple had received one as a gift from their children but did not know how to operate it.”

She said she asked the seniors who already owned an iPad what they were using it for and found out they were mostly

using it for games. “I wanted to show them just how powerful a tool they had at their fingertips,” she told Catholic News Service.

Although the class is mainly focused on the iPad, Lim explained that the instructor accepts questions about all forms of technology during monthly meetings and has also helped seniors learn more about smartphones and computers.

“It’s fun to watch their eyes light up when they learn something cool and new they didn’t know they could do before on their devices,” Lim said. “The class truly promotes the dignity of our seniors by expanding the range of what they can do with the technology that is in front of them. The seniors like the fact that they receive easy, step-by-step lessons and leave the class feeling like they have learned a lot.”

One participant in the class told Lim that she is grateful for the instruction she has received throughout this program.

In an email she said: “Technology allows individuals to stay connected. It enhances verbal and written communication without the added costs of postage and long distance toll call charges.”

“Seniors have difficultly transitioning from what they have learned to the skills necessary to navigate through a fast-changing technological world. Our granddaughters use texting as a means of communicating with us and the information I have received throughout

this class has broadened my knowledge of technology as a whole.”

March 18, 2016 | catholicnewsherald.com catholic news heraldI

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Making end-of-life decisions The court-ordered starvation and dehydration of Terri Schiavo in 2005 raised a number of issues – moral, legal and constitutional, about the right to life and the so-called right to die. Most coverage of the case focused on the question of her guardian’s right to decide according to her alleged wishes and the due process of the judicial proceedings. However, at base the question was a moral, not a legal, one: under what conditions, if any, may a patient, a guardian, medical personnel or civil authorities, withhold or withdraw nutrition and hydration?

Catholic Teaching on Extraordinary Means The natural law and the Fifth Commandment require that all ordinary means be used to preserve life, such as food, water, exercise and medical care. Since the Middle Ages, however, Catholic theologians have recognized that human beings are not morally obligated to undergo every possible medical treatment to save their lives.

Treatments that are unduly burdensome or sorrowful to a particular patient, such as amputation, or beyond the economic means of the person, or which only prolong the suffering of a dying person, are morally extraordinary – meaning they are not morally obligatory in a particular case.

Medical means may be medically ordinary, but yet morally extraordinary.

The many advances in medicine during recent decades has complicated the decision whether to undergo or forego medical treatment, since medicine can now save many people who would simply have been allowed to die in the past. Further, having saved them, many people continue to live for long periods in comatose or semi-conscious states, unable to live without technological assistance of one kind or another. The following Q&A will address some of the complexities of this issue.

Q: When may medical therapies, procedures, equipment and the like be withheld or withdrawn from a patient?

A: The Catechism of the Catholic Church (2278) states, “Discontinuing medical procedures that are burdensome, dangerous, extraordinary, or disproportionate to the expected outcome can be legitimate; it is the refusal of “over-zealous” treatment.

Here one does not will to cause death; one’s inability to impede it is merely accepted. The decisions should be made by the patient if he is competent and able or, if not, by those legally entitled to act for the patient, whose reasonable will and legitimate interests must always be respected.”

The key principle in this statement is that one does not will to cause death. When a person has an underlying terminal disease, or their heart, or some other organ, cannot work without mechanical assistance, or a therapy being proposed is dangerous, or has little chance of success, then not using that machine or that therapy results in the person dying from the disease or organ failure they already have. The omission allows nature to takes its course. It does not directly kill the person, even though it may contribute to the person dying earlier than if aggressive treatment had been done.

Q: Does this also apply to artificially provided nutrition and hydration?

A: Yes, when the moral conditions noted above are met. We must, therefore, ask the question: “Will the withdrawal of nutrition and hydration allow the person to die, or kill the person?” When it will allow a person to die from an underlying condition, rather than unnecessarily prolonging

their suffering, it may be removed. So, for example, in the last hours, even days, of a cancer patient’s life, or if a sick person’s body is no longer able to process food and water, there is no moral obligation to provide nutrition and hydration. The patient will die of their disease or their organ failure before starvation or dehydration could kill them.

However, when the withdrawal of nutrition and hydration is intended to kill the person, or will be the immediate and direct cause of doing so, quite apart from any disease or failure of their bodies, then to withdraw food and water would be an act of euthanasia – a grave sin against the natural law and the law of God. Q: You mention the natural law – what is that?

A: The natural law is morality which reason can determine from the nature of man, without the assistance of God’s revelation. An example is the right to life. Almost all human societies throughout history, both religious and non-religious, have recognized that it is wrong to kill an innocent person. This is a conclusion which reason can easily come to, since all human beings have an inborn desire to live. From this natural law principle we can easily see that any action that directly and intentionally kills an innocent person is an unjust taking of a human life. Therefore, withdrawing food and and water from anyone who is not about to die and who can still tolerate it, has no other reasonable name than murder.

Q: What does the Church say about this?

A: When he was pope, St. John Paul II addressed this issue in an address to a group of physicians who were in Rome in March 2004 precisely to discuss it: “I should like particularly to underline how the administration of water and food, even when provided by artificial means, always represents a natural means of preserving life, not a medical act. Its use, furthermore, should be considered, in principle, ordinary and proportionate, and as such morally obligatory, insofar as and until it is seen to have attained its proper finality, which in the present case consists in providing nourishment to the patient and alleviation of his suffering.

“The obligation to provide the “normal care due to the sick in such cases” (1) includes, in fact, the use of nutrition and hydration (2). The evaluation of probabilities, founded on waning hopes for recovery when the vegetative state is prolonged beyond a year, cannot ethically justify the cessation or interruption of minimal care for the patient, including nutrition and hydration.

Death by starvation or dehydration is, in fact, the only possible outcome as a result of their withdrawal. In this sense it ends up becoming, if done knowingly and willingly, true and proper euthanasia by omission.

“In this regard, I recall what I wrote in the encyclical ‘Evangelium Vitae’ making it clear that ‘by euthanasia in the true and proper sense must be understood an action or omission which by its very nature and intention brings about death, with the purpose of eliminating all pain’; such an act is always ‘a serious violation of the law of God, since it is the deliberate and morally unacceptable killing of a human person’ (n. 65).” (Pope John Paul II, “To the Congress on Life-Sustaining Treatments and Vegetative State,” March, 20 2004) In this address the Holy Father draws the following significant conclusions: 1. Food and water are natural means of sustaining life, not medical acts, even if delivered artificially.

2. Nutrition and hydration are ordinary and proportionate means of care.

3. Food and water are morally obligatory unless or until they cannot achieve their

finality, which is providing nutrition and hydrating and alleviating suffering.

4. The length of time they are, or will be, used is not grounds for withholding or withdrawing artificially delivered nutrition and hydration.

5. If the result of withholding or withdrawing nutrition and hydration is death by starvation and dehydration, as opposed to an undying disease or dysfunction, it is gravely immorally.

In summary, nutrition and hydration, like bathing and changing the patient’s position to avoid bedsores, is ordinary care that is owed to the patient. This is true even if it is delivered artificially, as when a baby is bottlefed or a sick person is tube-fed. Nutrition and hydration may only be discontinued when they cannot achieve their natural purposes, such as when the body can no longer process them, or, when during the death process they would only prolong the person’s suffering. If such a case the patient dies of the underlying disease. On the other hand, if starvation and dehydration is the foreseeable cause of death, to withhold or withdrawn nutrition and hydration is gravely immoral.

Q: What can a person do to ensure that their wishes and their religious beliefs are respected by their family, medical personnel and the courts?

A: The best way is by means of an “Advance Directive,” which states the patients wishes with respect to aggressive medical treatment.

There are two basic kinds, a living will by itself or an “advance directive with a durable power of attorney (or proxy) for health care decisions.” The merits of each are: 1. Living Will: By this document a person decides completely in advance whether

they want to be kept alive by technology.

It is a “yes” or “no” statement, which then places the matter in the hands of the medical community. Many Catholic bishops and moralists consider this an unsatisfactory approach, as it does not provide for unforeseen circumstances. Despite the enthusiasm of the media, many medical professionals, and sadly even some Catholic institutions, Living wills are not the way to go!

2. Advance Directive with a Durable Power of Attorney or Health Care Proxy: These documents give to a friend or family member the authority to make health care decisions according to one’s mind as expressed in an Advance Directive. By appointing an agent, or giving someone durable power of attorney, the patient allows for unforeseen circumstances. By stating in an Advance Directive that one wants Catholic teaching adhered to, one can ensure that neither the agent or the medical institution will disregard that teaching. Together they ensure that a trusted person, rather than strangers, will make circumstantially appropriate decisions, in keeping with the Faith.

You can find sample forms for a Health Care Proxy or an Advance Directive on the National Catholic Bioethics Center’s website, www.ncbcenter.org.

— By Colin B. Donovan, STL, reprinted from EWTN.

For more info At www.ncbcenter.org: Purchase a print or electronic version of the National Catholic Bioethics Center’s “A Catholic Guide to End-ofLife Decisions”

At Loving Hands of Charlotte, we believe, the best quality of life is in the home.

Peggy Lindsay / Owner

704-770-1394 WWW.LOVINGH.COM

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catholicnewsherald.com | March 18, 2016 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

Catholic funeral planning guidelines Editor’s note: St. Mark Church in Huntersville recently produced this guide to funeral planning that is applicable for Catholics. While each pastor sets his own guidelines within the Church’s “Order of Christian Funerals,” we offer this guide as a reference for your family to consider and discuss:

Introduction Upon the death of a loved one, please contact the funeral home so that they may assist you in making the necessary funeral arrangements. We encourage parishioners to do pre-planning to make a difficult time easier for your family. Funeral home services are very willing to help you in this process.

Normally, the funeral home will contact the parish to secure the date and time

of the funeral. At St. Mark we will do everything we can to accommodate family needs, but please know that as a busy parish the church may be in use for other events during the time period first chosen.

Once the date and time have been decided, the family will be contacted by one of the parish priests or deacons to plan the Mass of Christian burial and other funeral rites. This involves choosing readings, hymnody and discussing how family and friends might be involved in the funeral liturgy. While there is always an element of the funeral rites that are personalized to reflect the life of the deceased, it should always be remembered that Christians celebrate the funeral rites to offer worship, praise, and thanksgiving to God for the gift of a life which has now been returned to God, the author of life and the hope of the just. The Mass, the memorial of Christ’s

death and resurrection, is the principal celebration of the Christian funeral (“Order of Christian Funerals,” 5).

Catholic funeral rites consist of three principal parts or movements: the vigil or wake, the Mass of Christian Burial, and the burial rites. Each of these will be discussed briefly below:

The Vigil for the Deceased (sometimes called the Wake) The Vigil for the Deceased is the principal rite celebrated by the Christian community in the time following death and before the funeral liturgy. At the vigil the Christian community keeps watch with the family in prayer to the God of mercy and finds strength in Christ’s presence.

The Vigil can be celebrated at the funeral home, the home of the deceased or at the parish church. During the course of the Vigil service, there will be a brief proclamation of the Word of God, intercessory prayer, and blessing. If someone in the family would like to offer a personal remembrance of the deceased (eulogy) this may be done at the conclusion of the Vigil service.

The Funeral Liturgy/ Mass of Christian Burial

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The funeral liturgy is the central celebration of the Christian community for the deceased. At the funeral liturgy the community gathers with the family and friends of the deceased to give praise and thanks to God for Christ’s victory over sin and death, to commend the deceased to God’s tender mercy and compassion, and to seek strength in the proclamation of the Paschal Mystery. Through the Holy Spirit the community is joined together in faith as one Body in Christ to reaffirm in sign and symbol, word and gesture that each believer through baptism shares in Christ’s death and resurrection and can look for the day when all the elect will be raised up and united in the kingdom of light and peace (“Order of Christian Funerals,” 129).

The funeral Mass includes the reception of the body, the celebration of the Liturgy of the Word, the Liturgy of the Eucharist, and final commendation and farewell.

Reception of the Body

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The rite of reception takes place at the beginning of the funeral liturgy or Mass.

It begins with the greeting of the family, the sprinkling of the coffin with holy water as a reminder of baptism, and the placing of the pall which symbolizes the baptismal garment. If the family so chooses, they may drape the pall over the coffin of the deceased. The entrance procession follows with the ministers leading the coffin and family members into the church.

During the procession an entrance hymn will be sung. The family remains standing with the remainder of the congregation in the pews until the conclusion of the opening prayer. It is our practice at St. Mark to place a crucifix and Bible on the coffin at the conclusion of the entrance procession. These symbols of Christian

life are carried in the entrance procession and can be placed on the coffin by family members of the family chooses to do so.

Otherwise, they will be placed by one of the ministers.

Liturgy of the Word

Following the opening prayer, the Liturgy of the Word begins. The readings include an Old Testament reading (during the Easter season the first reading is taken from the Acts of the Apostles or the Book of Revelation), a Responsorial Psalm (sung), a New Testament reading and a Gospel reading.

The Order for Christian Funerals provides a complete listing of the Scripture readings that can be used in the funeral rites, and the family is encouraged to assist in making the selections of readings for the funeral. In addition, members of the family or friends of the deceased are invited to assist by serving as readers.

During the funeral Mass, those who read, since they are exercising a ministry of the Church, are to be practicing members of the Catholic Church.

Liturgy of the Eucharist

At the funeral Mass, the community having been nourished by the Word of God, turns for spiritual nourishment to the Eucharistic sacrifice in which the community with the priest offers to the Father the sacrifice of the New Covenant.

The Liturgy of the Eucharist takes place in the usual manner. Members of the family or friends of the deceased should bring the gifts to the altar.

Final Commendation and Farewell

The final commendation is a final farewell by the members of the community, an act of respect for one of their members, whom they entrust to the tender and merciful embrace of God. During the rite, the body is again sprinkled with holy water and incensed. The sprinkling is a reminder that through baptism the person was marked for eternal life and incensation signifies respect for the body as the temple of the Holy Spirit.

Procession to the Place of Committal

At the conclusion of the funeral liturgy, the procession is formed and the body is accompanied to the place of committal.

This final procession of the funeral rite mirrors the journey of human life as a pilgrimage to God’s kingdom of peace and light, the new and eternal Jerusalem.

Rite of Committal The rite of committal, the conclusion of the funeral rites, is the final act of the community of faith in caring for the body of its deceased member. In committing the body to its resting place, the community expresses its hope that, with all who have gone before marked with the sign of faith, the deceased awaits the glory of the resurrection. It normally takes place beside the grave or mausoleum where the body of the deceased is to be placed.

— Reprinted with permission from St. Mark Church in Huntersville.

More online

At www.usccb.org/prayer-and-worship/ bereavement-and-funerals/index.cfm: Get more information on Catholic funeral guidelines

March 18, 2016 | catholicnewsherald.com catholic news heraldI

Seniors find community life has perks and blessings Julia Willis Catholic News Service

WASHINGTON, D.C. — After a person retires, the support and encouragement of family and friends become a crucial part of day-to-day living.

As professional relationships fade and office happenings lose their importance, seniors begin to rely on a network of their closest loved ones to add meaning and joy to their lives. Listening to grandchildren’s accomplishments and laughing with old friends, seniors feel that they still have a purpose after they stop earning a paycheck.

Although interaction with others can help seniors remain engaged and excited about life, studies show that aging baby boomers will have fewer friends and family to take care of them as they move into their 80s. According to a 2013 AARP study, the ratio of potential caregivers to members of this new group of seniors is projected to decline from more than 7-to-1 in 2010 to less than 3-to-1 by 2050.

With fewer caregivers to turn to, many seniors are postponing retirement.

Richard Leider, a vocational psychiatrist and life coach in Minneapolis, explained that many seniors are choosing to work well past their 65th birthday to maintain social connectivity.

“A lot of it has to do with social

nervous about moving in.”

“I thought it would be terrible being away from my home,” she told Catholic News Service, but after two days, she said she “couldn’t even remember” why she was afraid.

Kristanic, who had been cared for by her granddaughters after her husband and son died, is grateful for the specialized care and support she now receives.

“Everyone is so good to me here. I love the staff and residents. We all take care of each other and I would not leave here for anything,” she said.

A Catholic Charities federated agency, Cardinal Ritter Senior Services has served the aging population of St. Louis since 1960 and offers personalized care for seniors at all stages in life.

Carmella Swann and her husband moved into Our Lady of Life Apartments, a Cardinal Ritter independent living residence, because they felt they were getting too old to handle all of the responsibilities associated with owning a home.

“Houses require a lot of personal attention that seniors may or may not be able to keep up,” Swann said. “Two weeks before moving here, our kitchen sink developed a leak and it was very difficult for me to get a plumber to come to the house to tend to it. Living here one

Want to get involved?

Elder Ministry is about enhancing the lives of seniors who in turn enhance the lives of others.

Catholic Charities Diocese of Charlotte is gifted with the presence of many seniors who have an abundance of knowledge, talent and expertise to offer to ministry. We also have many seniors who would benefit greatly from a ministry geared toward them.

Elder Ministry provides leadership and guidance to parishes and older adults within the Diocese to enhance their well-being and to promote the development of programs. Programs include social gatherings, education programs, health fairs, parish outreach support, recreation activities, information and referral to community resources, and much more.

To learn more and get information about upcoming activities, go online to www.ccdoc. org/services/family-enrichment/elder-ministry.

CCDOC.ORG

30th Annual Spring Fling Catholic Charities invites senior adults from across the diocese to join us for fun and fellowship at the 30th Annual Spring Fling. Come reconnect with friends, while meeting new ones, in a daylong experience where you can learn about health information that could transform your life. Build upon your faith while enjoying exciting activities and performances, create wonderful memories and friendships.

connection,” he said, noting that seniors don’t want to be “disconnected to the world and work is one of the best places to overcome feelings of isolation.”

“A job gives a person a reason to get up in the morning. It connects them with other people, provides them with a schedule to follow and allows them to feel like they’re making a difference in the world in some way,” he added.

But working long past retirement age isn’t an option for everyone. Those who don’t have family members to care for them are finding that living in retirement communities not only gives them a sense of security but fills a social void by providing an immediate circle of friends and activities.

Lucille Kristanic, who has lived in one of the assisted living facilities of Cardinal Ritter’s Senior Services in St. Louis for almost two years, said she was initially” so

year later, I had a problem with one of the bathrooms and the maintenance men came immediately and handled the situation very efficiently.”

She also said the living situation keeps her and her husband independent without the responsibility of a home. “Instead of having to cook large meals and clean up, I can enjoy dinner and conversation in the dining room every night,” she added.

Swann, who loves going to daily Mass and enjoys being an integral part of the Cardinal Ritter community, described herself and the other residents of Our Lady of Life as “blessed.”

“This sense of community definitely contributes purpose and meaning to our lives,” Swann said.

“There is nothing sadder than being alone. I have received as much love and kindness here as I have from lifelong friends. We are one big family.”

Wednesday, April 27 – Catholic Conference Center 1551 Trinity Lane, Hickory, NC 28602 $15 per person (includes lunch) Registration deadline: April 14 Tuesday, May 17 – St. Matthew Catholic Church 8015 Ballantyne Commons Pkwy, Charlotte, NC 28277 $15 per person (includes lunch) Registration deadline: May 5 Visit www.ccdoc.org for a complete schedule of events and registration forms.

For more information contact Sandra Breakfield at: 704-370-3220 or email: sabreakfield@charlottediocese.org

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catholicnewsherald.com | March 18, 2016 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

Traveling to other countries gives retirees new perspective Elizabeth Wong Barnstead Catholic News Service

DETROIT — People who are looking to gain a new perspective on the world should consider traveling and not keep putting it off.

That’s the advice of John Findlater, a former Catholic school teacher in the Archdiocese of Detroit who now does educational consulting and has arranged more than 50 trips and pilgrimages abroad.

For years, the Detroit native said he “went almost nowhere,” save trips in state or to Florida to visit family.

But, after teaching adult education for many years at St. Timothy Parish in

Trenton, some class participants asked about going to places steeped in Church history.

“I had taken lots of schoolchildren on field trips, but I had never gone overseas,” said Findlater, who ended up gathering 43 people and two priest friends for what became “a great time” in Italy.

“It was sort of like opening up Pandora’s box,” he said. “I thought I’d only do one trip, but when we got back, people said, ‘Well, John, where are we going next?’”

Leading groups with fellow travel guide and photographer Patrick Wagner, Findlater has visited places he never dreamed he would see. Their future schedule can be found on the website http://jptravels.net.

In trips to Russia, Israel, Rome and England, Findlater found the majority of his travel companions were 55 and older.

A member of this age group himself, he believes the over-55 set is traveling more because they didn’t have the chance to do this before.

And the travels provide “all sorts of historic energy,” he said, especially when visiting places of historical significance for their own lives, such as World War II sites.

“On all of my trips to France, I make sure we stop in Normandy at Omaha Beach.

It’s at once historic and beautiful, but also religious,” Findlater said. “I’ve actually had people come on my trip who were there on D-Day’s invasion. An older man didn’t even tell us he had been there until we were at the cemetery. Then we were all in tears.”

Likewise, Fritzi Bohlmann, who has traveled abroad “about 15 times,” within the last 20 years, said that on a trip to

Poland she felt that Auschwitz was a holy site.

Although she also visited famous holy places such as the Shrine of Our Lady of Czestochowa in Jasna Gora, and Krakow, the hometown of St. John Paul II, she was most affected spiritually by the site of the concentration camp.

“Auschwitz was extremely holy; everybody walked around, but they were quiet and reflective,” said Bohlmann, pastoral associate at St. John Vianney Parish, Shelby Township. “There wasn’t a soul that walked away from visiting that who didn’t feel a sense of God’s presence.

What got people through that was their faith.”

Celeste Whitney, a resident of Ferndale, who has traveled abroad throughout her life, said she feels a great deal of spiritual growth when traveling to historic places.

“You see things that were so important to people for many years,” she said, adding that it “reminds you not to put emphasis on the wrong things.”

Whitney said she’s also begun to recognize the importance of small things.

For example, on a boat ride on the Sea of Galilee “there was a group singing beautiful hymns as we were there. It was really an emotional experience,” and one of her favorite experiences abroad.

“Many people say they’re happy where they’re at,” she said, “but to see how others live and think brings things to a different perspective.”

Franciscan Father Alex Kratz, a pilgrimage and spiritual director based in Detroit, said he frequently leads retirees on trips to the Holy Land. He said visiting these sites connects Catholic travelers with

their Christian brothers and sisters in this region.

He said the pilgrimages impact him each time.

“You’re walking in the footsteps of Jesus,” he said “and that never gets old.”