Birthday Celebration in Sydney: Sr. Mary Cecilia MacDonald celebrated her 99th birthday at the CND Health Center on Wednesday, April 7th. She was celebrated with prayer, best wishes, song and cake.
Arlene Rutledge, coordinator
Follow-up: UN Convention on the Rights of Older Persons: Those of you who participated in the November 6, 2020, meeting of the Montréal Sisters and Associates with Margaret Gillis of the International Longevity Centre (ILC) will recall that she spoke extensively about how the COVID-19 pandemic revealed longstanding systemic issues related to long-term care, ageism, and ageing in general.
A wonderful celebration took place March 21st, at the CND Health Center. Sr. Catherine MacPhee turned 106 years old. She celebrated with song, prayer, cake and wonderful friends.
Arlene Rutledge, CND Health Care coordinator
Wednesday, April 7, 2021 is World Health Day
The theme this year is Building a fairer, healthier world. https://www.who.int/campaigns/world-health-day/2021
Conditions for good health, mental and physical health, are so different throughout the world, how could we, who have so much to help us maintain good health, be involved in building a fairer, healthier world?
Perhaps we might begin with our own health and wellness. Credible resources in studies of mental health list three basic needs common to all human beings of all ages and stages, that help us feel good about ourselves. We have a need to feel competent, to have some autonomy and to be related/connected with others.
World Health Day is just a day. Can it help us be reminded of our responsibility for caring for our own health, resilience and positive approach to everyday life in the world in which WE live?
Eleanor McCloskey, CND
The original version of this article was first published in The Rhode Island Catholic.
It was Holy Thursday Evening. The little boy wasn’t yet three years old. He was at the Mass of the Lord’s Supper with his grandmother. They are at Mass together almost every Sunday morning. As young as he is, he manages more or less to sit still during the Mass. Usually he and his grandmother sit on the outside aisle, but this time they were in the center aisle. The little boy had an unobstructed view of the main altar, which he seemed to enjoy as he was hanging off the pew looking at the sanctuary most of the time.
As soon as the priest came around the altar to distribute Holy Communion, the boy recognized the moment. He knew this was when he walked up with everyone else. He didn’t receive the host, of course, but he got a blessing. On Holy Thursday as soon as people got up for Communion, he jumped into the aisle and motioned to his grandmother to hurry as he excitedly jumped up and down. Over his small mask his eyes were smiling.