Aging Gracefully
Seeking God across a lifespan
by Amelia Eudy
Bishop
John J. Snyder, retired bishop of Saint
Augustine, is active in prison ministry, works
with the mentally and physically handicapped and
still has an office at the diocesan high school
which bears his name. His current schedule
rivals the 60-70 hours per week he was working
while bishop of the diocese. And he is
82-years-old.
Born in 1925 when the life expectancy for men
was just 60-years-old, the bishop is just one
example of how individuals can live gracefully
at any age.
“Without the grace of God you can’t age
gracefully,” Bishop Snyder says from his home at
Casa San Pedro, an independent living retirement
facility built and maintained by the Diocese of
Saint Augustine and located on the grounds of
Marywood Retreat Center in Jacksonville. The
facility’s main purpose is to house the retired
priests of the diocese.
The bishop considers aging a spiritual journey
and at the core a strong prayer life, which he
acknowledges having more opportunity for now.
“We cannot defy the fact of our mortality …we
don’t know how much time is ahead,” he says.
“Someone can say, ‘I had an enriching and
rewarding life, but what is ahead is most
important.”
Mary Ruth Mustonen, PCSG (Professional
Certificate in Spiritual Gerontology),
administrator of Casa San Pedro, has been with
the home since it opened in 2001 and considers
her work there a journey with the residents. All
are more than 80-years-old and “doing
fantastic.” While some are struggling with the
physical condition of aging, they are trying not
to lose their independence, she observes. She
also cares for her mother, who is 87-years-old
and lives with her.
In a world dominated by a youthful culture and
the struggle to remain young, words like
“elderly” and “senior” can bear depressing
connotations. Guided by the teachings of Richard
Johnson, Ph.D., PCSG, founder of Senior Adult
Ministry at the Johnson Institute for Maturing
Adult Faith Formation and Spiritual Gerontology
in St. Louis, Mo., Mary Ruth wants to change
people’s attitudes about growing older.
“We need to understand what aging is really all
about,” Mary Ruth says. “The majority of people
look at it as ‘I’m dying.’ If we look at all the
intervals of life, it’s really just a maturation
process.”
According to Mary Ruth, aging gracefully means
“being ageless in the Lord and changing our
attitudes about maturation.” Even seniors with
physical limitations can age gracefully, if they
consider the transition into aging “as a freedom
to grow spiritually and gain a true sense of who
we are as children of God,” she observes.
“If your interior life is growing, losses can be
accepted a little more easily,” she says.
Bishop Snyder acknowledges the fact that he has
been “incredibly blessed” with friends, family
and good health, which he continues to use “to
serve people and to serve [the Lord].”
Mary Ruth feels parishes need to do more to
educate themselves about how to incorporate
maturing adults into their faith communities and
offer them more opportunities to serve. In a
recent survey of dioceses within the state of
Florida, Mary Ruth found only one diocese that
had a ministry directed specifically toward
maturing adults. “How do we view our seniors, as
elderly or as wise people?” she asks. “Don’t
they have wisdom to impart to us today?”
Dr. Johnson’s senior adult ministry is dedicated
to the faith development needs of adults in all
Christian denominations in the second half of
life, according to the ministry’s website
www.senioradultministry.com.
Dr. Johnson, whose books include, The 12 Keys to
Spiritual Vitality: Powerful Lessons on Living
Agelessly and Parish Ministry for Maturing
Adults, has a plan to help maturing adults age
gracefully. Some of these lessons include
“seeing love everywhere” and “giving to others.”;
He separates maturing adults into three
categories: The Boomers who are adults between
the ages of 55 to 70. The Builders, generally
ages 70-75 when some impairment of daily living
occurs, and The Elders who are not distinguished
by their age but by the signs that their bodies
have physically slowed down. Parishes
especially, he says, need to recognize these
demarcations and not lump these groups together
as “seniors.”
“Aging is the driving force of all growth,” Dr.
Johnson says. “As we move forward we are being
forced to let go, but everything in our culture
is telling us to hang onto our youth.
“Aging is more spiritual than physical. As (we)
mature our spiritual pace quickens,” he
explains. “We are supposed to see this and
embrace it.”
According to Dr. Johnson’s literature maturing
adults need a new vision of aging that:
• Lifts them up,
• Accents the positive purpose of later life
• Connects them with God’s abundant grace.
Without spiritual purpose maturing adults can
slip into unhealthy behaviors and ageist
attitudes that rob them of the joy, richness and
purpose of later life.
Bishop Snyder is thankful as he remains
positive, keeps active and embraces aging - an
example of what Dr. Johnson calls a “spiritual
healing elder” (those who comprise the top 15
percent of elders) and living a life of
spiritual wellness.
“Opening myself up to the Lord will enable me to
continue to serve and live life to its fullest
until God calls me home,” Bishop Snyder says.
Ways to Age Gracefully
The
following points are excerpts taken from The 12
keys to Spiritual Vitality: Powerful Lessons on
Living Ageless, 1998, by Richard Johnson, Ph.D.
They are foundational principles of aging and
spirituality that help us open-up to the special
grace of our mature years, and taste life in
abundance.
1. Transform your attitudes about aging
2. Seek love everywhere
3. Delight in connectedness
4. Live in the “Now”
5. Accept your true self
6. Forgive others and self
7. Let go of anger and inner turmoil
8. Give yourself to others
9. Celebrate your faith
10. Discover personal meaning in life
11. Make your feelings work for you
12. Achieve balance in your life |