Parish Ministry and the Elderly

Abstract

Oppurtunities for parishes and congregations to develop worthwhile programs with and for senior parishioners are abundant. The challenge lies in adding a spiritual dimension so the programs are not simply duplications of public programs. In this article results of a questionnaire survey, and interviews with ten Catholic parish pastors and 72 senior parishioners are reported. The interview questions worked well, and are included. Eight themes emerged from the interviews; and they imply direction for program development.