

Chris’ “hope and prayer” was “that through this project we will improve the lives of the elderly in our community first by providing companionship and building meaningful relationships with them. Additionally, we hope to broaden our own understanding of elder-related issues, to support and protect the dignity of elders in our community, and to preserve their wisdom, knowledge, and guidance as our inheritance, as something to be treasured. I want society to view our elders as a blessing rather than a nuisance. I want society to embrace the wisdom of our elders so that we in turn can pass on that wisdom to our children and grandchildren when we become old.”
St. Jeanne Jugan would agree Chris and the St. Viator students, whole-heartedly! And, so would our Holy Father, Pope Francis, who said to the Cardinals soon after his election: “Old age, they say, is the seat of wisdom. …The old ones have the wisdom that they have earned from walking through life. … Let us give the youth the wisdom of our lives.”
Judging from what the students wrote it appears that our Residents did exactly that! Here are some excerpts from the booklet:
“As humans age, we begin to look different, see… hear … and think differently, but there is one thing that stays the same: we are all human. As a child who has few memories of his grandparents when they were alive, I went into this project nervous and a little scared. Questions were running through my head: Would I be able to establish a connection with them? Will they be bothered by a random teenager interrogating them? What would we talk about for an hour? All these questions were quelled at our first visit during a game of bingo. The elders and us (the kids), joked, talked about their lives, and enjoyed each other’s company. It opened my eyes.” Matt Lanus




“Not only did these sessions provide me with great insights and lessons, but I also saw many Catholic Social Teachings brought to life. I believe the entire basis for this project was to ensure the Life and Dignity of the Human Person. Chris Meehan, the creator of the project, called all participants to build the foundation of a morally sound society by acknowledging the sacredness of all life. This includes the sacredness of the elderly. Time in no way affects the value of life. From natural beginning to natural end, life is life. This experience with Joe has shown me that people who have lived many years have wisdom, advice, and plenty of stories to offer. We cannot overlook the value of what the elderly have to say. We need to treat them with the respect that we hope to be treated with once we reach that age. Everyone has a story – a story worth being told. …Joe reminded me the depth that lies behind every person’s eyes, and the attention each human being deserves. Joe’s story also revealed to me the Call to Family, Community, and Participation. Never have I met someone who cares so much about his family, and who so readily treats others like members of his family as well. Joe thrives on family-centered life. Joe has taught me to be grateful, live in the moment, and always have the heart of a Lion.” (St. Viator’s school mascot) Molly Ziegler

“The most


“It is not that often when we as humans, especially as teenagers, receive the opportunity to communicate and hold intelligent discussions with people separated from us by almost a century of time, and this is precisely what this project does. In a world ruled by technological interactions, face to face communication is slowly becoming a lost art….This is just one of the topics I discussed with Beverly, a 97 year old woman who wants nothing more for the world then for everyone to live in peace….Even at an age closing in on one hundred years, she is able to give herself purpose. I cannot describe in words how inspiring this was to me. Many people of today’s world, including my generation, live life as if they have no drive or purpose, but our lives are easy in comparison. Beverly is a woman who cannot walk and has limited access to the technology that makes all of our lives easier and yet she has more self-worth than 98% of all the people I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. Though we may be separated by almost a century of age, me and Beverly’s life are surprisingly similar, or at least when she was my age.” “Perhaps time doesn’t make a huge difference after all, perhaps we are all more similar then we first thought, perhaps we all have the same basic human dignities. The Catholic Social Teachings tell us that not only does every person hold the same dignity and value as the next, which is enormous, but it also tells us that we all have the responsibility as humans to participate in our society, share our valuable insights, and work to create a better world. We can’t forget that this applies to every single person in society, this includes our elders.” Sean Culm
The Wisdom of Our Elders