Thursday, 02 September, 2010

Young and old

This is a random reading selected from the CRED collection

Daily Reading for 14 April 2005

When I was growing up, a common complaint was, ‘what are they doing for the youth?’ All the sporting organisations did what they could: many young people were able to take healthy exercise. Youth clubs developed in many parishes, and the mentors were praised for keeping the young people off the streets (and out of trouble, of course). Times have changed: in modern Ireland, with better health, and longer living, now it’s ‘what are we doing for the elderly?’

At first sight, these two concerns seem to be poles apart, but there is no need to choose one over the other. The pupils of a secondary school in Rathmore, Co Kerry, are involved in caring for the elderly, through running a co-operative for building houses and a day-care centre for them. The youth are challenged, and grow in generosity. The old are remembered and cared for. Everybody benefits. Imagining young and old together is the secret of success.

CCC 1908: “Second, the common good requires the social well-being and development of the group itself”.