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THE “CHATTER” Archdiocese Galveston-Houston OFFICE of AGING 2403 Holcombe Blvd. Houston, Texas 77021

NON-PROFIT ORG.

U.S. POSTAGE PAID

HOUSTON, TX

PERMIT NO. 7505

A Quarterly Publication of the Office of Aging Ministry Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston

Volume 42 Issue 3

FALL 2018 SENIOR CHATTER

God has entrusted you as grandparents with a unique role in safeguarding the well-being and security of your grandchil-

dren. Most adults are warm human beings who maintain a genuine concern for children, but there are wolves in sheep

clothing who may target your grandchild for their own gratification. We offer some practical tips to help safeguard the

well-being of your grandchildren especially in regards to protecting them from various kinds of abuse.

Be a good listener. Careful listening to the concerns of children can defeat the secrecy of abusers. Try to maintain an

atmosphere of openness to their questions and desire to talk. Take time to listen to their joys and disappointments with-

out adding judgments. Encourage them to tell you if someone is making them feel uncomfortable.

Teach and model respect. Good example can be the best teacher. Let hugs and expressions of affection be spontane-

ous. When a child doesn’t want to reciprocate, avoid saying things like: “Grandma or grandpa will be sad if you don’t hug

them.” Children often try to please someone who takes a special interest in them. You don’t want to unintentionally di-

minish their power to refuse someone who is trying to manipulate them or win their trust. Model how to use words con-

structively when feeling hurt or anger rather than through expressions of violence.

Serve as your grandchild’s advocate. If a child does disclose another person’s inappropriate touch or words, be careful

not to dismiss their concerns quickly or excuse the other person’s behavior. If the

behavior is unwanted, the child may need some help how to respond. This may

require a face-to-face intervention expressing your concern to the perpetrator. Or it

may entail a phone call to report the incident to the Texas Department of Family

and Protective Services at 1-800-252-5400.

Temptation, temptation, temptation. My dear brother's and sister's in Christ, if we look deeply into our own tempta-tion, we will find there opportunities for victory. Temptation is a moment of choice. It is the noisy yet seductive voice enticing us to moral disaster. But from deep in our hearts come the quiet call of the Father bidding us to join Christ in defeating Satan. It is our hour to glorify God by our fidelity. What enables us above animals is this power to freely honor God by our choices. Each time we say no to temptation we glorify God and make the world a better place. Pax Christi and please enjoy your fall season.

In Him who Strengthens Us, Deacon Robert G. Stevens, Spiritual Advisor Central Senior Senate

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

The last few months have been very difficult in the life of

the Church. With the confirmed sexual abuse of minors

and seminarians by then-Cardinal Theodore McCarrick

and his removal from the College of Cardinals, as well as

the publication of a detailed report of sexual abuse of mi-

nors by Catholic clergy in six dioceses of the State of

Pennsylvania, a genuine state of moral and spiritual crisis

in the Catholic Church in the United States has hit us all

with great force. Following these news reports, I have re-

ceived many letters and it is clear our people have been

scandalized by this grave wound, especially as it has deeply

hurt so many innocent little ones, the abused and the sur-

vivors. I know you are suffering and have been filled with

anger and rage. I share your anger and rage. You likely

have many questions, which have only been expanded in

light of the recently published letter of Archbishop Carlo

Maria Viganò, the former papal nuncio to the United

States. As I shared in my statement as President of United

States Catholic Conference of Bishops on August 27,

2018, “The questions raised deserve answers that are con-

clusive and based on evidence. Without those answers,

innocent men may be tainted by false accusation and the

guilty may be left to repeat sins of the past.”

In 2002 the problems were mostly related to the priests

who abused; in 2018 the problems are more focused on

the responsibility or lack thereof of the bishops and on

their failures of moral leadership. The Body of Christ has

been lacerated and bishops did not care for the wounded.

Our archdiocese acted promptly in response to the Dallas

Charter and we must continue and strengthen our re-

sponse. The bishops must become more accountable and

in a way that is clear. As President I have been working

these past weeks with bishops, consultants, clergy and laity,

to be prepared for the USCCB’s Administrative Commit-

tee meeting this month with a series of proposals, practical

steps and prayer and repentance to bring to the whole

body of Bishops in November. I hope you will pray for all

of us in this endeavor. The issues involved are delicate but

we must do this well and call all to accountability.

I realize that in spite of the progress made since 2002 that

we, the bishops of the United States, have failed you. We

can and must do better. In the meanwhile, the Holy Father

has asked us all to open our eyes and our hearts to all

those suffering. We will follow his wise counsel both prac-

tically in action and contemplatively in prayer.

I conclude these words to you with the words with which I

closed my August 27 statement: “The more she is buffeted

by storms, the more I am reminded that the Church’s firm

foundation is Jesus Christ. The failures of men cannot

diminish the light of the Gospel. Lord, by the help of your

mercy, show us the way to salvation.”

With blessings in the Lord, I am

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Daniel Cardinal DiNardo

Archbishop of Galveston-Houston

WORDS of WISDOM

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SENIOR SENATES Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston

CENTRAL SENIOR SENATE

President - Delois Semien

NORTHERN SENIOR SENATE President - Pete Palasota

SOUTHWEST SENIOR SENATE President - Gayle Naar

SENIOR SENATE MEETING DATES Dates subject to change on holidays.

CENTRAL:1st Monday of each month St. Dominic Auditorium - 10 a.m.

2403 Holcombe Blvd. - Houston, TX 77021

NORTHERN: 2nd Monday of each month St. Monica Church - 10 a.m.

8421 W. Montgomery Rd. - Houston, TX 77088

SOUTHWEST: Quarterly meetings:10 a.m.

January, April, July and October St. Cyril of Alexandria Church

10503 Westheimer Rd.- Houston, TX 77042

OFFICE of AGING MINISTRY STAFF DIRECTOR

Katherine Bingham, MPH, MNM

Kbingham@archgh.org

ASSOCIATE DIRECTORS Mark Ciesielski, LMSW

Mciesielski@archgh.org

SECRETARY

Gloria Portillo - gportillo@archgh.org

OFFICE of AGING 2403 Holcombe Boulevard - Houston, TX 77021

Office Hours: 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Phone: 713-741-8712 - Fax: 713-741-8775

NEXT CHATTER DEADLINE:

DECEMBER 15, 2018

Send Chatter articles to: Chatter@archgh.org Please limit articles to 125-150 words.

All submissions are subject to editing based on space available.

Be sure to visit the Office of Aging on the web at: www.archgh.org/aging

A special thanks to Cigna HealthSpring for helping support the production

of the Chatter Newsletter.

NORTHERN SENATE

The changing of seasons reminds us of the constant changes in our lives. We are approaching shorter days and longer periods of darkness. May we bring light into the lives of all around us as we journey through fall and enter the time of waiting for the Christ Child during Advent. Pete Palasota

CENTRAL SENATE

Welcome Back from Summer Break Hope everyone had a safe and bless summer. Central Senate will host the Recognition Day @ Dou-ble Tree Hotel November 2, 2018 Time 11 am – 2:00 pm . Wishing everyone a wonderful, safe holiday- Looking forward to this year.

Delois Semien

SOUTHWEST SENATE

Fall is here and we are planning for the Recognition

Banquet where we take time to honor special people

who give their time and service to our parishes, homes

and community. They are so very important and so

appreciated. In July Mark Ciesielski gave a presentation

on possible speakers for our clubs, we got some good

ideas in this area. Fall is a good time to enjoy the

changing of the colors and with the amount of rain this

summer we should see good colors.

Gayle Naar

For information on

Aging and Disability

Services

call toll free:

1-877-393-1090

Have you Moved?

Let us Know!

713-741-8712

If you know anyone who would like to re-

ceive a copy of our Chatter please contact

our office at 713-741-8712 or send an

email with your name and home address

information to Chatter@archgh.org

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ST. PHILIP NERI, Senior Friends

We are back from vacations and ready

to get started on what’s next. Pray eve-

ryone had a good one. September 19

we went to Schulenburg TX to see the

painted churches. They are so beautiful;

they are a part of our history of the catholic faith in

Jesus Christ our lord. SPN-Bazaar was a success. The

rain stayed away thank God. On October 31, we are

going on a bus trip to the Blue Bell Creameries. Love

ice cream. Our outstanding senior is Ms. Dora Bob

she works wherever needed and is a friend to all. Sick

members are Freddie Thomas, Arnell Wells, Willie

Mae Mays, Anna Joseph and Lois Coleman. Help us

pray for us and them. Myrtle Coleman

For additional information visit www.alz.org If you are interested in giving some of your time to the local

Alzheimer’s Association, please call Sabrina Strawn at 713-314-1332 for more information on volunteer opportunities.

10 WARNING SIGNS of ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE

Trouble understanding visual images and

spatial relationships

Difficulty completing familiar tasks

Confusion with time or place

Disorientación de tiempo o lugar

Dificultad para comprender imágenes visuals y cómo objectos se relacionan

uno al otra en el ambiente

Nuevos problems con eluso de

palabras en el habla o lo escrio

Cambios de la memoria que dificultan la vida cotidiana

Memory changes that disrupt daily life

Dificultad para planificar o resolver problemas

Challenges in planning

or solving problems

Dificultad para desempar tareas habitualese

Misplacing things and losing the ability to retrace steps

Withdrawal from work and social activities

New problems with words in speaking and writing

Decreased or poor judgment

Changes in mood

and personality

Colocación de objetos fuera de lugar y la falta en la habilidad

de rotroceder sus pasos anteriores

Pérdida de iniciativa para

tomar parte en el trabajo o en

las actividades sociales

Disminución o falta del buen

juicio

Cambios en el humor

o la personalidad

ST. JEROME, Senior Adult Club Our group meets only once in July; we had

our traditional “hot dog” luncheon – the

club supplies the hot dogs and we bring the

fixings. We had two good trips during the

summer. On June 27 the group visited

George Bush Memorial and on August 16 we had a sight-

seeing trip of Galveston Harbor, followed by lunch at

Shrimp N’Stuff. After lunch we had a bus tour of the

homes in the area and the wood-carvings made from

downed trees of the 2008 hurricane. It was a good trip. We

continue our “jar” money collection at each meeting used

for special causes and also donations of peanut butter and

jelly for the boys and girls club. Hope everyone had a good

summer. Marjorie Quinn

CHRIST the GOOD SHEP-HERD, 55 Plus

Opportunities abound when you're 55 +! Three choices each month - a Bridge night, a Game night and now a Fun Day afternoon (Bingo). We are a travel-ling group as well. Our bus trips have taken us to the Liendo PLan-tation followed by Dilorio Farmer's Market in Hempstead; Precinct 4 Humble Opry to hear Michael Hicks, and to the Cright-on Theatre, in Conroe to see, "The Savannah Sipping Society" play. July was our favorite time to have the annual Ice Cream/WhiteElephant/ Bingo Social. Rounding out the last three months was the movie, "I Can Only Imagine" which allowed us to indulge in popcorn and nachos! Looking forward to our Fall Festi-val, Oct.20th where 55+ sponsors the Bake Sale. Come, join the fun! We have an overnight trip planned for November, to Branson, Mis-souri for 7 days. So many choices - how lucky we are to be 55+! Tru-ly - Fun and Fellowship at its best! Helen Moorman

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ST. MONICA, Silver Steppers

Silver Steppers of St. Monica are engaged in activities of

service our Church Family and Community. Phone calls are

made to sick and shut-ins, monthly birthday cards are sent

to members, and home visits are made to members and pa-

rishioners who are not Silver Steppers. Some members par-

ticipated in Fun Day of the Northern Chapter. St. Monica

Silver Steppers and guests enjoyed a Casino Bus Trip to

Marksville, Louisiana. On the return, a stop was made to

purchase Louisiana foods. In sympathy, St Monica Silver

Steppers witnessed the Home Going Celebration for our

president, Stepper Gwen Pete Wilson. She passed away sud-

denly on August 17th and was placed to rest peacefully on

August 25th. A memorial tribute was given to Stepper

Gwen at our last monthly meeting. Fond memories of her

loving spirit, joyful disposition, and her love of life will be

engraved in our hearts forever. Irene Solomon

ST. ALPHONSUS, Golden Agers Hi friends and neighbors ,

We Golden Agers of St. Alphonsus have been keep-

ing pretty busy with all this rain! We had to cancel

come of our meetings and it has made us cancel

some outings. We will have our Church Bazaar on

September 30. Our Bazaar was moved from the hot-

test day of the year in August. We are going on two

trips, one to Sylvia Garcia’s Art and Craft Show and

hopefully on November 14 we will be going on a

boat tour down the Ship Channel. On November 2

we will be going to the Double Tree for the Recogni-

tion Luncheon. Our honoree from St. Alphonsus

this year is Frances Galvan. Frances volunteers for a

lot of different things, as no job is too difficult for

her! Enjoy your families and friends. God Bless, until

next time. Mary Lou Gonzalez

ST. FRANCIS of ASSISI, Hope, Love, and Joy Our church is under construction we have not been able to meet regularly. We had some activities,

bingo every 4th Thursday. We went on our regular Casino trip. We had a full bus and everyone had a

good time. On a sad news we lost one of our regular members Paul Trahan; please pray for him and

his family. We are having our annual Bazaar; seniors will have the cake booth. Come join us!

Peggy Pollard

ST. PETER CLAVER,

Friendship Club

On June 15 we went to Precinct

II Astros Summer Dance. We

dressed in Astros attire. June 21

we went to the movies and lunch.

July 16 we attended the ice cream

social at Northeast Senior Center.

July 20 we went to Precinct II Ha-

waii summer dance. July 27 we

went to Northeast to play bingo.

August 17 we went to Precinct II

50th summer dance. August 21 we

went to the movies and lunch.

August 28 we had fun day and

birthday celebration. We played

bingo for prizes and had plenty of

good food. Please remember the

soul of Enola Henderson in your

prayers.

Martha Gardner

ST. DOMINIC VILLAGERS Our Villager group is growing in numbers and offer a lot of exciting things to do. Our last years’ award winner was Mary Williams. She has become this year’s St. Dominic Villager magazine ballroom dancing “cover girl” along with our resident, Aldofo Astorga, who is a retired professional dancer! We also had a professional group visit us on for group dancing and a performance with music provided by the Texas Indian Paintbrush Native American dancers. The introduction was made to us by the St. Kateri Tekakwitha Prayer Circle that meets here every second Sunday at 6:00 p.m.; all are welcome to attend. Another resident, Bea Cuningham, was the “Big Bingo Winner” at our August 8th, St. Dominic Feast Day celebration. Join us for the next “Big Bingo” game at our First Annual Fall Festival, October 20th from noon to 4:00 p.m., at St. Dominic Village – a fun day for all the family. See details in the Texas Catho-lic Herald or our website: www.stdominicvillage.org.

Norma Potier

K.C. 803 TOGETHERNESS The club met at Holy Rosary June 20, 2018 for mass and lunch. The trip

scheduled to the Bush Library was cancelled and will be rescheduled for

Wednesday October 10, 2018. There no meetings the months of July and Au-

gust. Regular meetings will begin in September 28. Special prayers for the sick

members and their families and for the deceased family members.

Margie Phillips

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ST. CATHERINE OF SIENA, Club 55 + Our monthly meetings end in April each year. Our monthly bus trips and luncheons end in June. Our new season is beginning in September with lots of things happening. Our September Bus Trip went to the Hobby Airport Museum, stopped for lunch at the newly reopened Cleburne Cafeteria and finished

up with a trip to the Dunham Bible Museum. Our annual Flu Shot Sunday will be September 16 in the Church Hall, and our first Monthly Luncheon Meeting will be on September 23. We are off to a great start! Bob Mitchell

ST. CYRIL of ALEXANDRIA,

Savvy Seniors

We have had a good summer in spite of the hot weather.

In June we treated ourselves to the movie “The Bucket

List”, and shared good laughs. In July we enjoyed the

music by Pat Gavin, it is good to hear songs of Texas. In

August we had Charles Cotton from BBB talking about

Medicare and the new Medicare cards. We also shared

different scams. A current one is after you answer the

phone, the caller ask if you are there they: are waiting for

the answer “Yes”. They record this answer and then

claim you have agreed to purchase something even

though you did not agree to purchase the item. Be cau-

tious. We selected Sylvia Rocha as our Honoree for the

Recognition Banquet.

Gayle Naar

ST. THOMAS AQUINAS - Sugar Land St. Thomas Aquinas Renewed Seniors -

S.T.A.R.S.

July and August are vacation time for students and the STARS, but it does not mean that the STARS were inactive. On the contrary, in August we went to Rosenberg to enjoy the Cast Theatrical Company's performance of the melodrama “Caught in the Vil-lain's Web”, preceded by lunch at the “Another Time Soda Fountain and Cafe”. With us for both were Bob and Kate Molloy, former STARS now residing in Rosenberg. In September we staffed an Information Table during the Parish Ministry Days. Our June meeting was a pre-season Beach Party complete with Picnic Food, Sunglasses and Wide Brim Hats, even if we were indoors!

The summer, however, was tinged with sadness as we mourned the August death of STAR, Cathy New-man.

Wilfrid L. Lauze’

HOLY FAMILY Missouri City Golden Friendship Club Members enjoyed our annual July luncheon of

hot dogs, chili, chips and covered dishes brought by mem-bers to celebrate Independence Day.

In August, we discussed our annual Festival of Ministries. Two volunteers were needed per each mass, one to carry the GFG banner in the church procession and one to staff the GFG tables to sign up new members. Donuts and breakfast sandwiches, also coffee and tea were available. It was fun seeing members of the other ministries.

Our Parish hall kitchen is being renovated. Our meeting was held in a smaller room, noisier, but we still enjoyed our get together. We had a speaker, Rose from STAP showing different phones available to the hearing im-paired and those with other disabilities.

Gwen and John Johnson

GUADALUPE CHURCH,

Los Abuelitos

We pray everyone had a safe summer. Los

Abuelitos were quite busy this summer first

attending Game Day at St. Phillipe Neri, where a good

time was had by our group. So much so that one of

our members was blessed to have walked away with

several of their door prizes. Then there were our trips

for the summer Astros games, The Buffalo Museum

and The Prison Museum which we found very interest-

ing. Now we are ready for all the fall events through-

out the Precinct. Especially Central Senate’s own event

“Recognition Banquet”. We offer prayers for all who

are ill, especially Janie Campos a member who has

been quite Ill lately. May Jesus our Lord grant them

healing.

Rita Campos

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ST. AMBROSE, Golden Youth Our senior group went on a very nice trip to Houston Transtar and Beer Can House. I didn't go as babysitting duty called. However, I have heard some very positive feedback from some of the people who went. I thank God for Carol Herman, our trip coordinator. She does a fabulous job with these trips! Our meeting attendance continues to be a challenge. We have been averaging a total of 20

people per month. The Lord's words echo in my mind, "Where two or three are gathered together in My Name, there Am I in midst of them." And so we go on and pray for more members.

Looking forward to seeing everyone at the Recognition Dinner in November! Josie Farek

ASSUMPTION Harvest Years We had a successful Bake Sale on Grand-parents Day. The NSS Fun Day was most enjoyable. We had a total of 19 attendees.

Our annual parish bazaar is October 6 & 7. September 16th we will be voting on our Outstanding Senior(s), as well as, planning on attending the NSS Recognition Luncheon on November 4th. Our final Bake Sale of 2018 will be held on October 28th (pre-Halloween). Our catered Thanksgiving Luncheon and Memorial Ser-

vice for all deceased members will be held on Novem-ber 11th. Our Healing Mass is scheduled for Sunday, December 2nd. The catered Christmas luncheon and entertainment is scheduled on Sunday, December 16 in the JPII Bldg. Please pray for those who are ill, their caregivers, and for all the suffering, those departed, those unemployed, and for our service men and wom-en. Please pray for our elected officials, for our Pope and for all of the natural disaster victims. May you all have a blessed fall and holiday season.

Trudy Witzkoske

ST. MAXIMILIAN KOLBE, Kolbe Seniors Another HOT summer is coming to a close. Thanks to

all this wonderful rain, temperatures have been beara-

ble. In July we traveled to Brenham, TX. We enjoyed

sampling ice cream and did a quick self-tour of the

creamery. Afterwards, we went back in time as we

walked the streets of downtown Brenham. The best

part of this trip was a very enjoyable and good-listening

opry. In August we attended the NSS Fun Day spon-

sored by St. Edward’s Church. It was truly a fun day

enjoyed by all who attended. THANK YOU to St. Ed-

ward’s Church. Kolbe Seniors have several trips lined up

for the rest of the year.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN ! / HAPPY THANKSGIV-

ING ! / MERRY CHRISTMAS !

Elva Adame

ST. HELEN, Super Seniors Where has the time gone? Three more months and Christmas will be here. The Super Seniors have truly enjoyed the past months. We have been very busy with trips and discovering new restaurants to enjoy. Our past trip was to go on a “Tour of the Heights”. This was a great day trip. We had lunch at “Carter & Cooley Co.”, with a visit to the Farmers Market and to a Mexican Bakery: also, a visit to

“Houston Dairymaids” for some unique complimentary cheese tastings and finally some sweets at “Pie in the Sky”. This was definitely an all day trip. Mark Ciesielski has asked the Super Seniors to host an “End of Life” seminar in October for St Helen and surrounding parishes. Stay safe. Ginger Shea

ST. BARTHOLOMEW, Happy Hearts

In July, the Happy Hearts visited the Bush Li-brary. We have been there several times but this trip was to visit the final resting place of Barbara Bush. We ate at the Memorial Student Center and took a tour of the Stark and Forsyth Galleries. There were many beau-tiful pieces in both galleries.

August was filled with museums. We visited the Con-temporary arts and Holocaust Museum. The Contem-porary arts Museum had hands on activities as well as art. Lunch at Cleburns was excellent as always. Next was the Holocaust Museum for a glimpse of the har-rows that were experienced by the Jews for years. An eye opener for those not familiar with that era. Hope-fully we will be enjoying cooler weather soon. We are looking forward to the upcoming Recognition lunch-eon. Carol Morris

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ST. BARTHOLOMEWHappy Hearts

ST. MATHEWS the EVANGELIST

Our 50th club is back with our delicious potluck meetings. In June

we group went to Beaumont to the spindle top Boomtown Muse-

um and the John Jay French Museum and had lunch at Floyd’s Ca-

jun Seafood Restaurant. We had our annual kick-off launch party

August 25th. The next big event is our annual festival, Sunday Octo-

ber 7th. We have our own booth (raffle). We have entertainment,

food of all kinds, bingo, game raffle prizes and crafts. At our Au-

gust meeting we chose Janie Guerrero and Kathy Cook as our

“Outstanding seniors”. They are two fabulous hard workers and we

are honored for them to represent our club! Congratulations la-

dies!!! A trip to Montgomery, Texas is planned for September to go

to the St. Francis Wolf Sanctuary and Fernland Historical Park and

lunch at Phils Roadhouse Grill! Let’s pray for cooler weather soon

and no hurricanes and as always put God #1 in our lives and love.

God Bless everyone. Till next time. Helen Pidaniy

ST. ANDREW Double Nickel

We started summer with a trip to Cleburne’s Café for a delicious luncheon and then a side trip to Berings Hardware store. We cele-brated our club's 22nd birth-day with great food, gift cards given as door prizes and our annual Bean Bag Baseball game. Rupert, our mascot, left Mary Norman's custo-

dy and went to Stella Lopez for the next six months. Another good trip was the annual shopping event, Christmas In July, and a meal at Kelley's. We had a great Fun Day at St. Edwards playing Bingo, eating BBQ on Potatoes, and six members won door prizes. Our Health Fair provided excellent information, and lots of goodies. The Precinct 2 gather Bingo day at the Grayson

Center was fun. We brought school supplies for St. Vincent de Paul to hand out to children for the new school year. Our last trip of the quarter was to look at and admire Sand Art on the Galveston Beach. We are all looking forward to more trips in the fall when it will be cooler.

Lucy Broadway

St. BENEDICT THE ABBOT– Go Getters

The exceptionally, hot summer did not stop the Go Getters! Here’s a brief look at a few of the things we’ve

been doing: A bus trip to Brenham, Texas, enjoying “that” delectable ice cream and some good barbeque. Hosted

a parish fellowship, serving enticing food & beverages. Sponsored a casino trip to Coushatta, not many winners,

but loads of fun. July/August-took a break; however, came together for our annual July picnic, a wonderful time

with delicious food and great bingo.” First Sunday in September, we gathered together as a group for Mass, re-

ceived special blessings from the priest. Our first meeting in September, we watched an excellent, provoking movie,

“A Question of Faith,” based on prayer and forgiveness. Our upcoming adventure on September 26th - a trip to the

Ensemble to see a play. We give thanks to God for His many blessings! Dorothy Allen

ST. PETER THE APOSTLE Golden Agers

The Golden Age Seniors had a wonderful summer. We

went to game day, and had a wonderful time. We did

our parish garage sale and did quite well. We are now

preparing for our fall Bazaar. We had our annual in-

door picnic and games day. Some of the ladies worked with the

prayer breakfast. We hosted the first communion reception. We are

now looking forward to fall gardening.

Elizabeth Pollard

ST. JAMES THE APOSTLE, Spring Timers

Our summer was saddened by

the loss of a much loved mem-

ber. Mary Ann Schneider went

home to God in August. But, we were

‘gladdened’ by the return of another loved

member; Dick Linden had been in a rehab

center for quite a while but is now able to

be with us on Tuesday mornings.

In June we traveled to the Bryan Museum

in Galveston. Very interesting, much infor-

mation about Texas. In July we had our an-

nual Fourth of July picnic. Due to the heat

we held it indoors! But we did have tradi-

tional picnic food: hot dogs, cold salads and

chips. In August we attended the Senate fun

day. Very nice and it was fun; some of our

members won gift cards or cash. In Septem-

ber we plan to visit the Sea Center in Lake

Jackson.

We meet Tuesday mornings (9:00 ‘til noon)

to play games, talk, laugh, eat and enjoy

each other’s company.

Nicky St.Cyr

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Connect !

It is known that 4 out of 10 seniors have a Facebook account . The numbers have been

increasing in the last couple of years. Social media is a great way to connect and so-

cialize with people who we don’t interact regularly. Feel free to browse around Face-

book remember you can always ask family or friends for help. You can always visit a public library

or senior centers. Once you are set up go and like our Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston Face-

book page to stay inform.

Gloria Portillo, Secretary of the Office of Aging

Preventing Falls

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirms

that for people 65 and older, falls are the number one cause

of injury and death from injury. Still, it’s important to re-

member that “falls are not an inevitable part of aging” and

many falls are preventable. With education and support,

you can stay healthy and active for many years to come.

Get your vision checked regularly. Poor vision increases

your risk of falling and even small changes to your vision

can make it more difficult to judge depth and distance.

Check your meds for fall risk. Many medications have been linked to falls, including sleep aids, blood pressure medications, antihistamines, muscle relaxants and pain re-lievers by interacting and causing fluctuations in blood pressure.

Choose the right shoes, and wear them in the house. Shoes that tie, buckle or close with Velcro are safer than those that slip on. To prevent slipping, look for rubber soles. Wear your shoes indoors; research indicates that peo-ple are more likely to fall at home if they go barefoot, or wear only socks or slippers.

Make your home safer. Remove clutter and tripping haz-ards. Pick up any throw rugs and replace them with mats that have rubber backing and don’t slide. Use bright bulbs to create strong lighting throughout your house, add grab bars inside and outside your tub or shower and next to the toilet.

Make sure you’re using your cane or walker correct-ly. Using a walking aid can help you avoid falls, but if you don’t have the proper fit or you use it incorrectly, it can actually cause you to stumble

Be mindful of your environment and surroundings; boost

your balance through strength building exercises. Consult

your doctor on any issues that cause you concern.

https://www.aarp.org/health/conditions-treatments/info-

2018/falls-injury-death-prevention.html

Special Youth Services

At-Risk Youth and Juvenile Probation Services

Special Youth Services is a ministry of the Archdio-

cese of Galveston-Houston. The program models

the embrace of Christ through pastoral care, advo-

cacy, and faith sharing in local juvenile justice cen-

ters, facilities, and programs including the promo-

tion and coordination of restorative services to at-

risk youth and their families. The ministry extends

through five counties, working with youth ages 10-

17. If you would like to join the ministry as a Bible

Study leader or a one-on-one visitor, you must first

meet the following criteria:

At least 21 years of age Ability to pass a criminal background check Attend trainings Attitude of acceptance of youth from diverse

backgrounds Desire to share Christ's love Willingness and ability to share one's faith There are many other ways to participate in the ac-tive mission of this ministry; some examples in-clude: Writing letters to the youth Sharing your special talents such as arts &

crafts, music, resume building, tutoring, public speaking skills

Holding a fundraiser for books, prayer cards, religious materials

Being a prayer partner: be assigned to a youth to pray for and they will pray for you

If you or your senior group are interested in volun-

teering or hosting projects, please

email sys@archgh.org or call 713.741.8739.

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ST. IGNATIUS of LOYOLA, Senior Friends

After the summer months, we met again in September. The church and

other buildings have been restored after Hurricane Harvey. We were able to

gather in “our space” and it felt so good to be back! The St. Ignatius Fall

Festival and Craft Show will be held on the weekend of October 6th and 7th.

Our biggest fundraiser of the year. Patrick Boyd, a representative from the

Bellaire Senior Lodges, spoke to us about a new facility in our area and pro-

vided a very nice lunch for our meeting. A number of day trips have been

planned for the coming months: the Lone Star Flight Museum at Ellington

Field and the Botanical Gardens in Orange, Texas during the Scarecrow

Festival. Overnight trips include an October 13 -21 visit to Virginia Beach

and Colonial Williamsburg. On November 26 - 28, a 3-day –2 night trip is

planned for San Antonio, Padre Island and the Gulf of Mexico.

Jeanne Walter

MARY, QUEEN Seniors After a pleasant sum-mer break, our group returned for a meeting

on September 11th. Although the weather was stormy and unpredictable, a record number of people showed up to share vaca-tion stories and family encoun-ters. Everyone was in a delightful mood - so happy to see their old friends. We had an abundance of treats. Now the planning begins for the fall season. This is always a good time for many celebrations - Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. May all our senior

friends be blessed during this time.

Doris Piotrowski

ST. JOHN VIANNEY, Westside Senior Singles

It has been a hot summer, but we have stayed dry this year, compared to last year at this time. Many from our church were flooded by Harvey. Some still can’t return to their homes. Please keep them in your prayers.

We went to the Lone Star Flight Museum at Ellington and to the Opry in Liberty. Brunches have included Los Tios, Pappadeaux, and El Tiempo. Our annual bazaar will be on October 14. All proceeds from the bazaar go for charitable works through our Social Ministry. All are invited. Until next time,

Belva Landry

OUR LADY of MT. CARMEL New Generation Seniors

Hope everyone had a good sum-

mer. We have been staying busy. On

July 6 we visited the Hindu Temple

in Pearland. Now we are getting

ready to visit some arts and crafts

shows in October. Time has been

going so fast; by the time we blink

our eyes Thanksgiving and Christmas

will be here. We have been collecting

non-perishable food for the Knights

of Columbus Christmas baskets.

Have a wonderful and safe autumn

and continue to pray the rosary. God

bless all our members.

Alice Rincon

Edith Stein Catholic Church OWLS Older, Wiser, Livelier, Seniors) Our July meeting theme

was Catholic and Patri-

otic Courage, the décor was red,

white and blue for the 4th of July.

The speaker was Sir Knight Ed Cabi-

ro who spoke to us about the need

for us to have the courage to defend

our faith by standing up for what is

right, feeling fear but choosing to act

and persevering in the face of adver-

sity. July’s trip visited the Bible Mu-

seum in Houston which has original

manuscripts of early bibles and vi-

gnettes of Texas settlers’ cabins, etc.

In August we visited the Texas

Rangers Museum in Waco. Owls

brought their favorite dishes and cel-

ebrated Edie Paul’s 90th Birthday.

We worked the KofC bingo which

was our largest fundraiser ever. In

September will have a horticulturist

as our speaker and a plant swap af-

ter. We are sponsoring a Vintage

items booth for our parish festival.

We are collecting antiques, making

holiday decorations and homemade

preserves to sell. The September

trip is to Sealy to visit the San Felipe

Texas History Museum.

Ed Cabiro

Dominic

Gift Shop

Do you have any gift bags laying

around and would like to donate

them? You may bring them over to

the Office of Aging or to a Senior

Senate meeting we would gladly

take them to St. Dominic Gift

Shop.

6

Know your Medicare Rights

As a Medicare beneficiary you have certain rights; you have the right to:

File a quality of care complaint

File an appeal of your discharge from a hospital, skilled nursing facility, home health agency,

or a hospice

Request advocacy for your immediate concerns.

“KEPRO” is the quality improvement organization (QIO) for overseeing Medicare rights and issues.

Contact KEPRO to file a Medicare complaint; your medical record will be reviewed by a physician

and they will determine if you received the appropriate care for your condition. KEPRO will con-

tact your provider on your behalf and advocate regarding your concerns.

To file a quality of care complaint or appeal a discharges from a skilled nursing facility, home

health agency, hospital or a hospice call toll-free at 844-430-9504. Visit www.keproqio.com to

learn more about their free services.

MEDICARE OPEN ENROLLMENT

October 15, 2018 through December 7, 2018

For additional information or to compare Plan visit www.medicare.gov

PROTECT YOURSELF from PNEUMONIA and OTHER INFECTIONS

Did you know that 900,000 Americans get pneumonia every year? Pneumonia is a lung infection caused by pneu-

mococcal disease, which can also cause blood infections and meningitis. The bacteria that causes pneumococcal

disease is spread by direct person-to-person contact. Medicare can help protect you from pneumococcal infec-

tions. The best way to prevent these infections is by getting the pneumococcal shot. Medicare Part B covers the

shot and a second one eleven months after you got the first shot for anyone with Part B.

Who says you can teach an old dog new tricks?

Houston Community College Senior Citizen Exemption Pro-

gram offers free tuition and mandatory fees for up to 6 credits

per semester for seniors age 65 and older. You must be Texas

resident or non-resident who is 65 years of age at the start of

the term.

Eligibility Requirements:

Texas residents, nonresidents or foreign students;

Enroll at a college or university whose governing board has chosen to offer this program;

Enroll in a class that is not already filled with students who are paying full price for the courses (If the class is too small to accommodate both regular students and senior citizens, the regular students must be given priority); and

Enroll in classes for which the college receives tax support (i.e., a course that does not depend solely on student tuition and fees to cover its costs).

***This exemption is OPTIONAL for institutions to offer so be sure to check with your local college registrar to find out if the college or university offers this program; you will be re-quired to provide proof of eligibility.

Distracted??

Watch a crosswalk in any

city and you’ll notice that

many drivers and pedestri-

ans have something in common—they’re dis-

tracted. Walking while distracted can be equal-

ly hazardous as while driving. More people

than ever are texting, browsing social media

and taking photos while they are out and

about. This risky multitasking can have tragic

consequences. In 2017, there were nearly

6,000 pedestrian fatalities! Studies show dis-

tracted walkers take longer to cross a street and

are less inclined to look both ways or obey traf-

fic lights. Whether driving or walking, being

aware of your surroundings is key to getting

there safely.

Taken from Amica Today; Summer 2018

7

10 10 9

RECOGNITION EVENTS

CENTRAL SENATE

Friday - November 2, 2018

Doubletree/Hobby Airport

8181 Airport Blvd.

Houston, TX 77061

SOUTHWEST SENATE

Saturday - November 3, 2018

St. Cyril of Alexandria Church

10503 Westheimer Road

Houston, TX 77042

NORTHERN SENATE

Sunday - November 4, 2018

Shirley Acres

217 Woerner Road

Houston, TX 77090

Annual Day of Prayer

March 5, 2019

St. Michael’s—Houston

Hosted by the

Southwest Senate

Caregiver Corner Mark Ciesielski, Associate Director

Benefits in Accepting Caregiving Help

1. Recognize that all care givers and care receivers need outside sup-

port to maintain their well-being. The Lord directs us to ask for help, and

it shall be given to us (Luke 11:9).

2. Contact a trusted friend or clergy to inquire if they can provide assis-

tance with simple home maintenance, in-home visiting, or respite care.

3. Contact community organizations which provide caregiving support.

• Carepartners provides caregiving education, support, and respite care at no

cost to those individuals living with various kinds of memory loss. Call 713-

682-5995

• Care Connection provides services to older adults and persons with disa-

bilities by referring them to community resources which address their needs.

Call 1-855-937-2372

4. Consider a home care service to support activities of daily living (e.g.,

eating, dressing, bathing, toileting). You’re First is a home care agency that provides in-home services; they

can also assist clients with exploring resources on how to pay for care. Contact: Cheryl McClure at 281-382-2754

5. Keep open the option for a senior living community. Schedule a tour

to examine the many benefits such as hot meals,

housekeeping, maintenance services, and communal

activities.

• St. Dominic Village, Senior Care Community:

Melba Hamilton at 713-440-3417

Aging Services and Resources

Care Connections, Aging and Disability Resource Center Phone: 1-855-937-2372

4802 Lockwood Dr., Houston, TX. 77026 http://www.careconnection.org

Services r espond to any need of an older adult and connects them with quality provider services

Service area: 13 contiguous counties around Harr is county

Catholic Charities Senior Services Phone: 7134-874-6588

2900 Louisiana St., Houston, TX 77006 https://catholiccharities.org

Services suppor t seniors with companionship, health and welfare monitor ing, case management, and

social service referrals. Service area: Harris County; in Ft. Bend County: Mamie George Community Center,

1111 Collins Rd., Richmond, TX