Alpha for Seniors at Little Sisters of the Poor

Jul 22, 2015

CHERAS (Herald Malaysia): For eleven weeks on Monday mornings, residents at the home of the Little Sisters of the Poor were singing this kiddie song, Yes, Jesus loves me. The song became so infectious that you could hear the elderly humming it so very often. What struck most was the line that went like this: Little ones to Him belong, we are weak but He is strong followed by the refrain … Yes, Jesus loves me .. the bible tells me so.

The little ones here refer to the elderly of the home, all 65+ of them including some volunteers who were attending the Senior Alpha, a course to help revitalize the faith of the elderly in their twilight years.

It was refreshing to all who attended. For the elderly, abled as well as the infirm who spent the eleven weeks attending Senior Alpha, found assurance once more that they are not alone in this phase of their lives. They were reassured of the love given to them by their primary care givers: the nuns, helpers and volunteers. Sr Fatima, lsp, who was tasked by Mother Superior to journey with the Alpha team and residents had much to share.

She wrote her personal testimony by quoting John 17:21-22 “that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me. The glory which You have given Me I have given to them, that they may be one, just as We are one.”

Indeed, despite coming from different backgrounds, Sr Fatima saw the commitment of the team members representing three language groups: English, Mandarin and Tamil. Team members comprised staff and volunteers from Alpha Malaysia under the leadership of Jack and Vicky Chan. Together with them were Alpha Advisers — Git Siong, Chris Chew and Tac Hoe and Catholics from various parishes in the Archdiocese of Kuala Lumpur.

This run of Alpha at Little Sisters was an eye opener for the elderly as well as for the Little Sisters. Many of the residents shared their encounter with Jesus at a personal level. Many more were touched by the warmth and love from the team members. Many also experienced the Holy Spirit. Mother Agnes, in her closing address, thanked the team for giving dignity to the elderly.

Sr Fatima further shared that Alpha creates the space for the spirit of ecumenism and the spirit of fraternity of belonging to Jesus Christ. She quoted Rupertus Meldenus: On the necessary points, unity; on the questionable points, liberty; in everything, love.

The volunteers and friends of the Little Sisters’ home also benefitted greatly from Alpha. Many expressed deep appreciation for the opportunity given to them. God, in his time, has paved the way for people to be joyfully connected, echoing Pope Francis’ Joy of the Gospel Paragraph 1: The joy of the gospel fills the hearts and lives of all who encounter Jesus.

Indeed, those hearts filled with the joy of the gospel will go about infecting others with the same joy. Alpha is an effective media to ignite it.