SENIOR CITIZENS | our-lady-of-dolours

SENIOR CITIZENS ASSOCIATION

The Senior Citizen Association was started in our Parish in 2007. Being the Parish Senior Citizen group it has been enrolled under the umbrella of BASCA (Bombay Archdiocesan Senior Citizen Association) which acts as a governing body and has under it, the parishes that come under the Archdiocese of Mumbai. BASCA on its part is there to outline general guidelines and share ideas with the Senior Citizens Core Committee to help in making the group a vibrant one by suggesting programs and activities that could be organised for the senior citizens. To this effect the parish senior citizen association’s core committee has appointed one of its members to be its representative at BASCA.

AIM
The aim of the Association is to engage with the senior citizens of the parish and have them to actively participate in programs organised for them.

MISSION
The committee’s core value and mission is to serve the senior citizens in a courteous manner with a spirit of love and a sense of dignity.

MEMBERSHIP

A total number of 180 senior citizens have been listed in the rolls of the senior citizens association of which 55 are housebound.CORE COMMITTEEThe senior citizens association has a core committee which involves itself in the planning and execution of the programs and activities organised for the senior citizens. Presently the Core Committee has a total of 15 members which includes its President, Secretary and Treasurer. The Committee meets regularly on the first Thursday of every month to discuss and plan activities that are to be undertaken.

ACTIVITIES
a. The senior citizens association core committee meets on the 1st Thursday of every month at 6.30 pm in the parish office.
b. The senior citizen’s Mass is celebrated on the last Sunday of the every Month.
c. Periodic visitation of senior citizen’s homes with special focus being on the housebound services and identify if they have any specific need or require any kind of assistance which can be provided.

d. As part of the Lenten Season, for the last three years the senior citizens association has been taking their senior citizens to two different churches and conducting the Stations of the Cross for them there.
e. In keeping with the spirit of Christmas, a Christmas party is organised for the senior citizens every year.

It may be noted that though the committee intends well to organise many more activities, the lack of adequate space to accommodate even around 150 senior citizens, prevents us from doing so. This constraint of space is evident from the Christmas party which because of space is held every year outside the church.