The following story is featured in our upcoming Senior Living special edition, Sept. 24.
Three ladies with one purpose: They thrive on giving back.
They include a polio and cancer survivor, a wedding coordinator, and a Eucharistic minister at her local hospital.
Not only do they share a purpose, but they also have something else in common: Being in their 80s is no excuse for not getting out of bed every morning to achieve their tasks.
St. Andrew Parish in Rochester, where these young ladies are members, is a hotbed for volunteerism. Rita Shaughnessy, Fran Lavery and Leona Jagels are a representation of many other members there who assist the church in their retired years.
For them, volunteering is simply a way of life.
“The bottom line is that you really appreciate your blessings,” said Shaughnessy, 86. “You meet with people of all ages, and you hear about their problems. And then you pray, ‘Dear God, thank you for this cross.’”
Besides the parish, other places where she can be found volunteering include the Interchurch Women, Older Persons Center, and Crittenton Hospital in Rochester.
She admits she is one to use many adages, and lives strongly by this one: “My cross is neither 1 pound too heavy nor 1 inch too long. We all have our cross to bear,” she says simply.
Joe Soncrant, Christian Service Coordinator at the parish, says he's rarely seen Shaughnessy without a smile, ever since he joined the parish 19 years ago.
“She is a positive energy force that brightens everyone she meets with a smile and word of encouragement,” he says.
He says the same goes for Leona Jagels.
As a polio and cancer survivor, Jagels, 88, doesn’t let any obstacle get in her way of helping someone else. As an active member at St. Andrew, she brings the Eucharist to the homebound, and “she is a great listener and non-judgmental. She actively supports Catholic Social Services of Oakland County, and her smile lights up a room,” says Soncrant.
Jagels shares that same contented smile as she notes how many friends she’s made through her years of volunteering.
“I get so much out of (volunteering),” she says. “People are so friendly and you go to so many different places.”
Spiritually, she is uplifted. Having had a mastectomy, “I really know that God has given me the courage and peace I need.”
Fran Lavery, 87, echoed her sentiment. When she first met Jagels a decade ago, she thought Jagels had the face of God, and continues to say so even today.
“I have received so much love in my life and it’s really enriched me,” says Lavery about her volunteer activities. “It all comes back to you. I really love it, and I enjoy it.”
She may as well call St. Andrew her second home. There, she serves as a wedding coordinator, acolyte, eucharistic minister, choir member, and is active on the Worship Commission. In addition, she provides refreshments for the Italian American Cultural Society Senior Group.
“You meet so many new friends and there are so many good things that come out of it,” says Lavery. “You have to use a positive approach.”
Soncrant enjoys spending time with his “gems” at St. Andrew. “There’s always a smile on their faces and love in their hearts. You’re just taken with their enthusiasm.”
