Growing the Conversation

Written by Deacon Michael Soentgerath

​On June 13, 2025, a small group of us, invited by Anthony Banka from the Catholic Pastoral Centre, participated in World Elder Abuse Awareness Day at the Kirby Centre in Calgary. The theme of the Expo was “Growing the Conversation.”

We heard encouraging messages from several invited guests, including Mayor Jyoti Gondek. After the speeches, participants were invited to browse the incredible range of organizations and agencies in our city dedicated to supporting seniors, whether they be Indigenous, immigrants, refugees, or long-time Calgarians.

We were invited to represent the Diocese of Calgary and chose to focus on our Catholic response to palliative care as seniors approach the end of life. Our booth featured posters, pamphlets, and various other resources designed to communicate the inherent dignity of every human person, a dignity that remains intact from the womb to the tomb. We highlighted the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops’ program Horizons of Hope, which emphasizes the importance of ensuring that every person feels loved, useful, and wanted until the moment they are called home by our loving Creator.

As each of us engaged with individuals walking through the auditorium, we made a conscious effort to meet everyone as a fellow human being, a brother or sister of our Father in heaven. If our materials speak of human dignity and love of neighbour, then we knew we were called to embody that message in each encounter. These brief yet meaningful interactions often began with a warm smile or a simple gesture of welcome, an invitation from one person to another to share in the joy and hope that comes from the Good News: that we are all family.
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By engaging with heartfelt sincerity, we believe many people felt a genuine connection to our message and were moved to take some of our materials home. It is our hope and prayer that, through these resources and the encounters they experienced, individuals might come to see the beauty and sacredness of life, even in its final stages, and choose life, trusting that God will welcome them to their eternal home once their time has come.