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PERT Brings Parish Retirees Together to Share in Fellowship and Faith
Since the 1960s, the PERT Ministry — which stands for “People Enjoying Retirement Together” — has brought the older members of our parish together in fellowship. Through regular meetings, outings, and events, ministry members have the opportunity to build a welcoming community that fosters lasting friendships.
“When my husband, Carl, and I joined PERT five years ago, we had just moved to the area,” says ministry member Kathi Sikora. “We had retired and knew very few people, and it was a great opportunity to get to know parishioners better, learn about what was going on at the parish, and find things to do in the area. We’ve gotten to know people and have enjoyed it.
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“One of the pillars of stewardship is hospitality, and this group focuses on that,” she adds. “Although some people are longtime friends who come to the group together, for many it’s an opportunity to get to know others. We recognize birthdays and anniversaries, and we pray for each other. It’s nice to be among other Catholics, so as you’re chatting you know you already have that in common, and you always seem to find more common interests. It’s a great community builder for the parish, and you feel like you belong.”
Due to COVID-19, many of their regular activities were halted. However, in normal times, the ministry usually holds a short business meeting each month, followed by a potluck lunch, and Bingo or board games. PERT also holds annual events such as a Christmas banquet, a Thanksgiving banquet, a luau in June, and a Fourth of July celebration. Scheduled outings and local trips have also been an important part of PERT, allowing the members to get away and enjoy themselves. Most recently, the ministry organized a trip to Apple Hill in Placerville, Calif., and on another occasion, they organized a trip to ride a historic electric train followed by lunch.
During the pandemic, the ministry was not able to meet virtually, but they were able to have an in-person meeting this past summer with its vaccinated members.
“Because our membership is quite elderly, we needed to meet in a controlled environment, and we also needed to meet without masks, because hearing is an issue for many of us,” says member Mary Ellen Hoffman.
“Everyone brought their vaccine cards as well as their own lunches, and it was so nice to get back together since so many of us had been so confined and aching to see other people,” Kathi says. “We had a good turnout, and it was great to offer people a safe place to gather again. We hope to do it again at some point and look forward to seeing everyone again as soon as possible, even though we don’t know when that is going to be.”
PERT is also a great jumping-off point for those who want to get further involved in the parish — its members are generally very active in a variety of parish ministries.
“We can share what the other ministries are doing, and which ministries are looking for help,” Mary Ellen says. “We also had ministry initiatives each year, such as providing a meal for one of the soup suppers before Stations of the Cross during Lent, as well as collecting canned goods and cereal for the St. Vincent de Paul food locker.”
The ministry also provides a spiritual support system, which Kathi experienced firsthand when her husband was diagnosed with cancer last year.
“Everyone has been praying for him, and there’s been a lot of support,” she says. “The ministry also helps to keep everyone informed if someone is ill or has passed away, that way if we don’t see them at Mass we know what’s going on and to pray for them.
“We also want to mention our beloved former long-term leader, George Perez,” she adds. “We just lost him last year, and he was a member for around 30 years. Even though things are changing, we want to honor him by carrying on.”
Going forward, PERT hopes to incorporate member feedback to continue planning activities and outings, once it is safe to do so again. All parish retirees are invited to participate in the ministry.
“In so many Catholic parishes, we go to Mass, and we don’t know who the other people are around us,” Kathi says. “This is a great way to get to know the people next to us! We welcome everybody — we have some non-Catholic spouses, and you can invite a guest, so people from other parishes can come. We’re a very hospitable group!” “One of the pillars of stewardship is hospitality, and this group really focuses on that. Although some people are longtime friends who come to the group together, for many it’s an opportunity to get to know others. We recognize birthdays and anniversaries, and we pray for each other. It’s nice to be among other Catholics, so as you’re chatting you know you already have that in common, and you always seem to find more common interests. It’s a great community builder for the parish, and you feel like you belong.” — Kathi Sikora
