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Bishop visits nursing home residents at St. Anthony’s

By RENEE WEBB, Globe editor
(Email Renee)

Visiting with the residents of St. Anthony’s Nursing Home in Carroll, Bishop Walker Nickless said they had a special gift to give to the church.

“I want to let you know how important you are to the church of the Diocese of Sioux City because we know that you have lived long and full lives,” he said. “You’ve learned much and you have much wisdom. We want to learn and appreciate all that you give us by your presence.”

As the prayer service began, the bishop thanked family members who were present and reminded them that old age was a gift that should be received from God with gratitude.

“Elderly people have the opportunity to share with us the riches of their experience of their Christian lives. Let us therefore now join them in thanking God in asking that he will keep high their hopes and strengthen their trust,” he said.

Bishop Nickless read from the Gospel of Luke that centered on two older people – Simeon and Anna. Simeon had been waiting and waiting to see the Messiah and he didn’t know if he would live long enough to see the Messiah but God promised that he would. Anna, who was 84, lived for seven years with her husband and then lived the remainder of her years as a widow.

“What a great example of faith she is to us as well. She was always praying and that is what we are all called to do,” said the bishop. He thanked all those who had prayed for his father, who died recently at the age of 84. “All of us know that this place, this world, is not our forever home – heaven is.”

He acknowledged that many of them were suffering and said it is hard to grow old. The bishop said he was aware that many offered up their pain to Jesus on the cross.

Catholics, Bishop Nickless noted, believe in redemptive suffering - joining their pain, sorrow and suffering with Christ’s to help save the world.

“It’s a great joy for me to be here to spend some time with you and to pray for you and with you,” he said.
Following petitions, they prayed an Our Father for all those who took care of the elderly.

One resident of St. Anthony’s Nursing Home, Ruby Kloewer of Manilla, said the bishop’s visit was great.

“It was really wonderful that he could come and give us a beautiful sermon,” she said.

Sherry Greteman, nursing home director, said they were very honored to have Bishop Nickless visit the nursing home.

“Our residents, families and staff have very much been looking forward to this day,” she said. “We feel very blessed and honored to have him here.”

Although Bishop Nickless had visited the nursing home back in 2009 to see the mother of a local priest, this is the first time he met with the general nursing home population. Currently, the facility has 79 residents and about 65 of them are Catholic. Greteman estimated that more than 60 residents plus several family members were on hand for the prayer service.

When the prayer service had come to a close, the bishop greeted the residents as they left the chapel. Greteman was aware that one resident asked Bishop Nickless to pray for her 7-year-old grandson who was just diagnosed with multiple sclerosis.

“That was very moving and I could tell it meant a lot to her to be able ask the bishop to do that on behalf of her family,” she said.

Greteman noted that in 2013, they will mark the 50th anniversary of the nursing home and have asked the bishop to celebrate a Mass for the occasion.