By Dan Russo
Editorial
In the last several weeks, two nonagenarians who were known widely in the local Catholic community have had their life stories highlighted in the The Catholic Messenger. The obituary of Sister Marjorie Wisor, OSF, 91, was published in a recent issue. She died March 20 at The Alverno in Clinton. The Clinton County native entered the Sisters of St. Francis at Mount St. Clare Convent on Sept. 8, 1952, and pronounced perpetual vows on Aug. 12, 1958.
Over the course of 73-years of religious life, Sister Wisor studied in France and served as a teacher and in pastoral ministry. She also founded L’Arche (The Arch) Community in Clinton in 1974, which is a place where people with and without intellectual and developmental disabilities “share life experiences together,” according to the organization’s website.
Sister Wisor retired from active ministry in 2017 and lived at The Alverno from 2023 until her death. Bishop Emeritus William E. Franklin died at 95 years old April 10 after serving as a priest, high school guidance counselor and head of the Davenport Diocese. You can read about his impact in last week’s issue and this week.
Father Lou Leonhardt of Lone Tree, 96 is the oldest priest serving the diocese. He still presides at Masses and contributes to the community in other ways. Father Leonhardt wrote a reflection for the Messenger on his seminarian classmate “Bill” (Bishop Franklin). His piece demonstrates the timelessness of friendship and the hope we can have as Christians, even in the face of suffering and death. It will be featured in next week’s issue.
The number of nonagenarians (people over age 90) is skyrocketing in the United States. “Their share among the older population (65 and older) grew from 2.8% in 1980 to 4.7% in 2010 and is projected to reach about 10% in 2050,” according to a 2011 report from the United States Census Department. This roughly 15-year-old prediction seems to be coming true.
Life in one’s 90s is no cake walk. Most of this population will have an increased need for medical care and will experience some form of disability. This may be challenging for the nonagenarians and those who take care of them. However, the golden years of Sister Wisor, Bishop Franklin and Father Leonhardt demonstrate that the oldest among us have wisdom to share and serve a great purpose, even at times when their health makes it necessary for them to rely on others.
Many of the elderly who are infirmed or disabled live in skilled nursing facilities like the Kahl home in Davenport, which is under the direction of the Carmelite Sisters for the Aged and Infirm. They may be away from family for extended periods. The older they get, the more lonely life can become. Many of these seniors feel forgotten. Some don’t receive visitors at all. Someone’s worth in God’s eyes does not end just because they cease to “work” or be “productive” in a material sense.
In gratitude for the oldest among us who have spent a lifetime serving others, I challenge you to seek out an elderly person, especially one that may be living in a nursing home, and let her or him know you care. If you don’t know someone personally, call a local facility and ask the staff what you can do. If this seems too intimidating, contact “Letters Against Isolation,” (https://www.lettersagainstisolation.com/). This organization helps volunteers connect with elderly in assisted living or nursing homes through handwritten letters.
Dan Russo, editor
