OASIS LUNCH AND WORKSHOPS

Lunch and Learn workshops: Insights on wellness and mental health, hosted by OASIS every Second Tuesday of the month from September to March.  Learn about isolation, depression, dementia, grieving, self care, fitness, etc.

• Second workshop Tuesday October 8th: ‘Chronic Illness and Mental health (isolation/depression)’.
• Mass at 12:10 pm followed by lunch (free will giving) and workshop.
• More details on bulletin board.
• Reservation is a must for organizing lunch.
• Please call Les Rodrigues @ 905-479-6023
• Link to OASIS Lunch and Learn poster
• Link to September 1, 2024 Facebook livestream Mass video presentation by Les Rodrigues for the OASIS Lunch and Learn talks (at the 50:32 mark of the video).

Below is the abbreviated transcript of a brief presentation by Les Rodrigues after all Masses on the weekend of August 31/September 1, 2024 in which he promoted the OASIS Lunch and Learn series.

In today's second reading, St. James says, “be a doer and not a hearer”. I have had the privilege of volunteering with many of our doers in this parish from 2007 until the dawn of COVID, in serving the marginalized and the elderly, every week, at various venues across the GTA.

These two short stories will summarize our experience: Jack a 70+, young at heart, gentleman lived in the west wing of a retirement home. Every evening in the dining hall, he would see Jane equally young at heart, prancing around, moving from table to table, socializing with her friends and some days she would even sit besides Jack before retiring to her room in the East wing. Jack was in love with Jane. He wanted her as a constant companion, someone to talk to, hold hands with. One evening Jack proposed to Jane and she accepted and they went about their way merrily, one to the east wing the other to the west. Next morning Jack couldn’t remember if Jane had said yes so, he phoned her. Jane said ‘of course I said yes, and I meant it. I am glad you called because I couldn’t remember who I had said yes to’. The sense of belonging, dementia, loneliness, forgetfulness – can you relate to that?

Second story. Once a month we would visit a retirement home to play bingo with the residents. I didn’t know her name, nor did she mine, but she would always be waiting for me. She would hold my hand and say something in Mandarin. I thought that she needed help to play. I would tell her that I would return to help her as soon as I had said hello to all the residents. It soon became evident, when she wouldn’t let go of my hand, that she had much more to say. She could have been telling me of her isolation, depression, abuse, chronic pain, grieving while I spoke to her in English telling her about a cricket match in India. It was not the spoken words but the gesture. TO ‘reach out, to touch, to listen. That’s all she wanted. Can you relate to that?

OASIS is an acronym for Older Adults Sharing In Service, our senior’s group at St. Thomas. We know your challenges. I can testify to that. For the past 19 years, I have been a single parent and for majority of those years I have been a 24/7 chauffeur, crisis manager, food supplier and the bank. I couldn’t wait for the kids to fly the coop and when they did, I came crashing down. Behind the façade and that smile, we all hide our pain. I know your challenges, they are real.

We are working with Catholic Family services which is funded by ShareLife in addressing your concerns. From isolation to depression, dementia, grieving, self-care, mental health, broken relations, chronic diseases, etc. Every second Tuesday of the month we will host a lunch and learn session after the noon Mass. The speaker practiced nursing for 24 years before she went on to obtain her Masters. She is now a professor, a counsellor and a professional speaker. You don’t have to talk about your personal challenges, should you need, private counselling services are available. The number is on the flyer in the lobby.

Some Tuesdays you will enjoy the talk and not the lunch and other Tuesdays you will enjoy the lunch and not the talk. Should you have any questions, concerns, I will be with some of my OASIS friends in the lobby. Come and register so we can cater for your lunch and your needs. Howard University spent millions of dollars on an 85-year study to conclude that it’s not smoking or drinking, money or career, the biggest contributing factor for longevity and happiness is social connection. Join us, alone you can talk but together we can converse. Alone you can smile, but together we can laugh. Alone you can enjoy, but together we can celebrate.