Episode Six Topic: A Wealth of Knowledge and Wisdom

Show Notes: Silver Wisdom is a podcast with shared perspectives of faith and family between adults in their 7th decade of life or more, as well as from those carrying out their Catholic vocation to aid the elderly in various settings.

About the Episode: Deacon Vargas divulges life lessons he learned through his rich Mexican heritage and from his time spent with the elders in his family and throughout his time serving a Deacon in the Rio Grande Valley. He lovingly recalls a parallel between Adoration with our Lord and sitting quietly with his Grandmother in her final years. He passionately reiterates that conversing and spending time with our elders can help us unveil our identity, can help us understand true love through sacrifice and can teach us to hold the utmost respect for their dignity especially at the end of their life. He closes with advice for families to plan ahead of death in order to avoid drama and focus on Eternal Life and the Light of Christ.

Hosted by: Ofelia De Los Santos - Director of Immigration Services - CDOB, Stewardship and Grants,

Catholic Relief Services, Catholic Home Missions-USCCB, former attorney in Hidalgo County.

Guest: Jose G. Vargas is a permanent deacon with the Catholic Diocese of Brownsville as well as the owner and cofounder of Apple Pharmacies and is currently serving as chairman of the Greater Mission Chamber of Commerce.

For Your Consideration:

https://www.ncbcenter.org/messages-from-presidents/dnnrethics

https://www.catholic.com/video/is-dnr-the-same-as-euthanasia

Episode Five Topic: The Value of the Golden Years

Show Notes: Silver Wisdom is a podcast with shared perspectives of faith and family between adults in their 7th decade of life or more, as well as from those carrying out their Catholic vocation to aid the elderly in various settings.

About the Episode: Mrs. Carrillo speaks about the challenging yet rewarding dynamic she encounters while providing chaplain services to people in the hospital systems throughout the Rio Grande Valley. She provides insight on ways to handle the differences in religion, the varying attitudes and behaviors between older and younger generations and how using tools like the S.E.R assessment (Spiritual Emotional Relationship) allows the chaplains to truly encompass humility and focus on the needs of the patients.

Hosted by: Ofelia De Los Santos - Director of Immigration Services - CDOB, Stewardship and Grants,

Catholic Relief Services, Catholic Home Missions-USCCB, former attorney in Hidalgo County.

Guest: Yolanda Carrillo, MAT, MBA., BCC-Director of Health Ministries-Catholic Diocese of Brownsville

Health Ministries Director

For Your Consideration: https://www.cdob.org/healthministries

Episode Four (5/9/2024) Topic: The Challenge of the Golden Years

Show Notes: Silver Wisdom is a podcast with shared perspectives of faith and family between adults in their 7th decade of life or more, as well as from those carrying out their Catholic vocation to aid the elderly in various settings.

About the Episode: Mrs. Barbara Vasquez, Catechism and Sacrament Preparation teacher to jail inmates, gives helpful anecdotes for providing care to elders that she learned by the example her own Aunts set while caring for their Mother as she aged. Barbara recounts the sacrifice she and her husband made to accommodate her promise to care for her Aunt and encourages listeners to realize that when caring for elders, it is necessary to do all things for them without imposing personal wants or preferences. She insists that it is important to do the work for the sake of the other even when it does not make sense.

Hosted by: Ofelia De Los Santos - Director of Immigration Services - CDOB, Stewardship and Grants,

Catholic Relief Services, Catholic Home Missions - USCCB, former attorney in Hidalgo County.

Guest: Mrs. Barbara Vasquez - Administrator - Evins Regional Juvenile Detention Center, Edinburg, TX

-Jail Minister - Legion of Mary, St. Joseph Catholic Church, Edinburg, TX

For Your Consideration: www.cdob.org/jail-prison

Silver Wisdom: Aging with Grace

Episode Three (5/2/2024) Topic: The Value of Spending Time with the Elderly

Show Notes: Silver Wisdom is a podcast of shared perspectives of faith and family between adults in their 7th decade of life or more, as well as from those carrying out their Catholic vocation to aid the elderly in various settings.

About the Episode:

Deacon Roman Ramos plays back his childhood memories and how his Catholic faith influenced the way he navigated the challenges that came from providing End-of-Life care for his Father while balancing his own family and career in Jail Ministries. He shares his experiences with how women and men deal with grief differently and insists that although caring for our elders may be difficult, it is vital to ensuring a positive farewell and is pleasing to God.

Hosted by: Ofelia De Los Santos - Director of Immigration Services - CDOB, Stewardship and Grants,

Catholic Relief Services, Catholic Home Missions - USCCB, former attorney in Hidalgo County.

Guest: Deacon Roman Ramos, Director of Jail Ministries for the Catholic Diocese of Brownsville

For Your Consideration: www.cdob.org/jail-prison

Episode Two (7/3/24) Topic: Elderly: Burden or Blessing?

Show Notes: Silver Wisdom is a podcast of shared perspectives from adults living their Catholic faith in the 7th decade of their lives or beyond.

About the Episode: Nellie Dominguez calls upon her own Catholic upbringing and family traditions as she shares about her extensive experience providing care for elders in the San Juan Nursing Home where she cultivates a domestic holy environment by implementing sacred spaces and celebrations that emphasize the dignity of each life.

Hosted by: Ofelia De Los Santos - Director of Immigration Services - CDOB, Stewardship and Grants, Catholic Relief Services, Catholic Home Missions - USCCB, former attorney in Hidalgo County.

Guest: Nellie Dominguez - IT at the San Juan Nursing Home and restauranteur at Azure Bistro on the grounds of the Basilica of Our Lady of San Juan del Valle-National Shrine.

Special Interest: www.sanjuannursinghome.org

Show Notes: Silver Wisdom is a podcast of shared perspectives from adults living their Catholic faith in the 7th decade of their lives or beyond.

About the Episode: Dr. Alejo Salinas Jr., Ph.D., reflects on how older people throughout his own life influenced his path to fulfill his mission from God, which is to care for the elderly in his community and in his own family. He gives a platform to voices through his books and emphasizes the value of writing down the words of the elders in our lives now.

Hosted by: Ofelia De Los Santos - Director of Immigration Services - CDOB, Stewardship and Grants, Catholic Relief Services, Catholic Home Missions - USCCB, former attorney in Hidalgo County.

Guest: Dr. Alejo Salinas Jr., Ph.D. - Pioneer in Bilingual Education, former superintendent, retired college lecturer at the University of Texas - Rio Grande Valley, current member of the South Texas College Board of Trustees for over 20 years, author and advocate.

Special Interest: Titles Written by Dr. Alejo Salinas:

Book One: ¿Ya Será Hora? (Is it Time?); Book Two: ¿Que Será? (What is it?);

Book Three: Strive for the Best: Lucha Por Lo Mejor; Book Four (Pending): Can it be Done?