The Role of The Elderly in The Promotion of Morality in Accordance with The Teaching of The Catholic Church for Catholic Communities: A Case Study of The Elderly Group of St.John The Baptist Church, Maetho, Mae Hong Son, Chiang Mai Dioces.

Abstract

As the Qualitative Research, this research aims to study: 1) research the role of the elderly in promoting the Ethics according to the Catholic Church for local people of St. John the Baptist Church Maetho. And 2) study some recommendations to strengthen the role and to look for some practice of the elderly which is to promote the Ethics according to the Catholic Church for local people, St.John the Baptist Church Maetho. Informant group is 8 members of st.John Baptist Church Meatho and 8 experts. Research instruments are semi-structured interview and focus group discussion. Content analysis of the statics; includes frequency and percentage. Data analysis given by semi-structured interview and focus group discussion used content analysis and content synthesis. The results were as follows: 1. The elderly group of St.John the Baptist Church Maetho has the role to promote the Ethics in the Catholic Church for local people in 5 parts; 1) Supporting and transferring the Faith by taking care, teaching and being a good model of Faith in the new evangelization. 2) Supporting encouraging to be a witness of devotion and daring to encounter with suffering and death by trusting in God. 3) Supporting of participating in the ritual and liturgical ceremony as supporting the participation in the liturgy, confession, communion, participating of activities of local people, making a pilgrimage, meditation and prayer. 4) Supporting activities of the community with total commitment, creating a good relationship, encouraging activities of the community and opening to pay respect to other peoples. 5) Supporting culture and tradition by conservations, supporting to wear the traditional dress, transferring knowledge of folklore wisdom and creating awareness in the value of the history in family, community and country 2. Promotion of the Ethics according to the Catholic Church for local people 2.1 By supporting continuously the elderly in the role of the elderly to promote the Ethics according to the Catholic Church for local people, especially by transferring and supporting the faith to the descendants and community. 2.2 By opening widely to the elderly in the responsibility in the liturgy and joining in a celebration of church or nearby churches. 2.3 By supporting the participation of the elderly with other aged persons, such as youths, in the public devotion such as visiting the sick persons. 2.4 By supporting the elderly for sharing, transferring widely knowledge or folklore wisdom to the youth in their own community and the other community such as Tena-koo (Karen Guitar), singing the folk rhythm, sword dance, spear dance, weaving and basketry. 2.5 By openng widely to the elderly in the participation and the role to develop the community. 2.6 By providing facilities to the elderly such as wheelchair for the elderly who have limitations in travelling.