--- title: The Grace of the Grey description: Helen Syski gains hope from the grey-haired congregation at her church.  image: https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/20231106%20HSyski%201.png --- [![catholic-mom-logo-v2](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/images/catholic-mom-logo-v2.svg "catholic-mom-logo-v2")](https://www.catholicmom.com/) [![facebook](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-facebook.svg)](http://www.facebook.com/CatholicMomCommunity) [![twitter](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-twitter.svg)](http://twitter.com/CatholicMomCom) [![instagram](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-instagram.svg)](http://instagram.com/catholicmomcommunity) [![youtube](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-youtube.svg)](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAuUqHCVPDzyMgSMaMZxxug?view_as=subscriber) [![search-icon](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/search-icon.svg)](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/the-grace-of-the-grey#) [FAITH](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/tag/faith) # The Grace of the Grey Nov 6, 2023 8:30:00 AM  |  by [Helen Syski](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/author/helen-syski) ![featured image](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/20231106%20HSyski%201.png) *Helen Syski gains hope from the grey-haired congregation at her church. * --- Attending a Holy Day Mass with my children, we were predictably one of two young families. Everyone else consisted of a few grey heads sprinkled throughout the church.    This scene is much lamented by Church leaders and Catholic apologists. They are titillated when they see “young people” attending, well, anything.   But that was not what I saw as I sat there praying.    ![null](https://www.catholicmom.com/hs-fs/hubfs/20231106%20HSyski%203.png?width=1080&height=1080&name=20231106%20HSyski%203.png)   I saw God’s providence. I saw God’s gift to His Church. I saw God’s answer to these crises in our world.   Rise up, souls that have persevered! God has called you here, to these scattered pews. Are you weary? Wondering if you should still come? Depressed at the missing generations?   Do you feel forgotten? Unimportant? Even unwanted in all this hype over “young people” and the lament over the “greying congregation”?   You are seen. You are called. You are essential. You are God’s plan for His Church. God always provides exactly what is needed for His Church at every point in history, and YOU ARE IT.   The enemy wants to convince you that you are powerless. That your age makes you unsuitable for a springtime Church. Satan wants you to despair, to gripe and grumble about the golden years long past.     ![null](https://www.catholicmom.com/hs-fs/hubfs/20231106%20HSyski%202.png?width=1080&height=1080&name=20231106%20HSyski%202.png)   God does not see you this way. It is His grace that has brought your soul through the upheavals of life, and it is He who is bringing your soul safely to the port of heaven.    Believe. Believe that God has exactly what He needs in you. Believe you are a part of His plan. Your faithfulness will bring the graces needed by all these “young people,” by all the priests and His Church. Only accept your daily moments and experiences as exactly what you must live hand in hand with God to continue His work of salvation on earth. He is counting on you.    > [Click to tweet: > You are God’s plan for His Church. God always provides exactly what is needed for His Church at every point in history, and YOU ARE IT. #CatholicMom](https://ctt.ac/70c73)   The torch of faith will be passed. Its fire is the Holy Spirit, Who needs only dry-timber souls to take over the earth. And in such arid land, dry souls are abundant!    ![null](https://www.catholicmom.com/hs-fs/hubfs/20231106%20HSyski%204.png?width=1080&height=1080&name=20231106%20HSyski%204.png) --- Copyright 2023 Helen Syski Images: Holy Cross Family Ministries ### Share this article [![Share on Facebook](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/facebook-24x24.png)](http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2Fthe-grace-of-the-grey%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dfacebook) [![Share on Twitter](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/twitter-24x24.png)](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?original_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2Fthe-grace-of-the-grey%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2Fthe-grace-of-the-grey%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&source=tweetbutton&text=The%20Grace%20of%20the%20Grey) [![Share on Email](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/email-24x24.png)](mailto:?subject=Check%20out%20https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2Fthe-grace-of-the-grey%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Demail%20&body=Check%20out%20https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2Fthe-grace-of-the-grey%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Demail) ** #### About the Author ![Helen Syski](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/Helen%20Syski%20-%20Helen%20Syski.jpeg) ### [Helen Syski](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/author/helen-syski) Helen Syski is co-founder of the [Kiss of Mercy Apostolate](http://www.kissofmercy.org), a Little Way to heal the world from abortion. A life-long New Englander and Harvard grad, Helen enjoys all four seasons and apple pie with her husband, children, and Labrador retriever. Continue the conversation at [AdequateAnthropologist.com](http://www.AdequateAnthropologist.com). ## Related Blog Articles [ Gratitude, Not Grab-itude Read ](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/gratitude-vs.-grab-itude) [ Five Great Family Read-Alouds Read ](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/five-great-family-read-alouds) [ A Gift Freely Given: Why We Have No Christmas Lists This Year Read ](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/a-gift-freely-given-why-we-have-no-christmas-lists-this-year) ## Comments ## Donate now [![Support Catholic Mom](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/275132/10016573-1c5c-4aa5-baba-c2ac91fe7545.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/275132/10016573-1c5c-4aa5-baba-c2ac91fe7545) [![CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c (002)](https://www.catholicmom.com/hs-fs/hubfs/CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c%20(002).png?width=1806&height=731&name=CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c%20(002).png "CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c (002)")](https://www.catholicmom.com/) ##### Subscribe to Catholic Momcast on iTunes or Spotify [![itunes-logo-black](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/logos/itunes-logo-black.svg)](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/catholic-momcast/id1362352357)[![spotify-logo-black](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/logos/spotify-logo-black.svg)](https://open.spotify.com/show/15CoipHL7z61IDcYErV0b8?si=hqaQJSxDQgq7S1hxCwsoxQ) ##### CatholicMom on Social Networks [![facebook](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-facebook.svg)](http://www.facebook.com/CatholicMomCommunity) [![twitter](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-twitter.svg)](http://twitter.com/CatholicMomCom) [![instagram](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-instagram.svg)](http://instagram.com/catholicmomcommunity) [![youtube](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-youtube.svg)](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAuUqHCVPDzyMgSMaMZxxug?view_as=subscriber) ##### About Catholic Mom [Who We Are](https://www.catholicmom.com/about-us) [Contact Us](https://www.catholicmom.com/contact) [Support CatholicMom.com](https://www.catholicmom.com/support-us)   ##### Associated Links [Holy Cross Family Ministries](https://www.hcfm.org/) [Family Rosary](https://www.familyrosary.org/) [Family Theater Productions](https://www.familytheater.org/) [Congregation of the Holy Cross](https://www.holycrossusa.org/) [Father Patrick Peyton, C.S.C.](https://www.fatherpeyton.org/) [The Peyton Institute for Domestic Church Life](https://www.peytonfamilyinstitute.org/) ### **Stay connected!** Don’t miss a thing! 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