Elders, grandparents have mission to encourage young people in the Faith – Bishop Nulty

Grandparents and elders have “a mission to encourage young people on their faith journey”, Bishop Denis Nulty said, as he welcomed the Pope’s announcement of the theme for the second World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly.

The theme chosen by Pope Francis for the day, which takes place July 24, is ‘In old age they will still bear fruit’, taken from Psalm 92:15.

Expanding on the theme in a series of tweets, Pope Francis explained he chose it “to promote dialogue among the generations, especially between grandparents and grandchildren”.

“It is very important to bring together the wisdom of the elderly and the enthusiasm of the young,” the Holy Father said.

“The encounter between grandparents and grandchildren is key, especially in this moment of economic and social crisis that humanity is undergoing.”

Pope Francis continued, “The elderly should be cared for like a treasure of humanity: they are our wisdom, our memory.

“It is crucial that grandchildren remain close to their grandparents, who are like roots from which they draw the sap of human and spiritual values.”

Value

Commenting on the announcement, Bishop Nulty said that “throughout his papacy Pope Francis has reminded us to value the many gifts of grandparents and the elderly”.

The chair of the Irish bishops’ council for marriage and the family added that “not only are our young people called to be present in the lives of older people, but so too grandparents and elders have a mission to encourage young people on their faith journey”.

“The Pope himself had a very close relationship to his own Grandmother Rosa and so he understands that the encounter between grandparents and grandchildren is key, especially, as he reminds us, at this moment of economic and social change as we move out of the last two years of the pandemic,” Bishop Nulty concluded.

Parish resources for the World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly will be available closer to the date from both the Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life and from the council for marriage and the family.

Bishop Nulty is Bishop of Kildare and Leighlin and Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of Ossory.