Grandparents are responsible for passing on faith values that will enable children to cope with sources that are “hostile to faith and spiritual values”.
Archbishop Michael Neary spoke at a special mass organised by the Grandparents Association last week on the feast day of Sts Joachim and Anne in Tuam, Galway.
“We have a responsibility to pass on to children and grandchildren and future generations something in terms of faith values that will enable them to cope with and challenge so much that is being blared at them today from sources that are hostile to faith and spiritual values,” Archbishop Neary said.
He said that grandparents are the first port of call in a crisis for many young people, and are able to share life experience that children can’t learn in school.
He added that grandparents are the “real heroes and heroines, though they may never have received recognition”.