‘Joy and hope’ after Pope Francis announces day for grandparents

The Catholic Grandparents Association (CGA) has welcomed Pope Francis’ establishment of a ‘World Day of Prayer for Grandparents and the Elderly’ which will take place for the first time on July 25 this year.

Archbishop Michael Neary of Tuam, patron of the CGA, welcomed the move saying the Pope is “highlighting the very important role grandparents and elders play in passing the Faith to upcoming generations of children”.

“Grandparents and other family members of their generation, proudly attend all the important sacramental milestones in the young person’s life – Baptism, First Holy Communion, and Confirmation,” Archbishop Neary said.

Generous

“Grandparents are often very generous with their time and wisdom, they gently and lovingly teach their grandchildren the well-known prayers, and share the gift of faith in a very edifying way.”

Founder of the CGA, Catherine Wiley, said the association has been at the forefront of campaigning for greater recognition of grandparents for their role and vocation in passing on their faith to the next generation.

Overlooked

Ms Wiley said that grandparents and the elderly are often “overlooked” but that the new day in the universal Church calendar is a “momentous achievement”.

“It is refreshing also to note the renewed commitment by the Church for the pastoral care of the elderly, a group of people who have suffered greatly during the Covid-19 pandemic due to being isolated from family, from their faith and from many of their daily supports,” she said.

“I firmly believe that grandparents and the elderly are needed now more than ever, not just as teachers of the faith, but as fountains of wisdom and sensibility – qualities which our world needs these days.”

While the first World Day of Prayer for Grandparents and the Elderly will be celebrated on July 25, it will subsequently be celebrated on the Sunday closest to the Feast of Saints Joachim and Anne – the grandparents of Jesus.

She added: “Today is a day of joy and hope for all of us in the Catholic Grandparents Association and a day to give thanks to our Holy Father, who has a great love for grandparents and the elderly, and who often talks about his own grandmother Rosa. We look forward to being part of this new annual celebration so as the charisms of grandparents and the elderly are brought to the fore and passed on to the next generation.”