Celebration July 25: Feast of St. Anne and St. Joachim
This first World Day of Grandparents and the Elderly is being celebrated midway through the year dedicated to family by the Holy Father on the fifth anniversary of the apostolic exhortation Amoris Laetitia. This is a deliberate choice that stems from awareness of how the elderly − all the elderly, including those who are not grandparents − need a family environment in which to live, and also how it is necessary for families to become aware of the role being played by their older members.
From Pope Francis:
“Dear Grandfathers and Grandmothers, Dear Elderly Friends, “I am with you always” (Mt 28:20): this is the promise the Lord made to his disciples before he ascended into heaven. They are the words that he repeats to you today, dear grandfathers and grandmothers, dear elderly friends. “I am with you always” are also the words that I, as Bishop of Rome and an elderly person like yourselves, would like to address to you on this first World Day of Grandparents and the Elderly. The whole Church is close to you – to us – and cares about you, loves you and does not want to leave you alone!”
Read the full message:
EN_Messaggio WorldDayforGrandparents
PRAYER FOR THE FIRST WORLD DAY FOR GRANDPARENTS AND THE ELDERLY
I thank You, Lord,
for the comfort of Your presence:
even in times of loneliness,
You are my hope and my confidence,
You have been my rock and my fortress since my youth!
I thank You for having given me a family
and for having blessed me with a long life.
I thank You for moments of joy and difficulty,
for the dreams that have already come true in my life and for those that are still ahead of me.
I thank You for this time of renewed fruitfulness to which You call me.
Increase, O Lord, my faith,
make me a channel of your peace,
teach me to embrace those who suffer more than me, to never stop dreaming
and to tell of your wonders to new generations.
Protect and guide Pope Francis and the Church,
that the light of the Gospel might reach the ends of the earth. Send Your Spirit, O Lord, to renew the world,
that the storm of the pandemic might be calmed,
the poor consoled and wars ended.
Sustain me in weakness
and help me to live life to the full
in each moment that You give me,
in the certainty that you are with me every day, even until the end of the age.
Amen.
From the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops:
Read message here:
First World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly – CCCB Standing Committe for Family and Life
