The first World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly will take place this Sunday, July 25th. This special occasion will celebrate the wisdom of the elderly and the joy and vocation of being a grandparent. Our Diocese will remember grandparents, and all those who are elderly, at Masses during the weekend, with prayer cards available in every parish.

This year's theme, chosen by Pope Francis, is “I am with you always” (Mt 28:20) expressing the closeness of the Lord and the Church to every older person, especially in the challenging times of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.

Cardinal Farrell, Cardinal of the Dicastery for Laity and Family life said: "I hope that the World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly helps us to grow in our love for the elderly and to discover them as teachers of tenderness, guardians over our roots and dispensers of wisdom. For our part, the whole Church repeats to every grandparent and to every elder: 'we will be with you always' until the end of time."

He continued;

"The message we present today is both loving and demanding towards grandparents and the elderly. The Holy Father addresses them with affectionate words, but also announces to them the call to 'a renewed vocation in a crucial time in history.' There are three elements that characterise this call: 'dreams, memory and prayer.' The Lord’s closeness - says the Pope - will give the strength even to the most fragile among us to embark upon a new path, along the paths of dreams, memory and prayer.' However, what appears to be most relevant is not so much how this vocation is declined, rather the fact that they are considered the recipients of a specific call."

‍

There are a range of fantastic resources for World Day of Grandparents and the Elderly (WDFGE) to read and download below.