The fourth World Day of Grandparents and the Elderly will be celebrated throughout the universal Church on July 28. Pope Francis has chosen the theme “Do not cast me off in my old age” (Sal 71:9). In so doing, he wishes to remind us “that loneliness is, unfortunately, the bitter companion in the lives of so many elderly people, who are often victims of a culture of rejection.”
In his message aptly describing the challenges of today’s life, Pope Francis takes an element from the book of Ruth as an example. “Ruth’s freedom and courage invite us to take a new path. Let us follow in her footsteps. Let us set out with this young foreign woman and the elderly Naomi, and not be afraid to change our habits and imagine a different kind of future for our elderly. May we express our gratitude to all those people who, often at great sacrifice, follow in practice the example of Ruth, as they care for an older person or simply demonstrate daily closeness to relatives or acquaintances who no longer have anyone else. Ruth, who chose to remain close to Naomi, was then blessed with a happy marriage, a family, a new home. This is always the case: by remaining close to the elderly and acknowledging their unique role in the family, in society and in the Church, we will ourselves receive many gifts, many graces, many blessings!”
The latter invites parishes, dioceses, associations and ecclesial communities around the world to celebrate the Day in their own pastoral context. Tools have been provided to facilitate these celebrations (including a prayer and a pastoral kit) and encourage collective awareness.
Let’s remember that this World Day of Grandparents and the Elderly was instituted on January 31, 2021, by Pope Francis. It is celebrated every year on the 4th Sunday of July, in the period when the liturgical memory of Saints Joachim and Anne, grandparents of Jesus and parents of the Virgin Mary.