Vatican City

Grandparents’ feast

On the occasion of the first World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly, Archbishop Dr. Heiner Koch, chairman of the Commission for Marriage and Family of the German Bishops’ Conference, encouraged everyone to translate this celebration into concrete activities. Therefore, the Archbishop of Berlin, encouraged different generations to get together on this day to share stories and experiences. He further emphasized that older people carry with them a treasure of life experiences and faith that is worth sharing and keeping alive for the next generations, their grandchildren. Archbishop Koch’s proposal for parish pastoral workers is especially relevant. He suggests that they “summon and invite grandparents and the elderly to write down stories of their life and faith experience, collect them and publish them on their parish’s website” so that they can also contribute to the exchange.

Receiving a visit from an angel

In his message Pope Francis was very specific when he explains that the meaning of this World Day, after the long period of isolation we have been through, is that all grandparents, all the elderly receive a visit from an angel. “Sometimes these angels will have the face of our grandchildren, sometimes that of relatives, of good and old friends, or of people we have just met in these difficult moments.”

For its part, the Dicastery will grant the youth who visit their grandparents the plenary indulgence established by the decree from the Apostolic Penitentiary, and it could be an opportunity to watch together the Holy Father’s message or recite together the prayer that was presented on video and can be downloaded at https://bit.ly/elderly2021.

The official prayer

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 an instrument 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 fullest
in each moment that You give me,
in the certainty that you are with me every day,
even until the end of times.
Amen.

 
More information:

Pope Francis’ message on the 1st World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly (pdf).
(Source: Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life- website).

Source: vaticannews.va
Photos: vatican.va, cathopic.com