News
World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly | 23 July 2023
July 20, 2023
The third World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly, which will be celebrated on 23 July 23 2023, will have the theme, “His mercy is from age to age” (Lk 1: 50). This verse reminds us that God’s mercy is manifested in history through the testimonies of those who have experienced it and passed it on to their children and grandchildren. Grandparents and the elderly are called to carry this mercy, to tell through words and life how God has been faithful to His promises and how He continues to love His people.
Click below to read the Pope’s message for the Third World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly and to download resources to help parishes and communities celebrate the day.
Prayer
Virgin Mary,
Mother of faith and hope,
an example for this humanity bent by indifference,
make me as willing as You
to accept the will of God,
to magnify and praise His Mercy.
Mary, Mother of fortitude,
you who knows my heart,
do not allow me to become discouraged.
I confidently surrender my life into your hands.
Heal my wounds.
May your tenderness accompany me on the way.
Your presence, Mother of love,
brings us to experience the joy
of seeing our families united.
Help me to transmit the tenderness and Love of God
to the grandchildren and youth
so that, in addition to praying for them,
we can pray with them.
Mary, may the gift of the Holy Spirit intercede for me:
sustain my weakness;
breathe into my heart the consolation
that I may leave traces of faith among the young,
bearing witness to the beauty of life,
knowing that life has a limit
and that beyond it lies before us our Father’s embrace.
Amen.
Support for grandparents and the elderly in the diocese
There are a variety of ways our parish and diocese supports and celebrates grandparents and the elderly, and you are encouraged to reach out or get involved through these initiatives.
- Parish support (ie parish luncheons, friendship groups, communion for the sick, healing masses, transport to and from mass, pastoral care, nursing home visitations, Mass for You at Home)
- Grandparents’ days at local Catholic schools
- In-Home Care through CatholicCare’s aged care services
- Cross+Gen Technology training for seniors within parishes and the school community
- The Diocesan Committee for the Aged, listens to the needs of ageing parishioners and provides relevant information and resources.