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Pope Francis mentioned today’s new celebration — the first World Day of Grandparents and Elderly — after he led the midday Angelus on July 25.
Established by the Holy Father in January, the world day will take place each 4th Sunday of July, near the July 26 feast of Jesus’ grandparents, Joachim and Anna.
“We have just celebrated the Liturgy on the occasion of the First World Day of Grandparents and the Elderly. An applause for all grandparents, all of them!” the Pope said as he overlooked St. Peter’s Square.
“Grandparents and grandchildren, the young and the elderly together have manifested one of the beautiful faces of the Church and have shown the alliance between generations.”
The Holy Father continued:
I invite every community to celebrate this Day and to go visit the grandparents and the elderly, those who are most alone, to deliver them my message, inspired in Jesus’ promise: “I am with you every day.” I ask the Lord that this celebration may help those of us who are further along in years to respond to His call in this season of life, and to show society the value of the presence of grandparents and the elderly, above all in this throw-away culture.
Grandparents need young people and young people need grandparents: They should talk to each other, they should get together! Grandparents have the sap of history that rises that rises and gives strength to the growing tree. What comes to mind—I think I’ve quoted it once before—is that passage from a poet: “All that the tree has of flowers comes from what is underground.”
The Pope has repeatedly warned that without intergenerational communication, our culture is in danger.
Without dialogue between young people and grandparents, history doesn’t move forward, life doesn’t move forward: We need to start doing this again, it’s a challenge for our culture. Grandparents have the right to dream while looking at young people, and young people have the right to have the courage of prophecy taking the sap from their grandparents. Please, do this: get grandparents and young people together to talk, to converse. And it will make everyone happy.
