On the fourth World Day of Grandparents and the Elderly, celebrated on July 28th, Pope Francis invited us to stay close to older people and rediscover their precious contribution “in the family, in society and the Church.” From his @Pontifex account, the Holy Father urges us to stay close to older people: “By recognizing the irreplaceable role that they have in the family, in society, and in the Church we too will receive many gifts, many graces, many blessings.”
Celebrated every fourth Sunday of July, close to the liturgical feast of Saints Joachim and Anne, the World Day of Grandparents and the Elderly was established by Pope Francis in 2021. This year’s theme was taken from Psalm 71, In old age do not abandon me, underlines how loneliness is, unfortunately, a bitter companion in the lives of many elderly people who are often victims of the throwaway culture.