“Do not cast me off in my old age.” This is the theme of the Fourth World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly. This year, the World Day falls on 28 July, the Sunday closest to 26 July, the day on which the Church celebrates the liturgical memorial of Saints Joachim and Anne, the grandparents of Jesus.
A press release from the Dicastery for the Laity, the Family and Life says that the theme wants to emphasize how loneliness is unfortunately a bitter companion in the lives of many elderly people, who are often victims of today’s “throwaway culture.” So in this year of preparation for the Jubilee of 2025, which Pope Francis has chosen to dedicate to prayer, the theme of Grandparents’ Day is drawn from Psalm 71–the invocation of an elderly person reflecting on his/her story of friendship with God.