World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly

The “World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly” will take place in the United States on Sunday, September 10, 2023.

The theme for 2023 is from Luke 1:50:

“His mercy is from age to age.”

A Brief History

In 2021, Pope Francis established a “World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly” to take place each year on the fourth Sunday in July. This date was chosen because it is close to the feast day of Sts. Joachim and Anne, the grandparents of Jesus.

The bishops of the United States transferred the celebration to the first weekend after Labor Day in September to coincide with National Grandparents Day in the United States (see the USCCB website).

Pope Francis’ Message for 2023

Share Pope Francis’ message for the Third World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly. You may read the document online at the Vatican website site or download the PDF document:

Read Online
(from vatican.va)   PDF Document
(download)

I encourage everyone to reflect on the joyful meeting between the young Mary and her elderly relative Elizabeth, to picture, like a snapshot, that embrace between the young Mother of God and the elderly mother of Saint John the Baptist, and to frame it in their minds and hearts as a radiant icon.

Next, I would invite you to make a concrete gesture that would include grandparents and the elderly. Let us honor them, neither depriving ourselves of their company nor depriving them of ours. May we never allow the elderly to be cast aside!

From Pope Francis’ Message for the Third World Day For Grandparents and the Elderly, published July 23, 2023.

Catechesis on Old Age

Beginning in February 2022, Pope Francis’ Wednesday audience catecheses were reflections on old age. The catechesis of 18 talks is available online from the Vatican website. It has been compiled in a downloadable PDF document for those who do not have access to or prefer not to read the text online:

Pope Francis’ Catecheses
on Old Age

Resources from the first World Day in 2021

The Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life provided the following resources to priests and parishes for the first World Day in 2021. (Documents are formatted for A4 paper size, so when printing choose the “size-to-fit” option.)

• Cover letter from Cardinal Kevin Farrell, Prefect
• Pastoral Guidelines. Contains:
  • A reflection on the World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly
    • the coronavirus pandemic
    • pastoral concern for older people
    • crisis in family relations
  • Suggestions for visiting grandparents and older people
  • Remembering elderly who died of COVID-19
  • Plenary Indulgence
• Liturgy Notes. Contains:
  • Dedicate one Mass on the Sunday of the World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly to a celebration with grandparents and elderly people of the community.
    • Encourage the presence of older people at the Mass.
    • Members of the community can organize transport for those who are unable to get there independently.
    • Young people from the parish can present the Holy Father's Message to grandparents and the elderly at the celebration.
    • The collection from the Masses for this World Day can be dedicated to supporting projects to help poor elderly people in the community.
  • Homily Notes (note: 2021 was “Year B” in the lectionary cycle, so the readings are different in 2022)
  • Suggestions for Prayers of the Faithful
  • Blessing on a Long Life

Fr. Jorge Bergoglio, the future Pope Francis, standing with his brother and sisters. Seated: Regina, his mother (on left), Giovanni and Rosa, his paternal grandparents (center), and Mario, his father (on right).