This Sunday is National Day of Prayer for Grandparents and the Elderly. On this Saturday /Sunday we celebrate the Feast Day of Saints Joachim and Anne parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary and Grandparents of Jesus and we will offer special prayers for grandparents.at all of our weekend masses .We invite grandchildren to come with their grandparents to mass where we will have special candles for children to bring home to their grandparents and we will have special candles also for each grandparent present. Grandparents and the Elderly are treasures in our families, parishes and communities. Their wisdom, witness, prayer and presence deserve more than a single day, but World Day gives us a beautiful moment to celebrate, cherish and thank themThis is the sixth year of the newest celebration in the liturgical calendar for us Catholics. Think of how your family might mark this special occasion next week! As grandparents and grandchildren enjoy their summer holidays, savouring the precious gift of life and love shared together let us come before God giving thanks with a small gesture of faith, hope and love. “Dear brothers and sisters,The celebration of the World Day of Grandparents and the Elderly is an opportunity to rediscover that the Church is called to be a mother to all and that at any age it is always possible to recognize ourselves as sons and daughters of God. May this day, therefore, be an inspiration for everyone, especially the young, to revive the beautiful custom of visiting their grandparents, the elderly members of the family and even those who have no one to visit them. Bring them, through this message and your presence, the closeness and affection of the Pope. Ensure that the words of the prophet, “But I will never forget you,” take the form of a tender and affectionate encounter. “In an era that favors speed and fragmentation, the human person still yearns to receive care and recognition from attentive minds, kind words and hands capable of tenderness. The digital culture multiplies connections and offers new opportunities for interaction; yet, the human heart retains an irrevocable need for genuine closeness” (Encyclical Letter, Magnifica Humanitas, 239).
A Prayer for Grandparents: Dear Grandmother, Dear Grandfather, May our Lord Jesus Christ be always close to you. We thank you for all you have contributed to life and for the gifts you continue to give to your families and to our community. We pray that your closeness to God will bring you the health and the strength you need to continue your journey on the road of life. May you continue to enjoy your life, your work, and your prayers. May your memories always be happy and may you achieve your dreams for the future. One day we will all be united in God’s Kingdom, Amen
A Child’s Prayer for Grandparents Dear God, please bless my grandparents. Thank you for the life they gave my parents and for the life, they give to me. For the ways they helped me and made me strong, I give thanks. For the ways, they love me no matter what, I rejoice. For the ways, they have paved the road that leads me here, I am grateful. Let them grow in wisdom and joy in life. Let them find peace and rest from their work. Let them be healed of every sickness and pain. And let them see with their own eyes your glory and the love of their children
and grandchildren. Bless them always until they come to rest in you.