2026-09-03
In 2021, Pope Francis established the celebration of the World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly. In the U.S., we observe this celebration in September, joining the Church's efforts to highlight the value and importance of grandparents and the elderly in our families and in society.
While the elderly have traditionally held places of honor in various cultures, today, elderly members of our families and communities often live lives marked by isolation and loneliness. Rather than being a beloved and integral part of a family, they are too often forgotten or overlooked. In the most tragic circumstances, some even seek to end their own lives through assisted suicide so as not to be a burden to their loved ones. Pope Francis has described this shift as a "throwaway culture" in which the weakest are neglected or worse when they are no longer of interest or "use."
As persons made in the image and likeness of God, we possess an infinite dignity that can never be compromised by age or ability. This truth must guide each of us in our responsibility to lovingly accompany those who are in greater need of our time, care, and attention as they face their later years. Such accompaniment is of particular importance as they near the end of their lives, often enduring great sufferings as they prepare for their entrance to eternal life. May each of us joyfully proclaim the Lord's promise to each of us: "I will never forget you" (Isaiah 49:15).
Prayer for the 6th World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly by usccb.org
Message From His Holiness Leo XIV For the Sixth World Day For Grandparents and the Elderly by Pope Leo XIV