Pope Leo XIV has chosen “I will never forget you” (Is 49:15) as the theme for the Sixth World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly, the Vatican Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life announced Feb. 10.
The day, instituted by the late Pope Francis in 2021, is celebrated every fourth Sunday of July and is presented as an opportunity to bring the closeness of the Church to the elderly and to enhance their contribution within families and communities. This year, the date coincides with the feast of Sts. Joachim and Anne, on July 26, and the pope invites everyone to celebrate the day with a Eucharistic liturgy in the cathedral church of each individual diocese.
Taken from the Book of Isaiah, the chosen verse is meant to be a message of consolation and hope for all grandparents and elderly people, especially those who live in loneliness or feel forgotten. At the same time, it is a reminder to families and ecclesial communities not to forget them, recognizing in them a precious presence and a blessing.
Pope Leo’s choice highlights how God’s love for every person never fails, not even in the fragility of old age.
The Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life encourages particular Churches, associations and ecclesial communities throughout the world to find ways to promote and celebrate the day within their local contexts, and for this purpose it will later make available specific pastoral resources.
