In January, Pope Francis announced the institution of World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly, which will take place each year on the fourth Sunday in July, close to the feast of Ss Joachim and Anne, the grandparents of Jesus.
The full message from the Holy Father is available here, in which he reminds us:
“There is no retirement age from the work of proclaiming the Gospel and handing down traditions to your grandchildren.”
In the Diocese of Brentwood, we are marking the occasion with a special video produced by the children of St Teresa’s Primary School in Rochford for the Department for Marriage and Family Life. In the film below the children recall special memories with their own grandparents.
Parishes around the Diocese offered a blessing for grandparents after Mass today. We will also be sharing some of the wonderful writing and poems the children at St Teresa’s have created this week on the Marriage and Family Life Facebook page.
The Dicastery for Laity and Family Life is holding a number of events in this year of the Amoris Laetitia Family, leading up to the 10th World Meeting of Families, which will be celebrated principally in Rome and marked by dioceses around the world. You can read more about the plans of the Dicastery here and keep up to speed on what is happening locally here.
