World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly

The fifth “World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly” will take place in the United States on Sunday, September 7, 2025. The theme for 2025 is:

“Blessed Are Those Who Have Not Lost Hope”

In this Jubilee of 2025, the Holy Father wants to highlight the hope of the elderly in the final stage of their lives. The theme of this World Day was inspired by Sirach 14:2.

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 2024

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
(on vatican.va)   PDF Document
 (download)

God never abandons his children, never. Even when our age advances and our powers decline, when our hair grows white and our role in society lessens, when our lives become less productive and can risk appearing useless. God does not regard appearances; he does not disdain to choose those who, to many people, may seem irrelevant.

The Psalms are filled with the wonder of the human heart before God who cares for us despite our insignificance (cf. Ps 144:3-4); they assure us that God has fashioned each one of us from our mother’s womb (cf. Ps 139:13) and that even in hell he will not abandon our life (cf. Ps 16:10). We can be certain, then, that he will be close to us also in old age, all the more because, in the Bible, growing old is a sign of blessing. At the same time, in the Psalms we also find this heartfelt plea to the Lord: “In my old age do not abandon me” (cf. Ps 71:9). Words that are strong, even crude. They make us think of the extreme suffering of Jesus, who cried out on the cross: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Mt 27:46).

In many older persons we can observe the sense of resignation described in the Book of Ruth, which tells the story of the elderly Naomi who, after the death of her husband and children, encourages her two daughters-in-law, Orpah and Ruth, to return to their native towns and their homes …

From Pope Francis’ Message for the Third World Day For Grandparents and the Elderly, published April 25, 2024.

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
  • 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).