The Vatican has published the theme chosen by Pope Francis for the IV World Day of Grandparents and the Elderly: “Do not cast me off in my old age.” It will be celebrated on July 28, 2024.
This theme is intended to emphasize the loneliness that often accompanies old age. The Pope says the elderly are often victims of the throwaway culture.
The World Day of Grandparents and the Elderly aims to promote the commitment of the church and society to create bonds between young and old.
During the celebration of this day in 2023, the Pope stressed the need to foster these intergenerational bonds.
POPE FRANCIS
I think of grandparents: how beautiful are these leafy trees, under which children and grandchildren build their “nests,” learn the atmosphere of home and experience the tenderness of an embrace. It is a matter of growing together: the leafy tree and the little ones who need the nest, the grandparents with their children and grandchildren, the elderly with the youngest. Brothers and sisters, we need a new alliance between the young and old.
The day was a 2021 initiative of Pope Francis. During his Sunday Angelus, the Pope said that “that old age is a gift” and that grandparents are the link between generations, to transmit the experience of life and faith to young people.
PA
TR: AT
