Pope Francis meets with elderly and sick people on his final day in Singapore on Friday, Sept. 13, 2024, marking the conclusion of his 12-day, four-country apostolic journey to Asia and Oceania — the longest trip of his pontificate to date. / Credit: Vatican Media
Vatican City, Feb 6, 2025 / 07:00 am (CNA).
PopeFrancishaschosen“BlessedAreThoseWhoHaveNotLostHope”asthethemeforthefifthWorldDayforGrandparentsandtheElderly,whichwillbecelebratedthisyearonSunday,July27.
AccordingtoastatementfromtheDicasteryfortheLaity,theFamily,andLife,theHolyFatherwantedtohighlightthehopeoftheelderlyinthefinalstageoftheirlives.
Thesewords,takenfromtheBookofSirach,“expresstheblessednessoftheelderlyandindicatehopeplacedintheLordasthewaytoaChristianandreconciledoldage,”thestatementexplains.
Inthecontextofthejubileeyear,thisday,establishedbyPopeFrancisin2021,takesonanewmeaningasitintendstobe“anopportunitytoreflectonhowthepresenceofgrandparentsandtheelderlycanbecomeasignofhopeineveryfamilyandchurchcommunity,”accordingtotheVatican.
TheDicasteryfortheL
