Preparing for the WORLD DAY FOR GRANDPARENTS AND THE ELDERLY. – see suggestions below. Go to https://marfam.org.za/grandparents-day-2026/

July 18. SEE.   “Sometimes you have a child who seems to really want to do bad things. It could start small like hurting animals, pulling wings of insects and hanging a cat from a tree.  Then they hurt other kids, bully them and so it goes.  I think that those youth in the gangs that terrorise our neighbourhoods must have started being like that as little kids. And later are they society’s rapists and murderers?  They should be punished for evil acts, but let us also pray especially for those who are inclined to do evil, almost as if they can’t help themselves any more.  That is a greater problem.”  Many people commemorae Mandela Day on his anniversary by doing 67 minutes for good,

JUDGE. Reflect and share. Scripture. Woe to those who devise wickedness and work evil upon their bed.  When the morning dawns they perform it because it is in the power of their hand.   Micah 2:1-5    Pope Francis:  Violence within families breeds new forms of social aggression since family relationships can also explain the tendency to a violent personality. AL 51.  People that abandon their tradition and, from a craze to mimic others or to foment violence allow others to rob their soul, and end up by losing not only their spiritual identity but also their moral consistency.   FT 14.   Pope Leo: In the context of AI the biblical story of the Tower of Babel illustrates that “when a city is built on pride and the claim to self-sufficiency, communication breaks down, languages are confused and people no longer understand each other. The result is not unity, but dispersion. Babel thus reveals the limits of any effort that, however grandiose, arises from self-affirmation, sacrifices human dignity for efficiency and aspires to reach heaven without God’s blessing.” MH7     

ACT AND PRAY.  To be open to the dangers of pride and sacrificing human dignity for efficiency and profit. Pray the Prayer of St Francis for grandparents and the elderly.  We pray for God’s blessing on the grandparents and elderly of our families and community,  bless them with peace and contentment and an acceptance that their lives were well spent. We ask St Joachim and St Anne, the grandparents of Jesus, to pray with us.

SUGGESTIONS FOR PARISHES:

  1. BEFOREHAND. With parish priest, liturgy team, catechists, school, family ministry, sodalities,…… plan and prepare beforehand. Possibly organize a collection for poor and needy or to provide refreshment after the Mass.  Prepare small memento.
  2. ON THE DAY. Visit elderly and housebound, or bring to church. 
  3. Incorporate in bidding prayers during the month and especially on the day
  4. Invite grandparents and grandchildren to read, share testimony, lead offertory procession.   
  5. Include the theme in homily, conclude with prayers.  Grandchildren and grandparents can read or if printed in the bulletin the whole congregation can join in the prayers.
  6. Pray a blessing over grandparents and all elderly.
  7. Provide refreshments, especially for poor and old.