Your Eminences,
Your Excellencies,
Reverend Monsignori and Fathers, Consecrated Men and Women,
Partners in the Family and Life Apostolate,
Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Peace be with you!
As mentioned by CBCP President Most Rev. Romulo G. Valles in his Pastoral Statement dated 4 June 2021, the Holy Father established the annual World Day of Grandparents and the Elderly as “the first-fruits of the Amoris Laetitia Family Year”.
1. To mark the historic launching on 25 July 2021, Pope Francis published a message to grandparents and the elderly. He assures them that “you are needed in order to help build, in fraternity and social friendship, the world of tomorrow: the world in which we, together with our children and grandchildren, will live once the storm has subsided. All of us must “take an active part in renewing and supporting our troubled societies” (Fratelli tutti, 77). Among the pillars that support this new edifice, there are three that you, better than anyone else, can help to set up. Those three pillars are dreams, memory and prayer.” I encourage you to watch or read his uplifting message.
2. Creative (and safe) initiatives can be organized as regional, diocesan, parochial, community celebrations. We especially recommend actual or virtual visits to the elderly, especially the neglected. In fact, the Holy Father has conceded the Plenary Indulgence “on this same day to the faithful who devote adequate time to actually or virtually visiting their elderly brothers and sisters in need or in difficulty (such as the sick, the abandoned, the disabled and other similar cases)”. According to the Decree,
• “The Apostolic Penitentiary… graciously grants the Plenary Indulgence from the heavenly treasures of the Church, under the usual conditions (sacramental confession, Eucharistic communion and prayer according to the intentions of the Supreme Pontiff) to grandparents, the elderly and all the faithful who, motivated by a true spirit of penance and charity, will participate on 25 July 2021, on the occasion of the First World Day of Grandparents and the Elderly, in the solemn celebration that the Most Holy Father Francis will preside over in the Vatican Papal Basilica or at the various functions that will be held throughout the world, who may also apply it as suffrage for the souls in Purgatory.
• “The Plenary Indulgence may also be granted to, provided that they detach themselves from any sins and intend to fulfill the three usual conditions as soon as possible, the elderly sick and all those who, unable to leave their homes for a serious reason, will unite themselves spiritually to the sacred functions of the World Day, offering to the Merciful God their prayers, pains or sufferings of their lives, especially during the transmission, through the means of television and radio, but also through the new means of social communication the words of the Supreme Pontiff and the celebrations.”
3. To complement regional and diocesan programs, the Episcopal Commission on Family and Life has partnered with the Episcopal Commissions on Youth and on Liturgy and with the Catholic Grandparents Association (CGA) of the Philippines to offer a three-day virtual conference from 22 to 24 July 2021. Everyone is invited, especially the elderly and the young. It will be broadcast via Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CBCP.ECFL/.
• On Thursday, 22 July, 2:00-3:30 p.m., Mrs. Catherine Wiley, the Founder and International President of the Catholic Grandparents Association, will give a talk on the theme of this year’s celebration, “I am with you always”. After a testimony, the diocesan family and life apostolate/ministry directors and coordinators are encouraged to partner with their CGA and organize opportunities for the faithful, especially grandparents, to share experiences and encouragement. The questions for sharing are these:
o Did the pandemic make it more difficult (or easier) to share your faith with your grandchildren? Share how you overcame the new challenges.
o Who is praying for you every day? For whom are you praying every day? Share some experiences of answered prayers.
• On Friday, 23 July, 2:00-3:00 p.m., we shall hear inspiring testimonies of grandparents who are passing on the Faith to their grandchildren in challenging situations. The session will end with short prayers for healing.
• On Saturday, 24 July, 2:00-3:30 p.m., I will reflect on “The Dignity of the Elderly and Their Mission in Our Society and in the Church” according to Pope Francis’ Apostolic Exhortation Amoris Laetitia. The session will also include a testimony.
Finally, we are happy to inform you that our next Amoris Laetitia Family Year event will be in collaboration with the Episcopal Commission for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant Peoples. The program will be sent to you in the first week of August.
Sincerely,
