The sixth World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly was celebrated on July 26, with Vatican officials saying it has become a regular Church observance focused on older people as active participants, not just care recipients.
Born during the COVID-19 pandemic, the initiative now aims to move communities from assistance to relationships, tackling loneliness that the Vatican called the real poverty of old age.
Pope Leo XIV’s theme, “I will never forget you,” was framed as a call for parishes and families to visit elderly people—especially those living alone, bedridden or more isolated during summer heat.
The Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life said parishes worldwide are expanding companionship visits, intergenerational projects and local campaigns, with examples ranging from earthquake-hit Venezuela to Kampala and India.
Vatican officials said the longer-term goal is to make closeness to older people an ordinary style of Church life, while urging seniors themselves to see old age as a vocation that includes prayer for peace.