(Vatican Radio) The vital role of grandparents in passing on the faith through their families: echoing a theme that he spoke of during the flight over to Brazil, Pope Francis on Friday stressed the essential dialogue between the youngest and oldest members of society…
Speaking at the recitation of the Angelus prayer to crowds gathered outside the Archdiocesan house in Rio de Janeiro, the Pope noted that the Church today marks the feast of Jesus’ grandparents, Saints Joachim and Anne, father and mother of the Virgin Mary. As she grew up with them, the Pope said, she was surrounded by their love and faith, learning to listen to the Lord and to follow his will. Saints Joachim and Anne, the Pope said, were part of a long chain of people who had transmitted their love for God down to Mary, who received the Son of God in her womb and gave him to the world, to us.
How precious is the family as the privileged place for transmitting the faith, the Pope stressed, noting that Grandparents Day is also being celebrated in countries around the world. The Aparecida Document, he recalled, underlines the vital link between children and the elderly who build the future of society together: children, because they lead history forward, the elderly, because they transmit the experience and wisdom of their lives.
How important it is, Pope Francis exclaimed, in the context of this World Youth Day to acknowledge and honour grandparents, and to have intergenerational dialogue, especially within the context of the family.
Picture source Holy Family with Sts. Joachim and Anne by Giovanni Bellini
Tags: Grandparents, Pope Francis, World Youth Day, Youth
