Grandparents should not be forgotten, says pope

Pope Francis’ liturgical celebrations for July and August have been announced, which will include Mass to celebrate the 3rd World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly.

The Holy See has also released details about the pope’s upcoming Apostolic Journeys to Portugal and Mongolia. While July is traditionally the pope’s rest month, he will be busier than ever over the next six weeks.

The only official liturgical celebration that will take place in the Vatican is the Mass for the third World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly on July 23. The Church observes the World Day each year on the fourth Sunday in July, close to the feast of Jesus’ grandparents, Saints Joachim and Anne.

Pope Francis instituted this Day in 2021 to recall grandparents, who he says are often forgotten, though they “are the link between generations, passing on the experience of life and faith to the young.”

This year’s theme “His mercy is from age to age” (Lk 1:50), which highlights the link with World Youth Day to be held from August 1 to 6 in Lisbon, Portugal. While in Portugal Pope Francis will also visit Fatima. It will be the second time the pope has visited the Marian pilgrimage site, which attracts millions of pilgrims every year. The site is famous for the Blessed Virgin Mary’s appearance before  three shepherd children in 2017.

The 37th World Youth Day was originally scheduled to take place in the Portuguese capital in 2022 but was postponed because of Covid-19. For this year’s WYD’s theme, Pope Francis has chosen “Mary arose and went with haste” (Lk 1:39).

The liturgical calendar also highlights that Pope Francis will preside over liturgical celebrations at the end of the month, during his Apostolic Visit to Mongolia in late August and September.

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