Today, the Church celebrates Grandparents and Elders Day and I want to take this opportunity to give my blessings to all the elders and grandparents day. The scripture teaches us that “In old age, they will still bear fruit” (Ps 92:15). Elders and grandparents are a gift and treasure to our Church and to families because we receive ancestral wisdom from them.
We have a duty and responsibility to treasure our relationship with them because they play a vital role in our families, especially with the younger children of the family. And young married couples who bear children can learn from the experience of their ageing parents on how to take care and bring up their children with good values. They are the representatives of our cultural heritage and our children can learn a lot from them. I have come across, in some cases, grandparents have assumed the role of parents in bringing up their grandchildren because sometimes the parents have died young or abandoned them. In some cases, the grandparents are deprived of the opportunity to interact with their grandchildren because of some misunderstanding with their own children.
On this day, I invite all the faithful in the diocese to celebrate this great day by honouring your elders and grandparents; however, our celebrations must not only be limited to this day but it should always be the case. I encourage everyone to reach out to the elderly and our grandparents, in one way or another. Simple actions like giving them flowers or a card or groceries etc. will go a long way. Old age is a time when loneliness creeps in, therefore, I encourage you to visit the elderly more often, especially the widows and widowers or those who are single. Spend some time with them, and listen to them while sharing a cup of tea or a meal; I am sure they will be touched by your kindness and I believe that these actions will be greatly rewarded in the future.
As you all celebrate this day, I once again impart my blessings to all the elderly and grandparents in our diocese and I join you in prayer and solidarity.
In Christ,
+Bishop Alwyn Barreto