Grandparents Day
The World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly in July and Grandparents Day in September invite us to honor the special gifts of grandparents. Do that with fun activities that encourage intergenerational conversations.
This is just one way to put into practice the apostolic exhortation Christus Vivit (Christ Is Alive):
When young and old alike are open to the Holy Spirit, they make a wonderful combination. The old dream dreams, and the young see visions. How do the two complement one another?
The elderly have dreams built up of memories and images that bear the mark of their long experience. If young people sink roots in those dreams, they can peer into the future; they can have visions that broaden their horizons and show them new paths. But if the elderly do not dream, young people lose clear sight of the horizon.
Perhaps our parents have preserved a memory that can help us imagine the dream our grandparents dreamed for us. All of us, even before our birth, received, as a blessing from our grandparents, a dream filled with love and hope, the dream of a better life. Even if not our grandparents, surely some of our great-grandparents had that happy dream as they contemplated their children and then grandchildren in the cradle. The very first dream of all is the creative dream of God our Father, which precedes and accompanies the lives of all his children. The memory of this blessing that extends from generation to generation is a precious legacy that we should keep alive so that we too can pass it on. (#192–194)
Connecting Generations Choice Board
Visit sharingwisdomoftime.com to download activities to celebrate the generations in your community.
 | For parishes and schools • Grandparents Day Card |
 | For families at home • Family Stories and Family Faith |
People Respond to Pope Francis’s Message About the Older Generations
Loyola Press asked people about the Pope’s message to honor the wisdom of older generations. We also asked what younger generations can learn from older generations.
Family Day in September
Family Day is celebrated the fourth Monday of September. Continue the celebration of families and the stories we share from generation to generation—especially around the dinner table—by introducing a fun question to spark creative conversations.
After dinner on Family Day, try reading a family book together.
Pope Francis Says… (for little ones)
Dear Pope Francis or Loyola Kids Book of Bible Stories (children)
Sharing the Wisdom of Time (teens and adults)