World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly
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Sunday, September 7, 2025Theme for 2025
In the United States, the “World Day For Grandparents and the Elderly” will be celebrated on September 7, 2025. The theme for this year was taken from Sirach 14:2:
“Blessed Are Those Who Have Not Lost Hope”.
It reflects the theme for Jubilee of 2025, “Pilgrims of Hope.”
In his 2025 Message, Pope Leo wrote:
In the Bible, God repeatedly demonstrates his providential care by turning to people in their later years. This was the case not only with Abraham and Sarah, Zechariah and Elizabeth, but also with Moses, who was called to set his people free when he was already eighty years old (cf. Ex 7:7). God thus teaches us that, in his eyes, old age is a time of blessing and grace, and that the elderly are, for him, the first witnesses of hope.
You may read his full message online at the Vatican website or download a printable PDF document:
For additional resources, visit the Diocese of Fargo World Day For Grandparents and the Elderly page.
A Brief History
In 2021, Pope Francis established a “World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly”, to take place each year on the fourth Sunday in July (this date was chosen because it is close to the feast day of Sts. Joachim and Anne, the grandparents of Jesus). The bishops in the United States transferred the celebration to the Sunday in September after Labor Day to coincide with National Grandparents Day in the United States (see the USCCB website).Catechesis on Old Age
In 2022, Pope Francis’ Wednesday audience catecheses were reflections on old age. The 18 talks are available online from the Vatican website. It has also been compiled into a downloadable PDF document for those who do not have access to or prefer not to read the texts on a web browser: