World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly

Grandmother with grandaughter wearing aprons.

The World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly is celebrated in the United States on the first weekend after Labor Day (September 12 and 13, 2026).

The day was established by Pope Francis in 2021 to be on the fourth Sunday of July, near the liturgical memorial of Saints Joachim and Anne, the grandparents of Jesus, but the U.S. Bishops moved it to September to tie in with National Grandparents Day.

The theme for 2026 is "I will never forget you" (Isaiah 49:5).

"These are words that fill us with comfort and hope. They are the answer to an agonizing feeling that troubles the heart: 'The Lord has forsaken me; my Lord has forgotten me' (Is 49:14). How often in sacred Scripture, especially in the Psalms, does prayer spring from the despair of those who feel that their lives are of no interest to anyone and are being neglected! The painful feeling of being forgotten is, unfortunately, shared by many people, and among them are quite a few elderly people," Pope Leo XIV wrote in choosing the theme of the day.

In his message, Pope Leo expressed the hope that the day would be an inspiration to both young and old.

"The celebration of the World Day of Grandparents and the Elderly is an opportunity to rediscover that the Church is called to be a mother to all and that, at any age, it is always possible to recognize ourselves as sons and daughters of God. May this day, therefore, be an inspiration for everyone, especially the young, to revive the beautiful custom of visiting their grandparents, the elderly members of the family, and even those who have no one to visit them," he said.

The pope assured its elderly members that the Church understands their suffering.

Prayer

Lord, faithful God, you who created us in your image, you who never leaves us alone and who accompanies us through every season of life, do not abandon us, take care of us, and grant us, once again, the ability to discover ourselves and recognize that we are Your children.

Renew our hearts with your Word and do not allow anyone to be cast aside. May your Spirit of love fill us with your tenderness and teach us to say: “I will not abandon you!” to those we meet on our journey.

With the help of your beloved Son, may we not lose the taste for fraternity and may we not conform to the sadness of loneliness. Help us to look to the future with renewed hope, and make the World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly a day without loneliness, and a day abundant with the first fruits of your peace. Amen.

Catholic Grandparents Association

The Catholic Grandparents Association has been at the forefront in campaigning for a greater recognition of grandparents for their role and vocation in passing on their faith to the next generation.

“Grandparents and the elderly are often overlooked, but this new day in the Universal Church calendar is a momentous achievement for grandparents and the elderly and will hopefully reassure them that they are loved and that they are needed,” said Fr. Daniel Greenleaf, pastor of Prince of Peace Parish in Lewiston.

In that spirit, Prince of Peace Parish in Lewiston has established the first chapter of the Catholic Grandparents Association in the Diocese of Portland. The group seeks to support grandparents as they seek to pass on their faith to their grandchildren. The group meets on the first Tuesday of every month following the 7 a.m. Mass in the chapel of the Basilica of Saints Peter & Paul on 122 Ash Street in Lewiston.