Dear Parishioners,

Pope Francis, earlier this year, decided to institute a Church-wide celebration of a World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly. It will be held annually on the fourth Sunday of July close to the liturgical memorial of Ss. Joachim and Anne, the grandparents of Jesus.

IHM will celebrate this on Sunday, July 25, 2021 at the 10:00am Mass. Grandparents and the elderly will be acknowledged and blessed.

Recalling the feast of the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple when the elderly Simeon and Anna encountered the child Jesus and recognized Him as the Messiah, Pope Francis said, “the Holy Spirit even today stirs up thoughts and words of wisdom in grandparents and the elderly.” He said, “the voice of the elderly is precious because it sings the praises of God and preserves the roots of the peoples.”

The Holy Father said he instituted the World Day of Grandparents and the Elderly because, “grandparents are often forgotten, and we forget the wealth of preserving roots and passing on what the elderly have received.”

He emphasized the importance of grandparents and grandchildren getting to know one another, because “as the prophet Joel says, grandparents seeing their grandchildren dream,” while “young people, drawing strength from their grandparents, will go forward and prophesy.”

I look forward to this new day in our annual liturgical calendar, Sunday, July 25, 2021, recognizing the elderly and grandparents!

Many blessings,
Father Jim