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The Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life has made available a Pastoral Kit for dioceses and parishes to assist with the local celebration of the 10th World Meeting of Families, which will take place from 22 – 26 June. As numbers going to Rome for the event are restricted due to the pandemic, Pope Francis…

Archbishop Eamon Martin is encouraging families to pray together and fast for peace this Lent.  Archbishop Martin was speaking as he launched the #LivingLent social media initiative for Lent 2022.  The #LivingLent digital media initiative invites the faithful to use social media to grow closer to God during Lent so as to prepare for the…

Pope Francis has begun a new catechesis series on the meaning and value of old age. The 85 year old Pontiff began the series at his weekly General Audience on 23 February by saying, “We have finished the catecheses on Saint Joseph. Today we begin a catechetical journey that seeks inspiration in the Word of…

Pope Francis has this morning announced the theme for the World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly which will be celebrated this year on Sunday 24 July. The theme, which is taken from Psalm 92:15, is ‘In old age they will still bear fruit’. Expanding on the theme in a series of tweets, the Holy…

As the Church draws closer to the 10th World Meeting of Families, which will take place in Rome on 22-26 June 2022, some short films are being produced to accompany the path of preparation for this event. The Diocese of Rome and the Dicastery for the Laity, Family and Life, which are organizing the Meeting,…

Our January Ministry Resource is now available to download. Each month we offer a simple one page information leaflet with resources and suggestions for discussion topics at your Ministry meetings. We’d love to hear from you if there is something you would like us to include in the Ministry Resource or if you have a…

We wish you every blessing for a Happy and Holy Christmas and a Peaceful New Year. Thank you for all your support in 2021 for our mission to help grandparents to pass on the faith and to keep prayer at the heart of family life. The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass has been offered for…

I am delighted to be writing to you as we prepare to celebrate Christmas. We prepare for Christmas with the attitudes of Elizabeth and Mary. Like Elizabeth we are open to receive Christ with wonder and joy. Like Mary we are ready to do the will of God as it is made clear to us.…

The Blessing of the Bambinelli (Baby Jesus) is a tradition which began in Rome. Each year on the Third Sunday of Advent (Gaudete Sunday), the Holy Father invites children to bring the Baby Jesus (Bambinelli) from their family Nativity scene to Mass for a blessing. We have been encouraging the observation of this tradition in parishes for a…

The first day of Advent heralds the beginning of the Catholic Church’s new year.  Advent (from ‘ad-venire’ in Latin or “to come to”) is the Church season encompassing the four Sundays and weekdays leading up to the celebration of Christmas.  Advent is a time of spiritual preparation for the Lord’s coming at Christmas.  Advent also…

We are delighted to share the October issue of our Newsletter. In her editorial this month Catherine Wiley is reflecting on the last couple of months of the year and on the joy of our recent Ministry Seminar. There’s lots more news and features in this month’s issue which is available to view here. Please…

A new resource on the Rosary has just been made available. The ‘Rosary for the Family’ was carefully created by the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network and the Dicastery for the Laity, Family and Life as part of the ‘Amoris Laetitia Family Year’. This is one of a number of resources that the Dicastery is making available…

We are delighted to bring you our October Ministry Resource which is designed to be used by CGA Ministry Groups for meetings. It can also be shared with Grandparents in your parish as it has some brief snippets on resources of interest. Please feel free to download and share this resource. CGA October 2021 Ministry…

The arrival of September and harvest time signals a new season of the year and for many of us another season of back to routine after the long sunny Summer days spent on various family outings or adventures. Autumn also signifies a change. We see it in the colours around us on crisp September mornings.…

Pope Francis has called on Catholics to take action for our common home during the Season of Creation which runs from 1 September – 4 October. In the Pope Video for the month of September, he encourages everyone to question the way we live, and to turn “towards lifestyles that are simpler and more respectful…

Earlier this morning, Sunday 25 July, Holy Mass was celebrated in St Peter’s Basilica to mark the first World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly. Among those present were those carrying out pastoral work supporting the elderly, as well as grandparents and their grandchildren. Grandparents, the elderly and the faithful were also able to obtain a…

Pope Francis has granted a Plenary Indulgence on the occasion of the first World Day of Grandparents and the Elderly, which will be celebrated on Sunday 25 July 2021 on the theme ‘I am with you always’ (Mt 28:20). The Indulgence is granted to grandparents, the elderly and all the faithful who participate “motivated by…

The Vatican has today released Pope Francis’  message for the first World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly, which will be celebrated on Sunday 25 July on the theme ‘I am with you always’ (Mt 28:20). Welcoming the message, Catherine Wiley, Founder of the Catholic Grandparents’ Association said, “We are overjoyed to read the wonderful…

The arrival of the month of June means we will soon mark the one month countdown to the first ever World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly on Sunday 25 July. It also means that our June Newsletter is here! In this month’s issue we feature some additional new resources for the World Day for…

Tuesday 25 May saw us mark the two month countdown to the celebration of the first ever World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly on Sunday 25 July. We are so looking forward to celebrating this milestone event in the lives of Grandparents and Elders. It is a gift to us and to the Church…

May is the month of Mary. As I was reflecting on that this past week I was reminded of how often I have placed prayer intentions at her feet and implored her to bring them to Jesus. I am so grateful for the prayers that have gone to her and the blessings that have come…

The Diocese of Rome and the Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life have launched the official prayer for the 10th World Meeting of Families to be held in Rome from 22 to 26 June 2022. The official hashtag has also been launched as #WMOF2022. The prayer, composed for the 10th World Meeting of Families, springs…

Sunday 25 July will see the celebration of the first World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly. The Vatican’s Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life has today announced the theme chosen by Pope Francis for this year’s celebration, which is ‘I am with you always’ (Mt 28:20). This theme has been chosen as a way…

April is always a season that feels hopeful and this year it arrived with a real sense of purpose for me. We celebrated Easter with its backdrop of blossoming Spring flowers in gardens and parks. Some of the Covid-19 restrictions have also been lifted and we are hopeful here in Ireland of a return in…

The Catholic Grandparents Association has created its own emblem for the World Day of Prayer for Grandparents and the Elderly which will be celebrated for the first time on Sunday 25 July 2021. The image at the centre of the emblem features Saint Joachim and Saint Anne, parents of Mary and Grandparents of Jesus. The image was…

The Ministry Resource Leaflet from the Catholic Grandparents Association is now available for March 2021. We invite you to share with your ministry groups, with parishes and with grandparents.  Click here to download the resource leaflet: CGA March 2021 Ministry Resource    

My Dearest Grandparents, Great Grandparents and Friends, We are keeping all of you and your loved ones in our prayers as our world is still ravaged by Covid-19. It has been a busy and productive month for the Catholic Grandparents Association and I am delighted to share our February newsletter with you. Click below to download…

Ash Wednesday falls on 17 February this year and heralds the beginning of Lent 2021. This year Knock Shrine will host a new series of online discussions to help engage Christians during the Lenten Season on the theme of ‘Living Christian Faith – Lenten Conversations’. Chaired by Father Eamonn Conway, a priest of the Archdiocese…