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The Vatican has released the Official Prayer for the Third World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly announced a Plenary Indulgence for the occasion which will be celebrated on Sunday 23 July. You can read the prayer below and also share this beautiful prayer card prepared by the Dicastery for Laity Family and Life.  Prayer…

During the diocesan stage of the Universal Synod, people called for courses, resources, and dynamic spaces where they could explore or deepen their own faith, spirituality, and understanding of Scripture on a personal level. One initiative being made available in 2023 is this series of short video reflections on the Sunday Gospel each week. Watch…

We invite you to make a pilgrimage for the third World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly on Sunday 23 July. This year we will have a pilgrimage in Knock Shrine, in Walsingham and in Medjugorge. See the details below for each of the pilgrimages: Knock Shrine, Ireland  Walsingham, UK Medjugorje

We are on the one month countdown to the World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly which will be celebrated on Sunday 23 July 2023. The resources include pull up banners, social media visuals, liturgical resources and some creative and practical ways to involve grandparents and their families in your parish celebration of the world…

“A shared program of actions” to establish dialogue between family ministry and family research centers in Catholic universities throughout the world “for the promotion of the family in light of the Social Doctrine of the Church”. This is the Family Global Compact (FGC) presented today in the Holy See Press Office. Supported by a Message of His Holiness…

We were reminded today of this wonderful interview which our Founder Catherine Wiley did with Vatican Radio. It’s well worth a listen as she stresses the important role Grandparents can play in passing on the faith and keeping prayer at the heart of family life. Click here  ENDS

The Federation of Catholic Family Associations in Europe invites artists to think and create together on the figure of Saint Joseph!  How do we see in 2023 this Patron saint of the Catholic Church, Patron of fathers, and Patron of workers? This call for art works embodies two of the directions set by Pope Francis:…

Pope Francis releases his message for the 31th World Day of the Sick, and urges Catholics to heed the example of the Good Samaritan showing compassion and taking care of the sick in a world that discards the most vulnerable. As the Church journeys along the synodal path, Pope Francis is inviting the faithful to…

We are sending you warm greetings for Christmas from the Catholic Grandparents Association: Wishing the light of the Christmas star to you. The warmth of home and hearth to you. The cheer and good will of friends to you. The hope of a childlike heart to you. The joy of a thousand angels to you.…

We are living a famine of peace – Pope Francis In his message for the second World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly, Pope Francis addressed the need for peace in our world. He said, “Our world is passing through a time of trial and testing, beginning with the sudden, violent outbreak of the pandemic,…

On Saturday 1 October next, the Catholic Grandparents Association (CGA) will host a Ministry Seminar to facilitate those interested in establishing a Grandparents’ Ministry in parishes. The Ministry Seminar is aimed at those starting out and those wishing to enrich and enhance recently established ministries for Grandparents. So, if you are a parish that would like…

We are delighted to share some prayers, reflections and quotes with you as we move on into a real feeling of Autumn and the changing of the Seasons. Pope Francis’ Sunday Angelus on 11 September 2022 This first piece is from Pope Francis’ Sunday Angelus address on 11 September 2022.  As you read these words…

At the Wednesday General Audience, Pope Francis reflected on the value of old age, focusing on Daniel’s prophetic dream about the Ancient of Days (Dan 7:9-10). The Pope said the vision—known as a theophany—highlights the connection between old age and youth. Everything about the man in the vision is full of “vigour, strength, nobility, beauty,…

Sunday 24 July will see grandparents from across Ireland gathering in Knock Shrine for their annual pilgrimage which coincides with the celebration of the second World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly, the newly introduced universal celebration instituted by Pope Francis last year. This year’s pilgrimage will mark a number of firsts: it will be the…

In his message for the second World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly, Pope Francis addresses the need for peace in our world. He says, “Our world is passing through a time of trial and testing, beginning with the sudden, violent outbreak of the pandemic, and then by a war that is harming peace and…

Pope Francis established a World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly which took place for the first time on Sunday 25 July 2021. In 2022, the celebration will fall on Sunday 24 July, the Sunday closest to the Feast of Saints Joachim and Anne, Grandparents of Jesus. The theme chosen by Pope Francis for this year’s…

I am delighted to bring you the Easter 2022 edition of our newsletter. Click below to download it. CGA NEWSLETTER EASTER 2022 I take this opportunity to wish all of you a very Happy Easter. A Happy Easter is something that seems contradictory when so many people are still very much living out a Good…

As the war wages on in Ukraine and the massacres continue, Pope Francis has appealed for a truce in the war-ravaged nation this Easter. During his remarks following his Angelus address this Palm Sunday, the Pope exclaimed, “Let the weapons be put down! Let the Easter truce begin.” The Holy Father noted that as we…

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…

The Grandparents’ Faith Café will open again online on Tuesday 8 March. The CGA is delighted to announce Father Enda Brady as guest speaker for March. He will speak on the theme of ‘The call of Baptism’. Father Enda Brady is a priest of the Archdiocese of Cashel and Emly in Ireland. He is parish priest in the…

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…