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A group of Belgian Grandparents recently set off on a 100km hike that will take them from Belgium to the Scottish city of Glasgow, for the COP26 climate summit. COPs (Conference of the Parties) are annual global climate summits attended by officials from nearly every country on Earth.  This year the UK, in partnership with…

Tomorrow, 3 November is ‘World Drawing God Day’. The person behind this initiative is Karen Kiefer and she explains the background to it here: “God is always working. Last year, during at trip to the grocery store, I overheard two young kids talking as a parent was shopping nearby. One said to the other, “My…

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 CGA is delighted to announce Mrs Julia Dezelski as guest speaker for the Grandparents’ Faith Café on Tuesday 12 October online via Zoom.  Julia is Assistant Director for Marriage and Family Life, Laity at the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.  In her role, Julia assists the US Catholic Bishops in advancing the vocation and…

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.…

To Father Richard, míle buíochas for being with us today and especially for your support and encouragement of Catherine and the CGA through the years. Personally, I’m such a big fan of  yours and I’ve been terrified of following you ever since Catherine asked me to present the reflection today on our theme for this Faith Café – Our…

In a recent address to young people Pope Francis offered them some advice about their roots and their connection with Grandparents. The Holy Father was speaking to a gathering of young people in Lokomotiva Stadium on Tuesday 14 September as part of his visit to Slovakia. He said, “If you think about some of the…

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…

The CGA is delighted to announce that Father Richard Gibbons will be guest speaker at our Grandparents’ Faith Café on Tuesday 14 September online via Zoom.  Father Gibbons is a priest of the Archdiocese of Tuam and Parish Priest and Rector of Knock Shrine, Ireland’s International Eucharistic and Marian Shrine.  Father Gibbons is a native of…

The Catholic Grandparents Association has today announced that John Michael Talbot will be the guest speaker at the August gathering of the Grandparents’ Faith Café on Tuesday 10 August online via Zoom. John Michael Talbot is a multi-platinum selling, Grammy/Dove award winning contemporary Catholic Christian Music pioneer. His music has been the soundtrack to the faith…

The Vatican Dicastery for the Laity, Family and Life on Friday released the video version of the prayer for the Catholic Church’s first World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly on Sunday 25 July in which Pope Francis himself prays with Grandparents and Elders from around the world. “I thank You, Lord, for the comfort…

In his homily for the National Grandparents’ Pilgrimage to Knock Shrine, which also marked the first World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly, Archbishop Michael Neary of Tuam said the elderly can be wonderful role models for the young as their attitude to God, Jesus, Our Lady and religious values are extremely formative. The Mass…

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…

We are delighted to announce that our Patron, Archbishop Michael Neary, Archbishop of Tuam,  will be the guest speaker for our Grandparents’ Faith Café on Tuesday 13 July. Archbishop Neary will join us to be part of our celebration of Grandparents in the month in which we celebrate the World Day for Grandparents and the…

As part of the World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly, the CGA is inviting families and parishes to ‘Plant a Tree in their Memory’ on Sunday 24 July 2022. By planting this tree, families and parishes have a chance to remember all those Grandparents and Elders, including elderly priests and religious, who have passed…

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…

We are delighted to announce Peggy Stanton as the guest speaker for our Grandparents’ Faith Café on Tuesday 8 June. She will join our monthly Faith Café on Zoom to speak on the theme ‘The Amazing Grace of Grandparents in the Family’. Peggy Stanton is a news correspondent, author, illustrator and painter, who served ABC-TV…

Catherine Wiley, Founder of the Catholic Grandparents Association, spoke to broadcaster Michael Comyn on his ‘Leap of Faith’ Radio Programme on RTÉ Radio 1 on Friday 7 May. The ‘Leap of Faith’ is a programme for people of all faiths and none. Michael talks with those whose life experiences cause them to call on their beliefs, as…

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…

The Grandparents’ Faith Café is a new initiative of the Catholic Grandparents Association which is taking place online once a month over Zoom. The Faith Café is a social and spiritual space for grandparents to meet online once a month to chat, to offer prayers and intentions and to just be together in the spirit…

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…

We were delighted to be joined by author Lorene Hanley Duquin who graciously accepted the CGA’s invitation to be the guest speaker at our March 2021 Faith Café. Lorene spoke to us on the theme of ‘Faith Heroes’. We are delighted to share her address here: Faith Heroes When Marilyn asked me to be your guest…

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 being impacted by Covid-19. It has been a busy and productive month for the Catholic Grandparents Association and I am delighted to share our March newsletter with you on the day…

Today is the day! Pope Francis’ Year of Reflection on the Family begins today – the Feast of Saint Joseph. The Catholic Grandparents Association looks forward to supporting this year and to journeying with families, especially Grandparents and the elderly, as we reflect on Pope Francis’ love letter to families – The Joy of Love…

The Grandparents’ Faith Café is a new initiative of the Catholic Grandparents Association which is taking place online once a month over Zoom. The Faith Café is a social and spiritual space for grandparents to meet online once a month to chat, to offer prayers and intentions and to just be together in the spirit…

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    

The Grandparents’ Faith Café is a new initiative of the Catholic Grandparents Association which is taking place online once a month over Zoom. The Faith Café is a social and spiritual space for grandparents to meet online once a month to chat, to offer prayers and intentions and to just be together in the spirit…

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…

The Grandparents’ Faith Café is a new initiative of the Catholic Grandparents Association which is taking place online once a month over Zoom. The Faith Café is a social and spiritual space for grandparents to meet online once a month to chat, to offer prayers and intentions and to just be together in the spirit…

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…

Archbishop Michael Neary, Archbishop of Tuam, has welcomed the announcement by Pope Francis of the establishment of a World Day of Prayer for Grandparents and the Elderly Archbishop Neary said, “As patron of the Catholic Grandparents Association, I warmly welcome the Holy Father’s announcement of his decision to establish a World Day of Prayer for…

Welcome to the new Ministry Resource Leaflet from the Catholic Grandparents Association. These are short and sweet snippets to resource you and your ministry group which will be published monthly and which we invite you to share with your ministry groups, with parishes and with grandparents.  Click here to download the resource leaflet: CGA Ministry…

The Catholic Grandparents’ Faith Café met virtually via Zoom on Tuesday 15 January. Grandparents and friends from across the world joined us to connect with each other and to listen to the reflections.  Fr Bryan Shortall, OFM Cap, Parish Priest of Priorswood Parish in the Archdiocese of Dubin, was the guest speaker at this month’s…

On 19 March 2021, the fifth anniversary of the Apostolic Exhortation Amoris laetitia, on the joy and beauty of familial love, Pope Francis will inaugurate the Year “Amoris Laetitia Family,” which will conclude on 26 June 2022 on the occasion of the X World Meeting of Families in Rome. The Holy Father will be present…

The Faith Café is a new initiative of the Catholic Grandparents Association which is taking place online once a month over Zoom. Launching the initiative last December, Catherine Wiley, Founder of the CGA said, “If the pandemic has taught us anything it has taught us how much we have missed being together in family gatherings,…

Bishop Denis Nulty was the guest speaker at the December 2020 Grandparents’ Faith Café. You can read his reflection here: One of our diocesan team who became a grandparent for the fourth time recently shared with me: “As a grandparent four times I can honestly that each time is different. The personality of the little…

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 the family Nativity scene to Mass for a blessing. The Catholic Grandparents Association has been encouraging families to take part…

“Dear young people,” wrote Pope Francis on the occasion of the 32nd World Youth Day, “you need the wisdom and the vision of the elderly. […] They will speak to you of things that can thrill your minds and fill your hearts”. We are approaching Christmas, when Jesus is born within our families. This year,…

Bishop Denis Nulty, Bishop of Kildare and Leighlin, and Chair of the Irish Catholic Bishops’ Council for Marriage and the Family, will be the guest host of the first ever Grandparents’ Faith Cafe on Tuesday 15 December. The Faith Café is a new initiative of the Catholic Grandparents Association which will take place online once…

My Dearest Grandparents, Great Grandparents and Friends,  We are keeping all of you and your loved ones in our prayers at this difficult time for so many people who are dealing with many different challenges as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. During this month of the Holy Souls we are also praying in a…

Grandparents form probably the largest and most active contingent serving the life of our parishes. They are our sacristans, passkeepers, readers, extraordinary ministers, catechists and more. Serving parishes like this is fulfilling, but what is often closest to the hearts of grandparents in the Church today is what they can do to keep their families…