Highlights from the March 2026 Grandparents Faith Café 

The Grandparents’ Faith Café welcomed Tara Rafter with the theme: “I Will Never Forget You”

On Tuesday, 10 March 2026, Grandparents from across the world gathered online for the monthly Grandparents Faith Café, hosted by the Catholic Grandparents Association. The theme for this beautiful evening was drawn from Pope Francis’ message for the World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly: “I Will Never Forget You” — words that speak to the heart of everything Grandparents are and do. 

Our keynote speaker was Tara Rafter, a Master NLP Practitioner, Executive Coach, and Motivational Speaker from the west of Ireland — and the proud EVOKE Irish Life Coach of the Year 2025. Tara brought warmth, wisdom, and practical insight in equal measure, drawing on eight years of work with clients across all walks of life.

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Faith Café on Tuesday the 10th of February

The Grandparents’ Faith Café welcomes David Quinn with the theme: “Does Gen Z Have a Future Without Religion?”

We begin 2026 with a Faith Café of exceptional importance—one that speaks directly to the future of our grandchildren and the future of the Church itself. We strongly encourage you not to miss this Faith Café, as it will help us better understand the challenges facing Gen Z and how Grandparents can respond with faith, hope, and courage.

David Quinn is a well-known journalist in Ireland who specialises in religious and social affairs. He has been a national newspaper columnist since 1994 and currently writes weekly columns for both The Sunday Independent and The Irish Catholic. He served as editor of The Irish Catholic from 1996 to 2003 and later as Social and Religious Affairs Correspondent for The Irish Independent from 2003 to 2006.

He is the founder and head of The Iona Institute, a Christian research and advocacy organisation established in 2007, dedicated to promoting the dignity of the family, the sanctity of life, and freedom of religion in an increasingly secular world.

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Our next Faith Cafe will be held on Tuesday the 10th of February

The Grandparents’ Faith Café welcomes David Quinn with the theme: “Does Gen Z Have a Future Without Religion?”

We begin 2026 with a Faith Café of exceptional importance—one that speaks directly to the future of our grandchildren and the future of the Church itself. We strongly encourage you not to miss this Faith Café, as it will help us better understand the challenges facing Gen Z and how Grandparents can respond with faith, hope, and courage.

David Quinn is a well-known journalist in Ireland who specialises in religious and social affairs. He has been a national newspaper columnist since 1994 and currently writes weekly columns for both The Sunday Independent and The Irish Catholic. He served as editor of The Irish Catholic from 1996 to 2003 and later as Social and Religious Affairs Correspondent for The Irish Independent from 2003 to 2006.

He is the founder and head of The Iona Institute, a Christian research and advocacy organisation established in 2007, dedicated to promoting the dignity of the family, the sanctity of life, and freedom of religion in an increasingly secular world.

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Our next Faith Cafe will be held on Tuesday the 13th of January

The Grandparents’ Faith Café welcomes David Quinn with the theme: “Does Gen Z Have a Future Without Religion?”

We begin 2026 with a Faith Café of exceptional importance—one that speaks directly to the future of our grandchildren and the future of the Church itself. We strongly encourage you not to miss this Faith Café, as it will help us better understand the challenges facing Gen Z and how Grandparents can respond with faith, hope, and courage.

David Quinn is a well-known journalist in Ireland who specialises in religious and social affairs. He has been a national newspaper columnist since 1994 and currently writes weekly columns for both The Sunday Independent and The Irish Catholic. He served as editor of The Irish Catholic from 1996 to 2003 and later as Social and Religious Affairs Correspondent for The Irish Independent from 2003 to 2006.

He is the founder and head of The Iona Institute, a Christian research and advocacy organisation established in 2007, dedicated to promoting the dignity of the family, the sanctity of life, and freedom of religion in an increasingly secular world.

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Giving Tuesday: Supporting Grandparents Who Pass on the Faith

Giving Tuesday is not only about money.
It is also about giving time, prayer, love, and support.

As a voluntary organisation, we rely entirely on the kindness and generosity of members and friends around the world.

When you give to CGA, you are supporting the future of faith for children and grandchildren.

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Our next Faith Cafe will be held on Tuesday 9th December

The Grandparents’ Faith Café welcomes Joan Lewis with the theme: “Christmas at the Vatican”.

A respected Vatican journalist and author, Joan has spent over four decades covering the Church from the heart of Rome. She served as the English-language writer and editor for the Vatican Information Service (VIS) from 1990 to 2005, and was appointed EWTN’s first Rome Bureau Chief later that year—a role she held until 2017.

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People of the Year award for founder

A Co. Mayo grandmother, the driving force behind the world’s first national Catholic Grandparents Association, has been honoured in a prestigious People of the Year awards scheme. And now Catherine Wiley hopes the Rehab Mayo People of the Year accolade will help the Association “reach into every parish in Ireland, so that we can support…

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10,000 Irish grandparents inspire worldwide movement

Over 10,000 Irish grandparents, who attended the National Grandparents’ Pilgrimage in Knock in September, have kick-started a worldwide movement of grandparents – and, next month, over 1m Catholics will hear from a Co. Mayo grandmother about how it all came to pass. Following the phenomenal success of Pilgrimage, the Vatican has now announced plans to…

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Irish pilgrimage inspires Pope to write new world prayer

Over 4,000 Irish grandparents, who attended the first-ever National Grandparents’ Pilgrimage in Knock Shrine last year, have inspired Pope Benedict XV1 to write a new prayer in honour of grandparents all over the world – and it will be given its first recital ever in Knock next Sunday. Following the success of the pilgrimage last…

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Hunt is on for 10,000 prayers

Grandparents all over Ireland have been asked to put pen to paper and compile a whopping 5,000 prayers in honour of their grandchildren. An appeal has been sent out to children to writer a prayer in honour of their grandcildren as part of a unique event for grandparents, and the organisers hope to reach a…

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Grandparents day in Mayo school

Primary school children all over Co. Mayo are set to receive special visitors to their schools – their own grandparents. A grandmother is spearheading a campaign to establish Grandparents’ Day in the county’s primary schools, and already it has been backed by former Rose of Tralee Aoibhinn Ni Shuilleabhain. Under the novel scheme, grandparents will…

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Irish grandmother inspires the world

A Co. Mayo grandmother who ran Ireland’s first-ever National Grandparents’ Pilgrimage last year has inspired church leaders in countries around the world to run similar pilgrimages, following her address to a high-powered Vatican Council last week. Catherine Wiley, a native of Castlebar who lives in Murrisk, outside Westport, said she was “very moved and humbled”…

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Grandparents nationwide to be celebrated

It is said that the greeting card people Hallmark invented ‘Mother’s Day’ and ‘Father’s Day’ as a money-spinner. Seems like they never thought of the possibilities of a ‘Grandparent’s Day’ though. The first-ever National Grandparents Pilgrimage will take place on Saturday, September 22nd, at Knock Shrine, Co. Mayo this year. The unique event was inspired…

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Irish grandparents to be honoured with new pilgrimage

Ireland already has a Mother’s Day and a Father’s Day, but now a Co. Mayo grandmother has launched a campaign to honour grannies and grand-dads and grandfathers – and the goal is to gather the largest collection of prayers ever assembled in the country. Catherine Wiley, who left Castlebar for London in her teenage years…

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