The Elderly
The Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life is busy building “a Church that challenges the throw-away culture with the overflowing joy of a new embrace between young and old!” (Pope Francis, General Audience, March 11, 2015).
For this reason, it fosters and supports the promotion of a pastoral care of the elderly that knows how to enhance their peculiar vocation in the Church, starting from the transmission of the faith to the youngest, from the preservation of their roots and from what can be considered the elderly’s very true specific mission: interceding in prayer.
In 2020, the Dicastery sponsored the 1st International Congress on the Pastoral Care of the Elderly entitled "The Richness of Many Years of Life," the proceedings of which were published in an e-book downloadable for free from this website.
Since 2021, the Dicastery has been promoting the celebration of World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly.
News
Elderly
Vittorio Scelzo's intervention in "Vita Pastorale" on the occasion of the World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly.
"Establishing the World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly should be read in light of other positions expressed during Pope Francis’ pontificate. He moves from a broad conception of the holy ...
The Elderly
Press conference for the World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly and the Holy Father’s Message
"After such a difficult year there is a great need to celebrate, together, grandparents and grandchildren, young and old." With these words, Card. Farrell, Prefect of the Dicastery for the ...
Press Release
Theme for the First World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly
Sunday 25 July will see the celebration of the First World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly. The theme chosen by the Holy Father for this World Day is “I am with you always” (cf. Mt 28:20) which ...
