Category: Parishes later life friendly

World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly – Sunday 27th July 2025

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The World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly will be celebrated for the fifth time in 2025. The date this year is Sunday 27th July.

This special day takes place on the Sunday closest to the Feast of Saints Joachim and Anne, Grandparents of Jesus. This year their Feast is Saturday 26th July, making this a whole weekend double celebration of later life and older people!

Pope Francis established the Catholic Church’s World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly which took place for the first time on Sunday 25 July 2021.

The theme chosen by Pope Francis for this year’s celebration is:

“Blessed are those who have not lost hope” (cf. Sir 14:2)

Pope Leo’s message for the World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly 2025, reminds us that hope is a source of joy, no matter what age.

Here you can read the full message from the Holy Father.

Here are prayers and links from the Bishop’s Conference of England and Wales to help you celebrate the day.

If you are a grandparent and are able to attend Mass, you could invite your grandchildren to attend with you.

The Catholic Grandparents Association has been at the forefront in campaigning for a greater recognition of Grandparents for their role and vocation in passing on their faith to the next generation. They have also produced resources that you might wish to use.

Jubilee of Families, Children, Grandparents and the Elderly – prayer for older people

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This weekend is Jubilee of Families, Children, Grandparents and the Elderly, part of the ‘Pilgrims of Hope’ Jubilee Year 2025 in the Catholic Church. 

This is the weekend of the Jubilee Year to celebrate and pray for older people (including grandparents) as well as families and children.

This Jubilee event is a celebration of the family – including older people – and a time to prayer that so our world today can become a family-friendly world.

As part of this Pope Francis, the Pope who announced this Jubilee, spoke of older people as the “firm foundation” of the future and that we must be not afraid of becoming old and we should instead see the value in later life and greater age.

He said: “Because to say “old” does not mean “to be discarded”, as a degraded culture of waste sometimes leads us to think. Saying “old” instead means saying experience, wisdom, knowledge, discernment, thoughtfulness, listening, slowness…Values of which we are in great need!”You can download the service/prayer booklet for the Jubilee here

There is a link to resources and prayers about this Jubilee produced by the US Conference of Catholic Bishops here. 

Here is a suggested prayer for older people this weekend which you might to say.

Prayer for all older people for Jubilee Year 2025

Heavenly Father,
source of all life and wisdom,
we thank You for the gift of later life and older age
and for all older people, 
as the Pilgrims of Hope who have walked longest
on this beautiful planet you have given us.

Bless all older people all over this troubled world,
the long lives lived and the many lives touched
the families, friends, the memories
the faith handed down,
and we pray for the strength with which to bear life’s burdens and challenges.

May the long standing witness of older people remind us of this Jubilee Pilgrimage, 
and inspire other people’s own journeys of hope.
Grant all older people peace,
companionship and enduring hope. 

May all people, communities and societies cherish, respect and value older people and later life and may we all walk together – Pilgrims of Hope of all ages – toward the light of Your Kingdom, united in love, guided by hope.

Through Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Growing Old Grace-fully

30th May 2025

Christians on Ageing – AGM and Spring Conference

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Christians on Ageing are hosting their annual general meeting and spring conference at the Bar Convent in York on 30th of April 2025. Christians on Ageing is a Christian voice for older people and works for a society in which older people are heard, supported and valued..

The day will be focusing on celebrating the gifts and potential of later life and helping churches and others to develop activities which contribute to facilitating other peoples spiritual growth.

The keynote speaker will be Reverend Dr. Chris Swift, recently appointed as Director of the Leeds Church Institute and previously Director of Chaplaincy and Spirituality at Methodist Homes.

It is a free event open to anyone interested in later life and older people ministry.

To book a place please use this link: 

https://buytickets.at/christiancouncilonageing/1532201

2025 Jubilee Year

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The 2025 Jubilee Year ‘Pilgrims of Hope’ is now underway.

The Jubilee Year began with the opening of the Holy Door in St Peter’s Basilica in Rome, on Christmas Eve Tuesday and runs to the Feast of Epiphany 2026.

The Jubilee Year in the Diocese of Leeds began with Bishop Marcus celebrating Mass in the Cathedral at 11am on Sunday 29 December 2024.

The theme the Holy Father has chosen for this year of special graces is ‘Pilgrims of Hope’ and he invites the whole People of God – clergy and laity – to celebrate God’s Gift of Grace through their expressions of Deep Faith, Lively Hope and Active Charity.

Since Pope Boniface VIII instituted the first Jubilee on 22 February 1300, the Catholic Church has declared these Holy Years to be special times of joy, celebration, forgiveness and reconciliation: with one another, with all of creation and with God. In order to prepare for the Jubilee, a Year of Prayer and Preparation will begin in Advent 2023, with special focus on the Lord’s Prayer, taught to us by Our Lord Jesus Christ Himself.

The Jubilee of Families, Children, Grandparents and the Elderly is from 30 May 2025 – 1 June 2025.

The official Jubilee website is here and the Jubilee section of the Diocese of Leeds website is here. In both cases, there is more information and resources.

Jubilee Prayer

Father in heaven,

may the faith you have given us

in your son, Jesus Christ, our brother,

and the flame of charity enkindled

in our hearts by the Holy Spirit,

reawaken in us the blessed hope

for the coming of your Kingdom.

May your grace transform us

into tireless cultivators of the seeds of the Gospel.

May those seeds transform from within both humanity and the whole cosmos

in the sure expectation

of a new heaven and a new earth,

when, with the powers of Evil vanquished,

your glory will shine eternally.

May the grace of the Jubilee

reawaken in us, Pilgrims of Hope,

a yearning for the treasures of heaven.

May that same grace spread

the joy and peace of our Redeemer

throughout the earth.

To you our God, eternally blessed,

be glory and praise for ever.

Amen.

Online Event – Finding Hope in Community and Parish Life

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Growing Old Grace-fully‘s has been hosting a series of six online events in 2024, on a variety of different themes exploring later life.

The sixth and final of these events is on Finding Hope in Community and Parish Life on Tuesday 19th November. This afternoon session will start at 2.30pm and finish at 3.30pm.

This final session of the series evokes the hopefulness of Advent, which is just around the corner and also looks forward to the Jubilee Year of Pilgrims of Hope in 2025 as announced by Pope Francis.

The session will involve some examples of people who have found hope in parish life or a Christian community group; a chance to share in smaller groups people’s stories of hope and joy; and prayers and reflections.

To attend, reserve a free ticket on Eventbrite here.  

A Zoom link will be circulated to all ticket holders in advance of the event.

Online event – Spiritually Accompanying People Living With Dementia

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Growing Old Grace-fully‘s 5th online event of 2024 is Spiritually Accompanying People Living With Dementia on Tuesday 22nd October, 7:00-8:00pm.  This is part of the series of online events How to be more Later Life Friendly in our parishes.

The Zoom event, looking at the theological significance of dementia, is led by Rev. Dr. Joseph Cortis, co-author of Journeying Together: accompanying people living with dementia. Deacon Joe has a background in adult and mental health nursing which includes a long period as an educational manager, academic and senior lecturer at the University of Leeds. He is a Trustee of Growing Old Grace-fully.

Whether you are a spouse, family member, friend or caregiver, this event is designed to explore ways to provide spiritual support to individuals living with dementia as well as our own spiritual journey with them as a loved one.

The session will include prayers and reflections, as well as ideas as to accompany and support someone living with dementia from a spiritual perspective.

To attend, reserve a free ticket on Eventbrite here.  

A Zoom link will be circulated to all ticket holders in advance of the event.

For those who would like to read it, the book, by Rev. Dr. Joe Cortis & Dr. Pia Matthews can be ordered here.

Video and resources from ‘Hope in Later Life’ online session

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Image by FreePik

On Thursday 26th September, we held the 4th Growing Old Grace-fully online session of 2024, Hope in Later Life led by Paula Shanks and Father Donal Lucey.

It was a very powerful reflection and we thank Paula and Fr Donal for leading it.

You can watch the whole session on YouTube here.

There is a one page summary produced by Paula here.

Online event – Hope in Later Life

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The fourth of Growing Old Grace-fully‘s 2024 online sessions is Hope in Later Life on Thursday 26 September, 2:30pm with Fr Donal Lucey and Paula Shanks. 

The session, with reflections and music, will be led by Father Donal and Paula.

Fr. Donal is a retired Catholic priest of the Leeds Diocese, he was latterly parish priest in Garforth and in Harrogate and is the Chaplain to Faith and Light. Paula has a background in teaching and is trained in Ignatian spiritual accompaniment.

To reserve your place, please book a free ticket on Eventbrite here.  

The session will start at 2:30pm and finish at 3:30pm, a Zoom link will be circulated to all attendees.

The next two online sessions will be on these dates:

  • Tuesday 22nd October – 7:00-8:00pm – Spiritually Accompanying People Living with Dementia
  • Tuesday 19th November – 2:30-3:30pm – Finding Joy and Hope in Community and Parish Life

Resources from ‘Learning from Each Other’ online session

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Image by Freepik

The third of Growing Old Grace-fully‘s 2024 online sessions was Learning From Each Other, hearing about great work already happening in the Diocese of Leeds.

The session heard from the following people, who we warmly thank for their time and input.

Each presentation is available online here:

* Maureen Connolly from Immaculate Heart Parish, Huddersfield spoke about activity happening at Immaculate Heart of Mary parish, Huddersfield. Her presentation is here.


* Breda Theakston from the Elizabeth Prout Bereavement Centre, talked about the work of the centre and how they offer bereavement support and how to access it, her presentation is here.


* Andrew Winfield from the St Vincent de Paul Society (SVP) at St John Vianney Parish, Leeds gave an account of the monthly Celebrating Later Life event at Immaculate Heart Church in Moortown, his presentation is here.

Please do access these resources and feel free to share them.

Growing Old Grace-fully

Online Event – Learning From Each Other

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The third of Growing Old Grace-fully‘s 2024 online sessions is Learning From Each Other: Sharing Experience from Parishes on Thursday 18th July, 7:00-8:00pm. 

This session is about hearing examples of great work already happening, with contributions from:

* Maureen Connolly from Immaculate Heart Parish, Huddersfield 
* Breda Theakston from the Elizabeth Prout Centre, talking about Bereavement support
* Andrew Winfield from St John Vianney Parish, Leeds

There will also be breakout groups to share other experiences and ideas as to how to enhance the spiritual life of older people in your own parish community and lives. The session will start and finish with prayer and reflection led by Rev. Joe Cortis, who is a Growing Old Grace-fully trustee.

The session will start at 7pm and at 8pm, a Zoom link will be circulated to all attendees and the waiting room will be open from 6:55pm.

To reserve your place, please book a free ticket on Eventbrite here.