“Gray hair is a crown of splendor; it is attained in the way of righteousness.” – Proverbs 16:31
The Diocese of Phoenix and Bishop John Dolan are inviting the public to celebrate grandparents during a Mass this year to commemorate World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly.
The Mass will take place at 9 a.m. on Sunday, July 26, at Ss. Simon and Jude Cathedral on 27th Avenue between Bethany Home Road and Glendale Avenue in Phoenix.
“It’s a day to reflect on the legacy of those who have come before us and how they have enriched our lives,” said Tami Bohanon, president and CEO of AllThrive 365, a nonprofit agency whose mission is to support Arizonans aging independently with dignity by connecting them and their caregivers to resources, programs and assistance, including housing.
“I want everyone to be part of [this] warm embrace,” Bohanon said.
July 26 is also the Church’s feast of Ss. Joachim and Anne, the grandparents of Jesus and the parents of His mother, Mary.
Bishop Dolan said grandparents and the elderly have a unique perspective on living for God.
“Our elders,” the bishop said during his homily at last year’s Mass, “have seen fads come and go. In the end, they’ve learned to focus not on what’s trending but what’s true.”
The Mass was established by the diocese’s Office of Respect Life Ministries. A part of the office’s mission is to “encourage and coordinate programs of prayer and worship that focus on the sanctity of all human life.”
Bishop Dolan, who was installed as the bishop of Phoenix in August 2022, approached Marina Salvador-Velazquez, manager of Respect Life Ministry, with the idea based on Pope Francis’ institution of World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly in January 2021.
“The Holy Spirit even today stirs up thoughts and words of wisdom in the elderly,” the late pontiff said. The voice of the elderly “is precious because it sings the praises of God and preserves the roots of the peoples.”
Salvador-Velazquez said grandparents enrich our lives.
“The presence and wisdom of grandparents and the elderly is a sign of hope for our families,” she said.
While this is a special day, honoring them should be year-round, she continued.
Bohanon agreed.
Faced with her father’s cancer diagnosis as a 16-year-old, she became a caregiver at 18, a role that prepared her for today’s work at AllThrive 365.
Rooted in Catholic social teaching, AllThrive 365 delivers services and resources to support independent aging with dignity. These include housing with affordable rent, adult day health programs, intergenerational community centers, nutrition services and more.
The Arizona Department of Economic Security projects that the number of residents 65 and older will increase by 41-percent by the year 2030, the fastest-growing senior population of any state, a forecast that will keep AllThrive 365 busy.
“Whether they need a ride to a doctor’s appointment, connection to a community room with its activities or backing up a caregiver who needs a rest,” Bohanon said the agency is always open to new volunteers.
“Our lives are so enriched when we give back and do something.”
The approach aligns with this year’s theme by Pope Leo XVI for World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly.
Taken from the book of Isaiah, “I will never forget you,” (Is 49:15) is an assurance from the prophet that God’s love for His people, including those in old age, is unwavering.
In his June 14 message for the upcoming celebration, Pope Leo cited the pain some elderly may feel over being forgotten, especially if ill or in a facility.
“The lives of many elderly people, in particular, seem to be covered by a veil that blurs the features of their faces and shrouds them in oblivion,” he said. “This is what happens in homes where loneliness reigns and also in those care facilities where each person’s uniqueness risks being reduced to a bed number or an illness.”
Even when well-advanced in years, the pope said, “it is always possible to recognize ourselves as sons and daughters of God.”
There are all sorts of ways to live that out.
For example, Bohanon noted that anyone can speak with a parish about elderly ministries or even establish a caregiver-support group or just spend time with an older loved one. For younger people especially, those individuals bring valuable experiences and stories.
“You don’t want to miss that,” she said.
To learn more about the Mass for Grandparents and the Elderly on July 26, click here.
