Grandparents and grandchildren to gather with Pope Francis for April event
At a press conference organized by the Holy See Press Office, organizers unveiled an April 27 event sponsored by the Italian “Fondazione Età Grande” (Foundation for Old Age) that will bring together grandparents and grandchildren in the Paul VI Hall of the Vatican to promote the role and contribution of older people in today's world.
By Tiziana Campisi
Promoting dialogue between generations and promoting the Third Age in social and cultural spheres are the objectives of the April 27 event “The Caress and the Smile”, which will take place in the Paul VI Hall of the Vatican.
Some six thousand grandparents, elderly people and grandchildren will meet Pope Francis. The meeting was presented Monday morning at the Holy See Press Office in the presence of the organizers, including the Italian Fondazione Età Grande (Foundation for Old Age). The event is based on Christian values that highlight and raise awareness of the rights of older people and the corresponding duties of the community.
Rediscover the heritage of old age
The initiative aims to offer new perspectives on old age, says Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia, president of the Pontifical Academy for Life, emphasizing the richness of old age and the fact that it is not a burden but a resource for people of all ages. The heritage offered by the third age can be rediscovered, he notes, and this is why the event will feature grandparents and grandchildren among whom there is harmony, conviviality and an emotional dimension. particularities which are not always present among other generations.
Elderly people must appreciate everything they can still give, said Archbishop Paglia during the press conference, stressing that in Italy there are 14 million elderly people but that there is a lack of solutions to political, economic problems , religious and cultural that concern them.
Pope Francis, with his nineteen catecheses on old age during his general audiences on Wednesday, underlined the importance of taking into account the third age, even establishing a celebration for grandparents, underlined Mgr Paglia. He also added in particular that the Italian State, with Law 33 of 2023 on the reform of non-self-sufficiency, is committed to reorganizing care for the elderly, and he hopes that other nations will also grant the due attention to issues related to non-self-sufficiency. older generation. He added that grandparents, through their bond with their grandchildren, can help create intergenerational warmth, understanding and harmony, as all generations depend on each other and cannot live separately from each other. others.
Fondazione Età Grande
Sponsoring the April 27 event with Pope Francis, the Italian Fondazione Età Grande (Foundation for Old Age) highlights the human dimension of these questions by placing the person, with their needs and fragilities, at the center of reflection on old people. The Foundation promotes social policies in favor of older people in the world of work, culture and education, public health, economic protection and social inclusion.
The representative of the Foundation, Mario Marazziti, said “we want to try to humanize our world by showing our concern, so that we can heal those affected by isolation and loneliness”, adding that during the event , Archbishop Paglia and Italian actor Lino Banfi (and a grandfather himself) will reflect together and discuss the relationship between grandparents and grandchildren. The event will also include the participation of the Italian singer Al Bano, the choir of the Diocese of Rome led by Mgr. Marco Frisina, followed by the arrival of Pope Francis who will hear the testimonies of three grandparents and three grandchildren.
