“I will never forget you.” This promise from Isaiah 49:15 is the theme for the 6th World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly, celebrated on Sunday, July 26, 2026. Established by Pope Francis in 2021 and now carried forward by Pope Leo XIV, this Day calls the Church to honour grandparents and elders not with occasional gestures, but with lasting closeness, gratitude, and care. The Vatican Dicastery for the Laity, Family and Life is asking all the faithful to place emphasis on closeness: reaching out directly to those who live alone, are staying in care homes, or have no visitors. It is an opportunity for everyone, especially the young, to spend time with grandparents, elderly family members, and above all, those who are completely isolated. Resources:
Simple ways to celebrate In your parish:
In your home:
Sources: Message of His Holiness Pope Leo XIV for the Sixth World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly (15 June 2026); Pastoral Toolkit, Dicastery for the Laity, Family and Life.
1 Comment
A Vatican Media documentary traces the roots of Robert Francis Prevost in the United States, from his childhood in Dolton to the schools, parishes, and communities that shaped him. Featuring memories from his brothers, classmates, confreres, teachers, and longtime friends, the documentary offers a personal look at the life and faith of the man now known to the world as Pope Leo XIV.
In light of recent public commentary surrounding the Holy Father’s appeals for peace, the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (CCCB) Communications Service wishes to reiterate several principles of Catholic teaching that remain especially relevant in times of war and international tension.
As a Catholic institution with a national mandate, the CCCB does not intervene in the internal political affairs of other countries. At the same time, recent events make it opportune to underscore the moral principles that should inform public life everywhere, including truthfulness, humility, reverence, and concern for the innocent. The faithful in Canada are encouraged to continue praying for the Holy Father, for peace among nations, and for all who suffer because of war. Source: Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops  Photo: Vatican News ResourcesAt his first Easter Urbi et Orbi, Pope Leo XIV pleaded: "Let those who have weapons lay them down! Let those who have the power to unleash wars choose peace! Not a peace imposed by force, but through dialogue! Not with the desire to dominate others, but to encounter them!" - Read more
 Pope Leo greets pilgrims in the Vatican (@Vatican Media)
 “May the Lord give you peace.” Pope Leo highlights this famous greeting of St. Francis of Assisi and places the notion of “Peace” at the heart of this Jubilee year of grace. In his prayer to St. Francis asking for his special intercession, the Pope recalled that St. Francis was a person who sought and lived peace: “Saint Francis, our brother, you who eight hundred years ago went to meet Sister Death as a man of peace, intercede for us before the Lord. You recognized true peace in the Crucified of San Damiano, teach us to seek in Him the source of all Reconciliation that breaks down every wall. You who, unarmed, crossed the lines of war and misunderstanding, give us the courage to build bridges where the world raises up boundaries. In this time afflicted by conflict and division, intercede for us so that we may become peacemakers: unarmed and disarming witnesses of the peace that comes from Christ. Amen” This Jubilee year of grace invites us to find inspiration in the life and witness of St. Francis for our own journey of faith, so that we, too, become models of holiness and constant witnesses of peace. Francis was a particular witness of peace in his time: born into a life of privilege, he renounced all to follow the way of the Crucified Saviour, allowing Christ to be his source of peace. In humility and simplicity, he became detached from all desire for power, possessions or social status. Not needing to defend or protect anything, he went to the margins of society and served those in whom he recognized the face of the suffering Christ. Desiring to proclaim the message of reconciliation and peace to all people, he crossed boundaries and, through his respectful witness, engaged with Sultan Malik Al-Kamil, earning the Sultan's high regard and favour. It is fitting in this Jubilee year that the Pilgrim Church of Christ be reminded that we, too, follow in the footsteps of Jesus and are called to conform our lives to his, just as St. Francis did. As Francis told his followers as he was close to death, “I have done what is mine to do. May Christ teach you what is yours.” And what does Christ teach us? How do we live from a heart filled with the peace that only Christ can bring? The first requirement is receive the Good News proclaimed by Christ and to do as Francis did: be receptive to the grace that changes our lives – metanoia. “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news!” (Mark 1:15) We, like Francis, are called to cling no longer to that which does not lead to peace in Christ: greed, inordinate ambition, arrogance, self-righteous judgments against others, pursuing our own selfish interest and desires without due regard for the needs and dignity of others. At his lowest point, Francis recognized his poverty before God and opened himself to becoming a vessel that God could use to advance the kingdom of peace. We are invited to recognize our own poverty, placing all in the hands of Christ to do with us as God the Father wills for us – discovering our unique mission of peacebuilding and peacemaking. St. Francis did not see himself as a saint. He, in fact, understood himself to be a sinner, forgiven and in constant need of God’s grace and mercy. The life of penance he embraced was motivated by his love of God and desire to be a willing instrument in God’s hands. God’s mercy is a constant focus within Church teaching. Recalling God’s indulgent mercy, Bishop Krzysztof Nykiel, Regent of the Apostolic Penitentiary, which published a decree on God’s indulgence available this Jubilee year, reminds us that God’s grace can transform even our greatest weaknesses. God’s indulgence makes it possible to free the heart from the burden of sin and to purify and heal the harm sin causes. The Church developed its teaching on indulgences from this notion of God’s mercy, which is more than we can fully take in or comprehend. In its essence, an indulgence reaffirms the forgiveness of sins and the healing and purification of the heart from the consequences of sin that comes as one allows God’s grace to transform one’s life. God’s indulgence is always available to us. “It is essential to understand that indulgence is first and foremost an encounter with God, and that its power lies not in our human efforts, but in the grace of God that transforms hearts… All penitential practices – such as confession, Communion, pilgrimage, prayer – are instruments of preparation that facilitate the encounter with God, but they do not replace the experience of grace itself. The authentic fruits of indulgence appear when a person consciously opens themselves to God’s transforming power, allows God to act in their heart, heals relationships, forgives, and is converted.” (Bishop Krzysztof Nykiel, quoted from “Indulgence is an Encounter with God, not a Spiritual Shortcut,” by Fr. Marek Weresa, Vatican News, January 16, 2026) While the Church has established common practices which give expression to one’s interior desire to detach from sin, surrender to God’s mercy and be receptive to God’s grace – including sacramental confession and participation in the Eucharist and reception of Holy Communion – “at the heart of the practice of indulgences is God’s love, always calling us to grow in holiness. Living out indulgences is not just about fulfilling a list of requirements; it is an opportunity to open our hearts to divine grace and to the intercession of the saints.” (Bishop Lucia, “Indulgences Explained,” from The Catholic Sun, April 10, 2025) God moves in our hearts at all times and everywhere. During this Jubilee year of St. Francis, we are invited to find meaningful ways to grow in our relationship with God and in the love of our brothers and sisters, which reflects the path of St. Francis. Some of the particular ways may include making a pilgrimage to a place of worship dedicated to St. Francis, praying with the same words he used before the crucifix at San Damiano – “O most high, glorious god, enlighten the darkness of my heart and give me a right faith, a certain hope and a perfect love, understanding and knowledge, O Lord, that I may carry out your holy and true command”; praying the Way of the Cross which became associated St. Francis after he promoted this devotion on his return from the Holy Land; praying before the Blessed Sacrament, mirroring the same desire of St. Clare of Assisi of giving yourself totally to the One who gave himself totally to you; meditating prayerfully (Lectio Divina) on a passage that reflects the spirit of St. Francis; finding concrete ways to serve the poor Christ in the suffering and marginalized; becoming an unarmed and disarming peacemaker in your home, community and workplace; spending time contemplating creation and the many ways it reflects God’s goodness and beauty; praying the Seven Joys of Mary, a particular Franciscan rosary which honours the joyful mysteries of the Virgin Mary’s life. During Lent, the Seven Sorrows of Mary are prayed; uniting your personal suffering, difficulties, illness, and diminishment in the same spirit of St. Francis, who wrote the Canticle to the Creatures, which exhort God’s praise, all while blind and close to death. As you take advantage of this Jubilee Year of St. Francis, may you hear St. Francis’ blessing addressed to you: “May the Lord bless you and keep you; May He show His face to you and have mercy on you; May He turn his countenance to you and give you peace.” (Numbers 6: 24-26) Written by Susan Campbell, Mount St. Francis.
This message feels especially relevant today. Many of us communicate more than ever, yet still feel unheard or disconnected. Pope Leo invites us to pause and ask how we are using these tools, and whether they are helping us grow in relationship or quietly pulling us away from it. Read more Questions for reflection
As announced in a joint statement by the Holy See and the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB) on Saturday, Nov 15, Pope Leo XIV gifted 62 Indigenous artefacts to the CCCB. This gift, initiated by the late Pope Francis, is linked to the Jubilee Year of Hope and represents the Church’s ongoing friendship with Indigenous Peoples, built on trust and mutual respect. [Read story from Vatican News] With profound gratitude to the Holy Father, the CCCB will proceed, as soon as possible, to transfer these artefacts to the National Indigenous Organizations (NIOs). The NIOs will then ensure that the artefacts are reunited with their communities of origin. Before passing earlier this year, Pope Francis had indicated that this gift was intended to help the Bishops in Canada take further steps in the Church’s reconciliation efforts with Indigenous Peoples. By honouring Pope Francis’ wish, Pope Leo XIV continues to support the Bishops in Canada in their relationship-building efforts with Indigenous Peoples. “The Holy Father’s gift is a tangible sign of his desire to help Canada’s Bishops walk alongside Indigenous Peoples in a spirit of reconciliation during the Jubilee Year of Hope and beyond,” said Bishop Pierre Goudreault, CCCB President. “It reflects our shared commitment within the Church to walk together with Indigenous Peoples, as well as our desire to support Indigenous communities in accompanying younger generations in passing on and valuing their heritage. Pope Leo’s gift marks another milestone in honouring Indigenous histories, customs, and cultures. As CCCB President, I would like to thank the National Indigenous Organizations for their openness and collaboration in this work. I assure them of the Church’s unwavering commitment to reconciliation.” Read the Joint Statement of the Holy See and the CCCB:
Learn about the CCCB’s work to walk alongside Indigenous Peoples:
Source: CCCB
 Christian love breaks down every barrier, brings close those who were distant, unites strangers, and reconciles enemies … Through your work, your efforts to change unjust social structures or your simple, heartfelt gesture of closeness and support, the poor will come to realize that Jesus’ words are addressed personally to each of them: “I have loved you (Rev 3:9).” ~Dilexi te Pope Leo XIV has released his first Apostolic Exhortation, Dilexi te (“I have loved you”), on the Church’s care for the poor, on the Feast Day of St. John Henry Newman, Oct 9, 2025. Signed on Oct 4, 2025, the document was originally drafted by Pope Francis before his death and later revised and promulgated by Pope Leo XIV. It continues the reflection begun in Pope Francis’ final encyclical, Dilexit nos (“He has loved us”), on the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
Other resources:
|
Author
Catholic Pastoral Centre Staff and Guest Writers Archives
July 2026
Categories
All
|
RSS Feed