date: 21.07.2025.
''In the Bible, God repeatedly demonstrates his providential care by turning to people in their later years. This was the case not only with Abraham, Sarah, Zechariah and Elizabeth, but also with Moses, who was called to set his people free when he was already eighty years old (cf. Ex 7:7). God thus teaches us that, in his eyes, old age is a time of blessing and grace, and that the elderly are, for him, the first witnesses of hope. Augustine asks, “What do we mean by old age?” He tells us that God himself answers the question: “Let your strength fail, so that my strength may abide within you, and you can say with the Apostle, ‘When I am weak, then I am strong’” (Super Ps. 70,11). The increasing number of elderly people is a sign of the times that we are called to discern, in order to interpret properly this moment of history”, said Pope Leo IX on the occasion of this day in the letter entitled: Blessed are those who have not lost hope (cf. Sir 14:2).
The World Day of Grandparents and the Elderly, established by Pope Francis in Medjugorje, will be celebrated this year again, on July 26, the memorial day of Saints Joachim and Anne. That day at 5 p.m. in the hall of St. John Paul II. a catechesis for grandparents and the elderly will be held. The catechesis will be held by Fr. Karlo Lovrić, who is in charge of the pastoral care of the elderly and infirm in the parish of Medjugorje. The catechesis will be followed by the regular prayer program, as every evening - the rosary at 6 p.m. at the White Dome of the church of St. James, followed by Holy Mass at 7 p.m.
The Medjugorje parish office invites parishioners and other pilgrims to come to this catechesis, and for those who are unable to spend this day in Medjugorje, Radio Station Mir Medjugorje, as well as the Media Mir Medjugorje YouTube channels in foreign languages, will broadcast the catechesis at 5 p.m. along with the evening prayer program.
