Meeting Summary

This LMF Network meeting was a facilitated discussion marking the 6th World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly, themed I Will Never Forget You — drawn from Isaiah 49 and chosen by Pope Leo XIV. Francine Pirola opened by unpacking the Pope’s message across four key themes: that God’s remembrance of the elderly is not sentiment but an act of justice that restores dignity the world erases; that the Church is called to be practical in its response, particularly through visitation and the celebration of Mass; that old age can be a moment to begin or resume a spiritual life; and that fragility itself carries a vocation — the elderly are invited to be peacemakers and intercessors, not burdens. The discussion then ranged freely across the network’s own experiences, concerns, and parish initiatives.

Several threads emerged strongly. Members reflected on the spiritual weight grandparents carry in transmitting faith — often more effectively than parents — and on the closing window of opportunity as the current generation of practising grandparents ages out. A demographic note sharpened the pastoral urgency: projections show that childless families will outnumber families with children in Australia for the first time in 2030, meaning the number of elderly people without descendants to provide care, companionship, and connection is growing rapidly. This was framed not just as a welfare issue but as a widening mission field for parishes. Members also raised concerns about euthanasia legislation rolling through Australian states and the risk that elderly people are made to feel like a burden — a dynamic that feeds directly into end-of-life decisions.

The second half of the meeting focused on practical resources already available. Chantale Wilson from the Archdiocese of Brisbane walked the network through a suite of materials her team developed for parishes and schools, including homily guides, activity ideas, prayer assembly outlines, saint cards, and intergenerational conversation starters. Ron and Mavis Pirola introduced the Catholic Grandparents Association — an international movement now active in over 60 countries — whose monthly parish groups have proven effective in raising intentionality among grandparents and connecting them to the broader mission of the parish.

About the Facilitators and Contributors

Francine Pirola is co-director of the Parish Marriage Resource Centre and co-founder of Smart Loving. She facilitated the discussion and led the unpacking of Pope Leo XIV’s message for the World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly.

Chantale Wilson is Director of Children and Families at the Archdiocese of Brisbane. Her team developed a comprehensive suite of parish and school resources for the World Day, available freely to any diocese or parish to use and adapt.

Ron and Mavis Pirola are members of the Catholic Grandparents Association and represent the association within the Sydney Archdiocese. They are great-grandparents who have helped establish a local parish ministry group and spoke to the vocation, urgency, and joy of intentional grandparenting.

Key Takeaways

  • God’s remembrance of the elderly is an act of justice, not sentiment. The Pope frames the World Day not as a nice gesture but as the Church’s response to a systemic erasure of older people’s dignity — in care facilities, in society, and in the anonymity of modern life. Parishes are called to make the promise “I will never forget you” concrete through personal visitation, prayer, and celebration.
  • The window for intergenerational faith transmission is closing. The current generation of practising grandparents is the primary agent of faith formation for many children whose parents are less engaged — but demographically, that generation is ageing out. By 2030, childless families in Australia are projected to outnumber families with children for the first time, increasing both the need for parish outreach to isolated elderly people and the urgency of mobilising grandparents now.
  • Fragility is a vocation, not a liability. Pope Leo XIV explicitly asks the elderly to resist the fear of weakness and instead lean into it as a source of intercession, reconciliation, and witness. Parishes can make this concrete by formally entrusting prayer intentions to their elderly members — giving them a named, valued role rather than positioning them as recipients of care alone.
  • Euthanasia legislation is creating pastoral pressure on elderly Catholics. Members noted that most Australian states now have active assisted dying bills and that the guardrails are being progressively eroded. Elderly people who feel like a burden — especially those who are lonely or isolated — are at real risk, and the Church’s response to loneliness and the World Day for Grandparents are directly connected to this issue.
  • The Catholic Grandparents Association’s parish model is a proven, low-barrier entry point. Monthly parish groups — open to grandparents, elderly aunties and uncles, and those who mentor young people — have consistently increased intentionality, built parish community, and connected the elderly to a sense of ongoing vocation. The association’s monthly international faith café and extensive online resources are freely available.

Watch the Presentation