On Sunday 23 July, St John’s Church Numurkah was packed to the rafters with young and old and everyone in between, as the parish and school celebrated World Day of Grandparents.

St Joseph’s student, Lenny, welcomed everyone to this special Mass, knowing his Nan and Great Nan, who were seated nearby, like always, had his back. Parish Priest, Fr Jophin Joy, considered the unusually large congregation of children at this Sunday Mass and proclaimed in his opening words that it was as if angels were present.

As Fr Jophin blessed grandparents and special friends, children beamed with joy, angels indeed.  ‘A Song for Grandparents’ sung by four St Joseph’s students concluded the Mass. 

At morning tea after the Mass, an exhibition of portraits of grandparents by students fuelled the Church with colourful conversation.   Seniors were intrigued with images of their likeness and the art-thinking behind the artworks. 

Parishioner, Kerry Stone, laughed that a key factor in the success of the day was that grandparents were asked to invite a grandchild and children were asked to invite a grandparent or special elderly friend to the celebrations, “We kept the middle generation out,” she said. “I think both grandparents and children were happy about that.”  

In Rome, several hours later, (when the Numurkah angels were soundly sleeping), Pope Francis presided over Mass for the third World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly at St Peter’s Basilica before 60,000 pilgrims.  Pope Francis praised intergenerational exchange as a means to learn the beauty of life and strengthen the life of the Church. 

Pope Francis has spoken many times of the way his grandparents enriched his life. He believes we should not forget the richness of preserving our roots and of passing them on.  “Grandparents are the link between generations, passing on the experience of life and faith to the young,” he said. 

Speaking to a group of children last month, Pope Francis said that grandparents were his superheroes. 

“Do you know who my superheroes are?  Grandparents, because they built a family, and then they grew older. But grandparents are wise. And that is why it is important that you talk with your grandparents.” 

One day, the angels of Numurkah could be superheroes themselves – what gifts from their grandparents will they pass on to their grandchildren I wonder?  

In 2021 Pope Francis declared that a World Day for Grandparents be celebrated each year on the Sunday closest to the feast of Saints Joachim and Anne, the grandparents of Jesus.   Pope Francis has asked for all parishes to organise a celebration in their local context. 

Read Pope Francis’ message for the Third World Day of Grandparents 

Third World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly, 2023: “His mercy is from age to age” (Lk 1:50) | Francis (vatican.va)