The Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) has released a prayer for World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly.
The prayer, which was released on Friday, July 16, is as follows:
"God our loving Father, you are the source of life and of all gifts.
You lovingly sustain us at every moment of our lives and you bring us to fullness of life in Jesus your Son and our Brother.
We thank you for the wonderful gift of our grandparents and the elderly.
You have given them to us to be our guide as they share with us the wealth of their experiences and the wisdom that they have gained through the years.
We thank you for making them witnesses to us of your abiding presence and care at every turn and change of life.
We pray that you bless all of them with joy and peace, with satisfaction at the fruits of their labor, and with the faithful love of their family.
Strengthen their trust in your healing mercy in the face of the mistakes and sins of the past.
Grant them the joy of companionship of their loved ones and friends.
Protect them from all harm and evil that can obscure their vision of eternal peace and joy in your Kingdom.
Give them the patience and courage to bear the cross of sickness and weakness of the body.
Help them see their sufferings and discomfort as their sharing in the Paschal Mystery of Christ.
Grant us all, their family and friends, the grace of firm conviction and faith in the value and dignity of every human person created in your image and redeemed by the sacrifice of Your Son on the Cross.
May this help us to continue to support, respect, and love them.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, forever and ever. Amen."
Pope Francis in January announced the establishment of a World Day of Grandparents and the Elderly, to take place every year on the fourth Sunday of July, close to the feast of Sts. Joachim and Anne, Jesus’ grandparents.
In the Philippines, the dioceses launched a series of events to celebrate this year’s observance, which falls on July 25.
The bishops’ conference on June 4 also released a pastoral statement about the celebration to honor grandparents and the elderly.
“As a country blessed by 500 years of Christianity, let us make sure that grandparents remain – and feel – that elders are cherished members of our families, communities and nation,” the statement read.