By Arnold Neliba
NDOLA, JULY 18, 2023 (CISA)-Ahead of the World Day for Grandparents and Elderly, Bishop Benjamin Phiri of the Catholic diocese of Ndola has launched weeklong celebrations in the diocese to honor, acknowledge and create awareness of the plight of the elderly in the society.
“…dedicate the whole week beginning from 16 to 23 July, 2023, towards this noble celebration,” the bishop said while issuing themes and guidelines to guide the celebrations on the specific days.
For July 17 to 18, the celebrations are guided by the theme “The abandoned and the lonely”, “Mistreated and prisoners” for July 19; “Terminally ill and the physically challenged” for July 20; the “Dying in homes and hospices” for July 21; “the deceased elderly and the aged” for July 22; and for July 23, make the celebrations guided by this year’s theme “His mercy is from age to age.”
“More often than not, the elderly and the aged of our society are despised, abandoned and called all sorts of names that, apparently, may suggest that they are irrelevant to us,” Bishop Phiri said further observing that “When we make a critical introspection of ourselves and analyze how society is standing today, we indeed need the wisdom of the elderly among us.”
In his July 15 message Bishop Phiri stressed that the elderly “may look tired, fragile, and less productive but society really needs them because of the experiences they have had-both good and bad; which makes them not only good mentors but also good companions in all spheres of our society.”
Established in January 2021 by Pope Francis, the World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly was slotted to be marked annually on the fourth Sunday of July, close to the feast of the grandparents of Jesus, Saints Anne and Joachim.
Pope Francis is expected to preside over this year’s celebration at Holy Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica. He has invited Parishes, Dioceses, associations, and communities globally to celebrate the day in their own pastoral context.
