Pope Francis emphasized that life is a gift and longevity is a blessing on the occasion of the International Day for Elderly that is celebrated this October 1. The Pope also added, the wealth of the years, is the wealth of the people , the wealth of experience and history.
The Pontiff encouraged older people to proclaim the Gospel to younger generations in his message for the first World Day of Grandparents and the Elderly on July 25, 2021. “It doesn’t matter how old you are, if you keep working or not, if you are alone or have a family, if you became a grandmother or a grandfather when you were young or old, if you are still independent or need help, because there is no age at which you can withdraw from the task of proclaiming the Gospel, from the task of transmitting the traditions t o the grand children. It is necessary to get going and above all, to get out of oneself to undertake something new”, said the Pope.
The closeness of the Lord will give the strength to undertake a new path even to the most fragile of among us, on the paths of dreams, memory and prayer. Old age is a renowned vocation at a crucial moment in history, Pope concluded.