Pope Francis’ prayer intention for the month of July is to pray in a special way for the elderly.
The prayer intention follows requests to pray for families in June and for young people in May and coincides with the celebration of the World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly on 24 July.
“We cannot speak about the family without talking about the importance of the elderly among us,” Pope Francis said in a video message released on 30 June.
‘We elderly people often have a special sensitivity for care, for reflection, and affection,” he noted. “We are, or we can become, teachers of tenderness.”
The video is part of a series created by the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network in collaboration with the Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life.
“We pray for the elderly, who represent the roots and memory of a people, that their experience and wisdom will help those who are younger to look to the future with hope and responsibility,” the pope said.
The video shows images of an elderly man and woman baking a cake together, which they then share with their grandchildren.
“In this world accustomed to war, we need a true revolution of tenderness,” he said. “We have a great responsibility towards new generations about this.”
Pope Francis said: “let us remember: grandparents and the elderly are the bread that nourishes our lives, the hidden wisdom of a people. That is why we must celebrate them, and I have established a day dedicated to them.”
“Let us pray for the elderly, that they may become teachers of tenderness so that their experience and wisdom may help young people to look towards the future with hope and responsibility,” he said.