QuotableWhatdoesPopeFrancissayabouttheyoungandtheold?Elderlypeople,onasociallevel,shouldnotbeconsideredasaburden,butforwhattheyreallyare,thatis,aresourceandawealth.Theyarethememoryofapeople!Thisisdemonstratedbytheircontributiontovoluntaryactivities,preciousopportunitiestolivethedimensionofgratuitousness….Thebiggestchallengeforsocietyinthecomingyearsistopromotethehumanresourcesthatolderpeoplebringtothecommunitywithincreasingeffectiveness….Itwillthereforebeimportantthattheelderlyareconsideredbearersnotonlyofneeds,butalsoofnewdemands,orasIoftensay-echoingtheBible-of“dreams”(cf.Gl3:1)-thattheelderlyaredreamers-dreams,however,fullofmemory,notempty,vain,likethoseofcertainadvertisements;thedreamsoftheelderlyareimbuedwithmemory,andthereforefundamentalforthejourneyoftheyoung,becausetheyaretheroots.Fromtheelderlycomesthatsapthatmakesthetreegrow,makesitbloom,givesnewfruits.Thefutureofapeoplenecessarilypresupposesadialogueandanencounterbetweentheelderlyandtheyoungfortheconstructionofasocietythatismorejust,morebeautiful,moresupportive,moreChristian.Youngpeoplearethestrengthofapeople’sjourneyandtheelderlystrengthenthisfurtherwiththeirmemoryandwisdom.Oldageisatimeofgrace,inwhichtheLordrenewsHiscalltous:Hecallsustopreserveandpassonourfaith,Hecallsustopray,especiallytointercede;Hecallsustobeclosetothoseinneed.Theelderlyandgrandparentshaveauniqueandspecialabilitytograspthemostproblematicsituations.Andwhentheyprayforthesesituations,theirprayerisstrong,itispowerful!Grandparents,whohavebeenblessedtoseetheirchildren’schildren(cf.Ps128:6),areentrustedwithagreattask:totransmittheexperienceoflife,thehistoryofafamily,acommunity,apeople….Thefuture-andthisisnotanexaggeration-willbeinthedialoguebetweenyoungandold.Ifgrandparentsdonotdialoguewithgrandchildren,therewillbenofuture.Weareallcalledupontocounterthispoisonousthrowawayculture.Wearecalledtobuildwithtenacityadifferentsociety,morewelcoming,morehuman,moreinclusive,whichdoesnotneedtodiscardthosewhoareweakinbodyandmind,rather,asocietythatmeasuresits“pace”preciselybythesepeople.Weneedthewisdomandexperienceoftheelderlytobuildaworldthatismorerespectfuloftherightsofall.Continuewithcouragetobringyourpreciouswitnesstothedifferentenvironmentsinwhichyouwork.…And,donotforget,talktotheyoung,butnottoberatethem,no:tolistentothem,andthentosowsomething.Thisdialogueisthefuture!–PopeFrancis,fromatalkonDecember16,2019(http://w2.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/speeches/2019/december/documents/papa-francesco_20191216_anla-lavoratori-anziani.html)ExcerptsfromChristusVivit,byPopeFrancisTheBibleneverceasestoinsistthatprofoundrespectbeshowntotheelderly,sincetheyhaveawealthofexperience;theyhaveknownsuccessandfailure,life’sjoysandafflictions,itsdreamsanddisappointments.Inthesilenceoftheirheart,theyhaveastoreofexperiencesthatcanteachusnottomakemistakesorbetakeninbyfalsepromises.CV16

Itpainsmetoseeyoungpeoplesometimesbeingencouragedtobuildafuturewithoutroots,asiftheworldwerejuststartingnow.For“itisimpossibleforustogrowunlesswehavestrongrootstosupportusandtokeepusfirmlygrounded.Itiseasytodriftoff,whenthereisnothingtoclutchonto,toholdonto”CV179Realizethatthereisbeautyinthelaborerwhoreturnshomegrimyandunkempt,butwiththejoyofhavingearnedfoodforhisfamily.Thereisextraordinarybeautyinthefellowshipofafamilyattable,generouslysharingwhatfoodithas.Thereisbeautyinthewife,slightlydisheveledandnolongeryoung,whocontinuestocareforhersickhusbanddespiteherownfailinghealth.Longafterthespringtimeoftheircourtshiphaspassed,thereisbeautyinthefidelityofthosecoupleswhostillloveoneanotherintheautumnoflife,thoseelderlypeoplewhostillholdhandsastheywalk.Thereisalsoabeauty,unrelatedtoappearancesorfashionabledress,inallthosemenandwomenwhopursuetheirpersonalvocationwithlove,inselflessserviceofcommunityornation,inthehardworkofbuildingahappyfamily,intheselflessanddemandingefforttoadvancesocialharmony.Tofind,todiscloseandtohighlightthisbeauty,whichislikethatofChristonthecross,istolaythefoundationsofgenuinesocialsolidarityandthecultureofencounter.CV183Helpingtheyoungtodiscoverthelivingrichnessofthepast,totreasureitsmemoryandtomakeuseofitfortheirchoicesandopportunities,isagenuineactoflovetowardsthem,forthesakeoftheirgrowthandthedecisionstheyarecalledtomake.CV187Theworldhasneverbenefitted,norwilliteverbenefit,fromarupturebetweengenerations.Thatisthesirensongofafuturewithoutrootsandorigins.Itistheliethatwouldhaveyoubelievethatonlywhatisnewisgoodandbeautiful.Whenintergenerationalrelationshipsexist,acollectivememoryispresentincommunities,aseachgenerationtakesuptheteachingsofitspredecessorsandinturnbequeathsalegacytoitssuccessors.Inthisway,theyprovideframesofreferenceforfirmlyestablishinganewsociety.Astheoldsayinggoes:“Iftheyounghadknowledgeandtheoldstrength,therewouldbenothingtheycouldnotaccomplish.”CV191WhenyoungandoldalikeareopentotheHolySpirit,theymakeawonderfulcombination.Theolddreamdreams,andtheyoungseevisions.Howdothetwocomplementoneanother?CV192Theelderlyhavedreamsbuiltupofmemoriesandimagesthatbearthemarkoftheirlongexperience.Ifyoungpeoplesinkrootsinthosedreams,theycanpeerintothefuture;theycanhavevisionsthatbroadentheirhorizonsandshowthemnewpaths.Butiftheelderlydonotdream,youngpeopleloseclearsightofthehorizon.CV93Whatcanweelderlypersonsgivetotheyoung?“Wecanremindtoday’syoungpeople,whohavetheirownblendofheroicambitionsandinsecurities,thatalifewithoutloveisanaridlife.”Whatcanwetellthem?“Wecantellfearfulyoungpeoplesaythatanxietyaboutthefuturecanbeovercome.”Whatcanweteachthem?“Wecanteachthoseyoungpeople,sometimessofocusedonthemselves,thatthereismorejoyingivingthaninreceiving,andthatloveisnotonlyshowninwords,butalsoinactions.”Ifwejourneytogether,youngandold,wecanbefirmlyrootedinthepresent,andfromhere,revisitthepastandlooktothefuture.Torevisitthepastinordertolearnfromhistoryandhealoldwoundsthatattimesstilltroubleus.Tolooktothefutureinordertonourishourenthusiasm,causedreamstoemerge,awakenpropheciesandenablehopetoblossom.Together,wecanlearnfromoneanother,warmhearts,inspiremindswiththelightoftheGospel,andlendnewstrengthtoourhands.CV199Rootsarenotanchorschainingustopasttimesandpreventingusfromfacingthepresentandcreatingsomethingnew.Instead,theyareafixedpointfromwhichwecangrowandmeetnewchallenges.Itdoesus

nogood“tositdownandlongfortimespast;wemustmeetourculturewithrealismandloveandfillitwiththeGospel.WearesenttodaytoproclaimtheGoodNewsofJesustoanewage.Weneedtolovethistimewithallitsopportunitiesandrisks,itsjoysandsorrows,itsrichesanditslimits,itssuccessesandfailures.”CV200TheChurchislikeacanoe,inwhichtheelderlyhelptokeeponcoursebyjudgingthepositionofthestars,whiletheyoungkeeprowing,imaginingwhatwaitsforthemahead.Letussteerclearofyoungpeoplewhothinkthatadultsrepresentameaninglesspast,andthoseadultswhoalwaysthinktheyknowhowyoungpeopleshouldact.Instead,letusallclimbaboardthesamecanoeandtogetherseekabetterworld,withtheconstantlyrenewedmomentumoftheHolySpirit.CV201Iasktheelderly,frommyheart:donotceasetobetheculturalstorehouseofourpeople,astorehousethathandsonjustice,handsonhistory,handsonvalues,handsonthememoryofthepeople.Andtherestofyou,please,donotopposetheelderly:letthemspeak,listentothemandgoforward.Butknowthis,knowthatatthismoment,youyoungpeopleandyouelderlypeoplearecondemnedtothesamedestiny:exclusion.Don’tallowyourselvestobeexcluded.http://w2.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/speeches/2013/july/documents/papa-francesco_20130725_gmg-argentini-rio.htmlHowimportantgrandparentsareforfamilylife,forpassingonthehumanandreligiousheritagewhichissoessentialforeachandeverysociety!Howimportantitistohaveintergenerationalexchangesanddialogue,especiallywithinthecontextofthefamily.TheAparecidaDocumentsays,“Childrenandtheelderlybuildthefutureofpeoples:childrenbecausetheyleadhistoryforward,theelderlybecausetheytransmittheexperienceandwisdomoftheirlives”(No.447).Thisrelationshipandthisdialoguebetweengenerationsisatreasuretobepreservedandstrengthened!InthisWorldYouthDay,youngpeoplewishtoacknowledgeandhonortheirgrandparents.Theysalutethemwithgreataffection.Grandparents.Letussalutegrandparents.Youngpeoplesalutetheirgrandparentswithgreataffectionandtheythankthemfortheongoingwitnessoftheirwisdom.http://w2.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/angelus/2013/documents/papa-francesco_angelus_20130726_gmg-rio.htmlTalktoyourgrandparents.Becauseifyouwanttobehopeforthefuture,youhavetoreceivethetorchfromyourgrandfatherandyourgrandmother.http://w2.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/speeches/2016/july/documents/papa-francesco_20160731_polonia-volontari-gmg.htmlYou,dearyoungpeople,arenotthefuture.Weliketosay,“youarethefuture”.No,youarethepresent.YouarenotthefutureofGod,youyoungpeoplearethenowofGod.Heinvitesyouandcallsyouinyourcommunitiesandcitiestogooutandfindyourgrandparents,yourelders;tostandupandwiththemtospeakoutandrealizethedreamthattheLordhasdreamedforyou.http://w2.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/homilies/2019/documents/papa-francesco_20190127_omelia-gmg-panama.htmlEverytimeweforegosomethingthatwelikeforthegoodofothersandespeciallyforthosemostinneed,orforthegoodofourrootsasinthecaseofourgrandparentsandourelderly,theLordpaysitbackahundredfold.

Dearfriends,youhavehadamorelivelyandrealexperienceoffaith;youhaveexperiencedthestrengthbornofprayerandanewanddifferentkindofjoy,thefruitofworkingsidebysideevenwithpeopleyoudidnotknow.Nowisthemomentwhenyouaresentforth:gooutandtell,gooutandbearwitness,gooutandspreadthewordabouteverythingyouhaveseenandheard.Anddon’tdothiswithlotsofwordsbutrather,asyoudidhere,withsimpleandordinarygestures,thosethattransformandrenewallthings.Gesturescapableofcreatingamess,aconstructivemess,alovingmess.Letmetellyousomething.OnmyfirstdayhereIsawawomanwithabonnet,anelderlylady,agrandmother,atthebarrierwhereweweredrivingby,andshehadasignsaying:“Wegrandmothersalsoknowhowtomakeamess”withthewordsaddedbelow,“withwisdom”.Jointhegrandparentstomakeamess,itwillbearealmess,areallyclevermess,don’tbefrightenedofit,gooutandspeak.IthoughttheladywasquiteelderlyandsoIaskedherage:shewas14yearsyoungerthanme,whatanembarrassment!http://w2.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/speeches/2019/january/documents/papa-francesco_20190127_panama-volontari-gmg.htmlIt’strue,attentiontotheelderlymakesthedifferenceinacivilization.Isthereattentiontotheelderlyinacivilization?Isthereroomfortheelderly?Thiscivilizationwillmoveforwardifitknowshowtorespectwisdom,thewisdomoftheelderly.Inacivilizationinwhichthereisnoroomfortheelderlyorwheretheyarethrownawaybecausetheycreateproblems,thissocietycarrieswithitthevirusofdeath.Iremember,whenIwasvisitingaretirementhome,IspokewitheachpersonandIfrequentlyheardthis:“Howareyou?Andyourchildren?Well,well.Howmanydoyouhave?Many.Anddotheycometovisityou?.Ohsure,yes,always,yes,theycome.Whenwasthelasttimetheycame?”Irememberanelderlywomanwhosaidtome:“Mmm,forChristmas”.ItwasAugust!Eightmonthswithoutbeingvisitedbyherchildren,abandonedforeightmonths!Thisiscalledmortalsin,understand?Onceasachild,agrandmothertoldusthestoryofanoldgrandfatherwhogotdirtywhileeatingbecausehecouldn'teasilybringthespoonfulofsouptohismouth.Andhisson,thatis,thefatherofthefamily,haddecidedtomovehimfromthedinnertableandsetupalittletableinthekitchentoeatalone,sohecouldn’tbeseen.Inthiswayhewouldn’tmakeabadimpressionwhenfriendscameovertolunchordinner.Afewdayslater,hecamehomeandfoundhisyoungestchildplayingwithsomewoodandahammerandnails,hewasmakingsomethingthere,hesaid:“Whatareyoumaking?—I’mmakingatable,papa.—Atable,why?—Tohaveoneforwhenyougrowold,sothatyoucaneatthere”.Childrenaremoreawarethanweare!InthetraditionoftheChurchthereisawealthofwisdomthathasalwayssupportedacultureofclosenesstotheelderly,adispositionofwarmandsupportivecompanionshipinthisfinalphaseoflife.ThistraditionisrootedinSacredScripture,asthesepassagesfromtheBookofSirachattest:“Donotdisregardthediscourseoftheaged,fortheythemselveslearnedfromtheirfathers;becausefromthemyouwillgainunderstandingandlearnhowtogiveananswerintimeofneed”(Sir8:9).TheChurchcannotanddoesnotwanttoconformtoamentalityofimpatience,andmuchlessofindifferenceandcontempt,towardsoldage.Wemustreawakenthecollectivesenseofgratitude,ofappreciation,ofhospitality,whichmakestheelderfeellikealivingpartofhiscommunity.Oureldersaremenandwomen,fathersandmothers,whocamebeforeusonourownroad,inourownhouse,inourdailybattleforaworthylife.Theyaremenandwomenfromwhomwehavereceivedsomuch.Theelderisnotanalien.Wearethatelder:inthenearorfarfuture,butinevitably,evenifwedon’tthinkit.Andifwedon’tlearnhowtotreattheelderbetter,thatishowwewillbetreated.http://w2.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/audiences/2015/documents/papa-francesco_20150304_udienza-generale.html

TheLordneverdiscardsus.HecallsustofollowHimineveryageoflife,andoldagehasagraceandamissiontoo,atruevocationfromtheLord.Oldageisavocation.Itisnotyettimeto“pullintheoars”.Thisperiodoflifeisdifferentfromthosebefore,thereisnodoubt;weevenhavetosomewhat“inventitourselves”,becauseoursocietiesarenotready,spirituallyandmorally,toappreciatethetruevalueofthisstageoflife.Indeed,itoncewasnotsonormaltohavetimeavailable;itismuchmoresotoday.TheGospelcomestomeetuswithareallymovingandencouragingimage.ItistheimageofSimeonandAnna,whomarespokenofintheGospelofJesus’childhood,composedbyStLuke.Therewerecertainlyelderly,the“oldman”,Simeon,andthe“prophetess”,Anna,whowas84yearsold.Thiswomandidnothideherage.TheGospelsaysthattheyawaitedthecomingofGodeveryday,withgreattrust,formanyyears.TheytrulywantedtoseeHimthatday,tograspthesigns,tounderstandtheorigin.Bythen,theywerealsoperhapsmoreresignedtodiefirst:thatlongwait,however,continuedtooccupytheirwholelife,havingnocommitmentsmoreimportantthanthis:toawaittheLordandpray.So,whenMaryandJosephwenttothetempletofulfilltheprovisionsoftheLaw,SimeonandAnnamovedquickly,inspiredbytheHolySpirit(cf.Lk2:27).Theburdenofageandwaitingdisappearedinaninstant.TheyrecognizedtheChild,anddiscoverednewstrength,foranewtask:togivethanksforandbearwitnesstothisSignfromGod.Simeonimprovisedabeautifulhymnofjubilation(cf.Lk2:29-32)—inthatmomenthewasapoet—andAnnabecamethefirstwomantopreachofJesus:she“spokeofhimtoallwhowerelookingfortheredemptionofJerusalem”(Lk2:38).TheprayerofgrandparentsandoftheelderlyisagreatgiftfortheChurch!TheprayerofgrandparentsandoftheelderlyisagreatgiftfortheChurch,itisatreasure!Agreatinjectionofwisdomforthewholeofhumansociety:aboveallforonewhichistoobusy,tootaken,toodistracted.Weneedoldpeoplewhopraybecausethisistheverypurposeofoldage.Theprayeroftheelderlyisabeautifulthing.WeareabletothanktheLordforthebenefitsreceived,andfilltheemptinessofingratitudethatsurroundsus.Weareabletointercedefortheexpectationsofyoungergenerationsandgivedignitytothememoryandsacrificesofpastgenerations.Weareabletoremindambitiousyoungpeoplethatalifewithoutloveisabarrenlife.Weareablesaytoyoungpeoplewhoareafraidthatanxietyaboutthefuturecanbeovercome.Weareabletoteachtheyoungwhoareoverlyself-absorbedthatthereismorejoyingivingthaninreceiving.Grandfathersandgrandmothersformtheenduring“chorus”ofagreatspiritualsanctuary,whereprayersofsupplicationandsongsofpraisesustainthecommunitywhichtoilsandstrugglesinthefieldoflife.Howbeautiful,however,istheencouragementanelderlypersonmanagestopassontoayoungpersonwhoisseekingthemeaningoffaithandoflife!Itistrulythemissionofgrandparents,thevocationoftheelderly.Thewordsofgrandparentshavespecialvaluefortheyoung.Andtheyoungknowit.Istillcarrywithme,always,inmybreviary,thewordsmygrandmotherconsignedtomeinwritingonthedayofmypriestlyordination.Ireadthemoftenandtheydomegood.HowIwouldlikeaChurchthatchallengesthethrow-awayculturewiththeoverflowingjoyofanewembracebetweenyoungandold!ThisiswhatIaskoftheLordtoday,thisembrace!http://w2.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/audiences/2015/documents/papa-francesco_20150311_udienza-generale.html