On January 31, 2021, Pope Francis announced a new celebration in honour of all grandparents and the elderly. Catholics internationally celebrated the Roman Catholic Church’s first World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly on Sunday, July 25, 2021, on the feast day of Saints Joachim and Anne, Jesus’ grandparents. The Day was marked in all parishes across the Archdiocese of Lagos. Some children shared their experiences on how they celebrated the day with BETTY AMUKPO.
‘We can celebrate Grandparents Day by making them happy’
Grandparents are our father’s or mother’s parents. While elderly ones are the old age people that lives around us. We can celebrate grandparents day by buying things they like, by making them happy, help them with chores, showing them love, pray with them, and play with them, I listen attentively when they tell us folk tales
‘I joined the thanksgiving service to celebrate with the elderly in the Church’
World Grandparents day is a day set aside to celebrate our elderly. I celebrated the day with my grandmother by honouring her and took her to the eatery which my daddy bore the cost and my grandmother told me stories of old. Also, I joined the thanksgiving Mass to celebrate with the elderly in the Church. However, the book of Exodus 20:12 says “Honour your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you.
‘My Dad, Mum and I visited the Old People’s Home Assisted – Living Yaba’
I have only one grandparent left of my four grandparents. My maternal grandmother but she lives far away in Igbo-ukwu, Anambra State. I celebrated the World Grandparent’s and Elder’s Day. My Dad, Mum and I visited the Old People’s Home Assisted Living Yaba. We were there from 2p.m5p.m, we played Chess and Card Games with the old people there. Then we gave them gifts We had an enjoyable time with them.
‘I recited poems for them’
I celebrated the World Grandparents and the Elderly in my family by: 1. Reciting poems for them. 2. We made cards together. 3. Spent time together. 4. Played games. 5. Solved a lot of puzzles with them. 6. My mom cooked their favourite meals.
‘At St. Mary’s Isolo, we celebrated the day with fun fair, free eye checkup and glasses’
In my family I wished my grandma a happy grandparents day and informed her about the free medical checkup which our parish is giving out to the elderly, incase if she was free. While in our Parish, St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Isolo celebrated the day with fun fair, including old school music, gave free eyes checkup and glasses too for onlyN1,500.
‘I prayed for them and told them that they are the best grandparents in the world’
Grandparents day is a day set aside by the Pope to acknowledge and celebrate the important contributions made by grandparents to the wellbeing and education of the children within their family. It is an opportunity for families to show their gratitude and respect for older generations and to honour grandparents. l celebrated my grandparents day by praying to God to bless them with good health of mind and also called and told them that they are the best grandparents in the world, and that I am glad to have them as my grandparents.
‘We pray for Mary, Mother of all the living, to keep grandparents constantly in her care’
With the 2021 Theme by the Pope, “I am with you always” from the Gospel of Matthew. Identifying with the more senior members of our family, we should cherish the elderly and recognize that there’s no retirement age from the work of proclaiming the Gospel and handing down traditions to grandchildren. On this special day in which we celebrate grandparents and the elderly we pray for Mary, Mother of all the living, to keep grandparents constantly in her care.
‘We had fun with them in our parish; there was also free medical checkup for them’
When I got to Church, I realized that the day was the world Grandparents day, in our parish they participated as church wardens, collectors, lectors, I watched with interest seeing them doing it with so much joy in their eyes, our Parish Priest, Rev. Fr. Philip Egbuniwe (OSJ ) conveyed most of them to Church with the Parish vehicles and took them home after the funfair, there was enough food and drinks, good music I have never heard of. Fr. encouraged us to always care for our grandparents and the elderly not only on the World Grandparents Day and pray for them always. We had fun. There was also free medical checkup for them, free eye checkup and glasses. I pray to get old in Jesus Christ name.
‘Made a customized T-shirt for them, with the words, “World’s best Grandparents.”
Our grandparents are the people that gave birth to our parents. They are like our parents also I celebrated them in the following ways: We started the day with Mass. 1. I created an ‘I love you’ message for them. 2. I played their best games with them. 3. I assisted my mummy to prepare their favourite food 4. Made a customized T-shirt for them, with the words “World’s best Grandparents.” 5. Sang nice melody songs for them. Had a surprise party for them. Beautiful celebration, it ended in Praise. May God protect and bless our Pope for making it an annual event.
